I thought my 16 month old Bouvier was improving until I had two incidents with him this week. I just took him out in the fenced yard for a quick pee and check of the garden and he started running around and getting himself excited and then lunging at me. In the past I could just say no or off if he jumped and he would stop. Today he just kept jumping at me. I kneed him in the chest as he came at me and that seemed to encourage him more. There was no biting or barking or growling, but he scratched me on my arm and some other places pretty hard as I turned away.
This happened the other day as well, but I was able to grab his collar and put him in a down quickly.
The trainer I've been working with a bit, just calls him goofy- hasn't seen any aggression in him.
He is getting older I know and he's getting crazier out in the yard, he runs around the corner fast and he gets a little to close to me.
I guess I can not let him in the yard without a leash, but that would be too bad since he needs the exercise. He has no interest in going out by himself. I walk him, which also is no easy chore even with the prong, but it's not enough.
I guess I'll have to go back to some pack reinforcements. I don't let him jump on me, so I'm not sure why he thought he could do it(my husband and teenage son do though). Any other suggestions. Is this dominance or pack behavior?
I've got the prong collar on him now and he's in a down next to me whining.

 Quote: leslie downey

. . .The trainer I've been working with a bit, just calls him goofy . . .

And you're paying a trainer for this kind of assessment? 16 mos.? Sounds like he needs more exercise. Can you turn him loose in the yard to burn off a little more energy?

 Quote: leslie downey

. . .I guess I'll have to go back to some pack reinforcements. I don't let him jump on me, so I'm not sure why he thought he could do it(my husband and teenage son do though). . .

Bingo! Your "pack" needs to all be on the same page. Like another trainer says, "I rehabilitate dogs, I train people!" You're beating your head against a wall if you're teaching one behavior and husband/son are doing the opposite.

Mike

Oh man, I wish I had the space for a Bouvier. My grandfather had one when I was a kid, and he was just the coolest dog.

I'd say he needs more exercise during the day. He's just getting super wound up and being goofy.

Failing that, an e-collar might be a good choice.

Mike, I haven't filled the trainer in on what has transpired during the week. Wasn't planning on seeing her again until after the summer. Anyway he's a tough one. My last Bouv was a cream puff. I walk Finn everyday and he still forges down the street with his prong collar on. He doesn't lunge at cars anymore though, it's just more of a constant tug.
Yes he needs more exercise. But, he loses interest in the ball or frisbee after 5 or 10 mins even with treats. I'm out of suggestions.
I was trying to train him for some agility eventually, but not sure if I can get him through advanced obedience any time soon. I would like to try an ecollar but definitely don't feel capable of following those instructions. If I could take one of those seminars I would do it.
If I could control my husband and insolent teenage son, that would be something. I will lay down the law this week, perhaps after they see the bruise on my arm they can see how he could hurt someone if they let him jump.
I will try not to get into the situation again, but what should I do if he runs at me again? Putting my arm up or my knee didn't seem to help.

My Dutchie was doing this same thing and more. I was giving him plenty of exercise. He would grab onto my jacket sleeve (it was in winter) and try to drag me around the yard. It was his version of play plus a attempt to dominate. This was when he was 6 months old. He would dodge knees to the chest or ribs.

I've owned different breeds of working dogs my whole life and consider myself capable of establishing pack structure.

I was the only person in his universe.

A ecollar broke that in short order. He was a slow learner. After about 10 stims he has never attempted it again. There is still times that I can tell he is thinking about it but he never goes all the way.

Ed has a step by step dvd that explains how to use a ecollar.

Just sounds like exuberant pent-up Bouvier energy playfulness to me. He's still a youngster, not a mature adult. I wouldn't read too much into it if I were you (dominance, yada yada). Walks don't really give any dog the exercise he needs. Dogs need to run, at the minimum they need to trot in order for it to be called exercise. Walking doesn't cut it.

Sounds like exercise is what your dog needs. Which doesn't mean he won't ever run around you and jump on you as he did - that part is just a matter of discipline. It's not malicious intent on your dog's part, so in order to give fair corrections it's best not to see it that way. It's just puppy play.

Leslie, have you tried an Orbee on a string? My pup will retrieve a tennis ball maybe once or twice and then loses interest, but she'll go much longer with an Orbee on a string, because when she brings it back she gets a good tug. She's much more motivated to tug than she is to retrieve...

(and my husband lets her jump on him, too. Frustrating, to say the least! )

How much do you walk him? Cesar Milan (pardon me, I've been reviewing his books again!) would say he needs a lot longer walks, with him being walking correctly, relaxed by your side, not pulling ahead. He talks about how ball chasing and romping in the yard can be good fun, but it's not the main exercise the dog should have, as it actually serves to amp the dog up. Maybe using a backpack on the walks, too, to tire him out even more, and add weight. It gives him a job to do, and helps give him something to focus on.

Leslie, one other thing...are you letting him run around the back yard without a drag line? If so, try using a drag line; much easier to grab onto it and stop him from jumping when he's tearing around you like a madman. (just watch that it doesn't get wrapped around your ankles; been there, and it ain't pretty...)

Hi - I'm not a pro, but have a soon to be 20 month male GSD who has a ton of puppy energy going still. While he has matured a lot since he turned 15 months, he is very easily turned into a play-machine. He has very high prey drive and it really comes out in play. He is a super friendly dog but he still lacks some impulse control. This manisfests itself with "friendly strangers" (aka people that don't listen to me when I say not to approach/pet my dog; or people that stare at him and bend down to pet!) and also during some playtimes. Basically, if he gets too exuberant with me, and does not heed the "NO" "OFF" when he gets jumpy/lungy, the I turn my back to him as he approaches excitedly and ignore him/walk away. He has learned alot of self control and proper behavior by my taking away attention (isolation basically). If he gets too excited with people who come to the door (and if he doesn't heed my "place" command to sit in his place when people arrive at our home) he gets put in his crate. Simple and very effective. He has to earn the priviledge to play with me (on my terms) and interact with others (again, on my terms). He just doesn't know better and can't control his excitement and energy. It really works. Hope that helps.