I got my pup at 7 weeks and used the training with food method, which he does understand most all the commands, sit, stay, down, come, he does not drop when playing instead runs away with toy, now the real problem lately he is getting motre hard headed, he jumps on my wife which I did not know he was still doing, he attempts it with me sometimes, but the thing that really gets me is he jumps on my grandkids which ends up scratching them in their face and othe areas, this is unacceptable, he has also been in obedience class for the last 6 weeks and I work with him, but to my fault I did not socialize him around people or other dogs so he is fine with me alone but if someone is there he does not listen and in class is starting to do the same thing, I need help as I cannot let this keep happening and found myself jerking him upset when he does this which I do not want to do. but he needs to be sopped before he gets any larger and stronger

You need to keep him on leash around people and then there's no excuse for him jumping up. Take him out and get him used to people / kids, work with him around your family but control all of the interactions.

He needs to learn to obey with level 1 distractions before you start with level 10 distractions. With less distractions around you will both get less frustrated.

Pop him on a long line to train him to retrieve, he won't be able to run off with the toy and you can make the game into a training situation

 Quote: John Bradley

I got my pup at 7 weeks and used the training with food method, which he does understand most all the commands, sit, stay, down, come, he does not drop when playing instead runs away with toy, now the real problem lately he is getting motre hard headed, he jumps on my wife which I did not know he was still doing, he attempts it with me sometimes, but the thing that really gets me is he jumps on my grandkids which ends up scratching them in their face and othe areas, this is unacceptable, he has also been in obedience class for the last 6 weeks and I work with him, but to my fault I did not socialize him around people or other dogs so he is fine with me alone but if someone is there he does not listen and in class is starting to do the same thing, I need help as I cannot let this keep happening and found myself jerking him upset when he does this which I do not want to do. but he needs to be sopped before he gets any larger and stronger

John, if he really understood sit/down/stay then it should be easy to stop the jumping on folks. From what you say, the dog has not been socialized properly nor trained properly, but he is still a pup so you have plenty of time to fix the problems.

Did you crate train your dog? If so, until you get his training under control he should be in the crate when your grandchildren come over. (It is not fair to correct him for something which you have not trained.) If you did not crate train him, then on a leash under your control when the kids are over is the next best thing, or in an outside kennel, garage, etc...

It sounds like you have dabbled in Marker Training, but I would encourage both you and your wife to really learn and use this daily, consistantly, in several short training sessions per day.

How much exercise is your puppy getting at this time?

BTW - Welcome to the forum!

Also, keeping a short, no handle leash on your pup at all times will allow you to better control the jumping, and absolutely he should be on a long line outside at ALL times until his recall is 100%. Everytime you let him run away when you call him to you, teaches him that command doesnt' mean what you intend it to mean.

he has been crate trained since day 1, he is always in the crate when they are around and he is downstairs he has his own room, but when I let him out he is in my fenced in yard and someone walks by he barks at them, he tries to get squirrels, if a cat walsk by yard he goes bizerk, he catches bugs, looks for things in the grass he once even came to me on the porch with a bird he caught, I do not want to deter prey drive as in the future I wuold want him to protect, regarding the jumping I am not there when he does this with my wife, I try to get her to understand that she also needs to stop him, and when he does it with my grandson he thinks he is playing and he is on the lease but as you said I need to make it shorter, as I am working on training to the word off, and telling the others to do the same if I am not home and my wife for some reason is not listening to me and letting him loose in the yard as I take him out on leash and sometimes let him free in the yard for 20 minutes then back inside, but I am not home for 13 hours aday someone has to work, but my wife is home with him all day but she leaves him crated unless to eat and go to bathroom, I know I am all over the place with this, but I want to get back on track.

Absolutely. Indoors on a drag line, outdoors on leash.

And I have certainly been known to stand on the leash of a dog who is just learning about not jumping up (in a group-chat situation) just to minimize any "let's all get excited and yell and jump more!" situations.

I'd probably be walking him (I mean your wife). He can't be crated for that long, and exercise needs to be partly structured (marching along).

JMO on that part, but the part about him being crated all day except for potty and meals is way off track. He needs a ton more interaction, exercise, short training sessions ....

Have you thought of watching a LB video together? Basic Ob and the first marker video, maybe?


eta
I just wanted to add in a completely non-confrontational way (I know you are here for help and this is help ) that the patience-losing needs to be re-directed. This is a dog being a dog -- without nearly enough release of frustrated energy, pack interaction, or daily short upbeat training sessions.

It can all be fixed. It will require changes, all of which are doable.


Edited by Connie Sutherland (10/25/2010 01:26 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Do you mean when you are home he is in the crate if the kids come over but your wife will let him out if they are over?

If you are at work 13 hours a day and the only exercise the pup is getting is being out in the back yard, I believe a big part of the problem is he is not getting enough exercise. A tired pup is a really, really good pup. Right now it sounds like he has all this energy and no way to let it out. (running around and catching a bird is not exercise enough for a high energy pup.) Any chance you can give him a good, brisk 45 min. walk/play in the AM before work? Will your wife be willing to help with this mid-day?

We can help you get back on track. One step at a time. It is going to take time and training though John... either by you or your wife (preferrably both) or it won't happen.

connie and I were posting at the same time...

yes he is only getting yard time, no she does not let him loose when they are there, at least I hope not, I am up at 4:15am to catch 5:12 train to the City, this was not planned this way, my company moved and I ended up traveling 4 hours day 2 morning 2 evening, but yes I know I need to make more time, I will try and get back on track but in the evenings, unfortunately she will not walk him as he is too strong for her, and she does not leave him crated for all that time, but I do get the message and am taking all of this in

Too strong meaning he pulls her down the road? That's a loose-leash training thing. Of course, meanwhile he requires exercise. Do you know of (or can you find) a local walker who has references (which you would check) and will devote a a couple of half-hour sessions a day to your dog without a pack? That is, you would require that a bunch of older smaller dogs would not be part of the walk with yours because of their limitations.

The puppy experts will comment on the limits of your young dog, but I know they will be greater than the limits of, say, a senior Pug.

(When I worked away from my home, I got up an hour early for power walks -- always leaving tired dogs when I left. We all started out together but the small seniors came home first and then the walk continued at a greater speed with the GSD; something like this can almost always be thought out, IME.)

The ideal is for the pack leader to do the walking -- to lead the pack -- but it's crucial to get this dog some structured exercise.

He needs short training sessions every day, too, but those are probably easier, requiring as they do only five minutes (but frequently) ....

Anyway -- just a couple of ideas. We have all been there, we all deal with it, we all arrange lives partly (or more) around the requirements of the most active dog in the pack.

Hi john
Am no expert and i wouldnt try to advise but your dog sounds so like mine.All i can say is do something now as my dog is 4 years old and is going in to kennels for board,socialisation with pack and training.
The behaviour is exactly the same allthough i live on my own and am not away for as long as you are it was long enough for my dog to be teased by children and left me with a huge problem.
Am sure you are getting the best advice from the people on this site,he is only 6 months you will turn it around
robbie