How do you get a dog to stop stepping on your feet? We have a rescued female Doberman who, occasionally in her enthusiasm, steps on our feet. This usually happens when she's about to go on a walk or to be fed or just given a treat. I think I read once somewhere that stepping on feet could be a dominance thing but I doubt that would be the case with this dog. Anyways, is it just clumsiness or does she know what she's doing?

Thanks,
Kitty S.

Dogs tend to have a much stronger sense of body position than people do. The point is that the dog use almost all non-verbal communication. People tend to discount that fact because we use primarily verbal communication. Dominant dogs will tend to do things like attempt to block your path, bump you as they go by, direct you motion by interfering, ect.... For this reason you have to pay attention to what the dog is doing.

That said, dogs will use similar things to show submission. When excited the dog may show signs of trying to submit as demonstrated by trying to get close and often licking or whirling demonstrate that submission.

The secret to teaching the dog to stop all of this is obedience. Teach the dog to sit calmly prior to treating or attaching a leash. Dog doesn't sit, he doesn't get what he wants. It usually doesn't take long for the dog to figure out that the wild behavior won't work. The other option is when the dog touches you put him in his crate. Leave him there for about 20 min. and then try it agaain. If the dog steps on you, do it again. If the dog does it a third time, back in the crate and don't do what ever it was that the dog wanted (walk/treat). You could try again in a couple of hours or wait to the next day.

How interesting. I would never have guessed our dog was trying to be dominant. She doesn't "argue" with any commands. If she's told to get off the couch or a bed (which she's only on during the day and sleeps on her own dog bed at night)she does so right away without any fuss and she shows no hostility of any kind towards us no matter what we do to her. But, she does step on feet occasionally, sometimes bump us as she goes by or try steering us to the door when it's walk time. Anyways, thanks for the advice!

It may not be dominance. It may actually be submission. Leting the dog on the furniture is asking for dominance problems though. Dogs can also be a bit passive agressive. They will often try very subtle attempts at increasing their position.

Or it could be that your dog just stepped on your feet! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

My question is for Richard. Are you saying to use the crate as a form of correction for teaching the dog some obedience. That is usually something that I advise against, not wanting the dog to perceive the crate as anything other than its own personal safe haven.I know you have to put the dog away for different reasons at different times but to teach the dog some basic obedience stuff or manners doesnt seem to be one of them to me.Could you explain a little more why you feel that this is a time that requires crating or why there wouldnt be any ill feelings towards the crate by doing what you said.Thanks

It isn't done in a punitive manner, you just quietly put the dog in the crate for a while so they can calm down. No scolding, just put them in.

The simple reason is that it works. The dog learns that they need to contol themselves or they lose a period of time in a "time out". The basic principle isn't punishment, but extinction. By removing the dogs access to reinforcement, it makes the reinforcer more powerful.

What are you saying Officer? That sometimes a cigar is just a cigar?
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