Would like to get some opinions here on above. My GSD of 9 month old had this tendency that anyone having direct eye contact with her wil get jumped on and even mounthy. However those whom doesn't have direct eye contact will be ignored. She is very dominant with the rest of dogs and stands as the No. One in her litter.

Even for me when I have direct eye contact she will jump on me. I had not done any correction yet at this puppy phase and motivation seams to work as long as no direct eye contact.

My question is.

1) Is eye contact the major cause of the jumping?

2) Is dominance the issue here?

3) Will avoiding eye contact be the answer?

Thanks.

Just read my own posting and guess I should give more background information below for better understanding.

I just want to say that she is dominant as a puppy but not in the way of dog or human aggression. High nerved and very confident around strange things and people.

Without seeing the dog, I can only give an abstract answer. If there are habits or traits that you don't like about this pup. Stop them now while she still a puppy, I'd use the same tactic used when a puppy or dog is jumping up on people.

That is to raise your knee into the chest without saying a word. And praise if she sits, she can't mouth if you don't let her get started. By using your knee, with this she dispclines herself there by having no reason to become more aggressive.

I'm not sure that her behavior is an aggressive or if she been conditioned to think eye contact means we can play (mouthing), I take it she is not really biting hard ( A 9 month pup can pull a plug outa hide!!). Asked around the board.

Usually in dominance aggressive behavior there is some warning like barking and growling. Warning you that you are threading on their nerves or getting close to their property/toy/other person etc... She still just a puppy but this is just about when they start trying to be dominant.

I still say that, if you don't like what she is doing train away from the bad behavior and praise the behavior you want.

Good Luck, there is still time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I agree it's a hard one to call without seeing it, but it sounds like she's "loading" from the eye contact. That doesn't mean dominance or aggression, it just loads her nerves and she has to release the pressure. I've got one does the same thing. I found I can use it to my advantage in training - I can load him with eye contact, and just before he can't take it anymore, I give a command, and he'll execute it twice as fast as normal, cuz he's got all that coiled energy ready to explode.

Lee,

You have just given me the puzzle piece to construck....why didn't I think of the loading factor.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Yeah I do agree it's impossible to give accurate answer without seing the dog and I do appreciate your sharing Don.

You are right that he doesn't bite with full force more like play gnaw and doesn't hurt. Different from the firm grip on ball and sleeve. I don't think it's aggression. No bark, no growl just a very confident "hey play with me" demand.

This usually happen when I first time open the kennel door for her and she will jump. Usually I will just divert her to obedience or at worse instruct her back into the kennel for a 5 min timeout and she will be ok after that.

I'm using the soft approach now but if this doesnt work I'll just have to correct the hell out of her once reaching 12 months.

Only trying to see if this has anything to do with dominance issue. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Does she show any typical signs of dominance towards you? Will she charge through doors first, step on you, not move out of your way if she is laying in your path? I doubt its really a dominance thing, sounds more like she is conditioned to jump on eye contact <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I have to agree with Lee that the eye contact is probably inviting her to play, making her excited and she releases it by jumping because it has become a habit now and she doens't know what else to do and after the jump, she gets the attention she is seeking.
I would work on this with a flat collar and leash if you don't want to use prong compulsion at this point.
There are a few ways to go about it and I think that 1. eye contact is a big distraction for her and 2. She has to unlearn the cue of eye contact to jumping up.

To get over the distraction end, you need to work her more on her commands, so she can perform them with distractions like eye contact. You can introduce eye contact slowly while she is holding a sit, or doing a down, and praise and release starting with a second or 2 of holding the command with eye contact then increase the time. If she practices her commands more, you can get to Lee's point of making eye contact then giving her a command she is veyr comfortable with to relieve the stress of the eye contact immediately.
I think it would also be worth it to set her up with a flat collar and step on the lead and invite the jump. Or knee in the sternum is a quick way to fix the problem. Just lift your knee as she jumps into you, it is not a forceful move. But I have found that teaching a dog not to jump this way can be person specific. Ifyour dog likes to jump, and only 1 or 2 people consistently knee her, she won't jump on them, but will on others. Better to teahc the dog an alternative behavior.
Personally, I have experienced a similar problem wtih my lab. To teach her to heel, I used Flinks motivational method. However I soon noticed that Herhsey would break a heel and walk out if a passing stranger made eye contact. So I went back to working on prey drive development with her, and as she became more obsessed with the tug, she became less interested in those around her. Now she is a heeling fool regardless of who is looking or trying to distract her. She doesn't even see the toy most of the time, but she knows its there...
Good luck, hope that helped.
Michelle

Something to consider about eye contact……Konrad Lorenz “Most animals that are physically able to direct a fixed stare with both eyes - such as fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals - will do this only for a very short time span and then only in moments of extreme directed tension. Either they fear the object of their fixation or they have intentions which are not very 'honorable'. Consequently, amongst each other, animals regard fixed stares as hostile and extremely threatening.” Therefore, I would think a strong dog should consider this behavior aggressive and dominate. Consider how a very good helper works a strong dog and reinforces this behavior. Considering the questions, think about the possibilities now….…..

Alan,
Excellent point that makes me think even further now.

1. Yes I agree direct eye contact now stimulates the jump.
2. I am not sure dominance is the issue here, because I have worked many subordinate dogs who will jump if you make eye contact. Can be an effort to break the stare, relieve the tension of the moment.
3. Avoiding eye contact will not be the answer because eye contact is a necessary part of trainig. As I previously suggested, the dog can be trained to sit on eye contact to redirect the tension. I just think now the dog is conditioned to jump when making eye contact...
What do you think?

Originally posted by Lee Baragona - Sch3FH2:
it just loads her nerves and she has to release the pressure. I thought the same thing when I was reading the initial post. A form of avoidance, maybe even a displacement type behavior? Something to do when you don't know how to deal with what you feel.

With regards to redirected tensions, consider this: Lorenz says,” Aggression, more easily than most other instincts, can find complete satisfaction with substitute objects”. Dominance behaviors express aggression. So, if you are raising a protection/schutzhund dog why would anyone suppress aggression or dominance behavior???