Tess tackles me! Help! lol

[huskylover103]

So we were playing over at my sisters and my son and my nephew were chasing eachother and I was on the floor laughing at them. They were running back to the living room from the kitchen and Tessa was after them, obviously... Well she saw me and broke out into a FULL run and hopped up wayyyy in the air and I only had time to put my hands up before her whole body landed on my head! Everyone was like OMG! WHOA! Then they died laughing. So.... it's like this, its not the first time she's done this, she does it whenever excited, I am on the couch and she takes a notion to run... so she does. Only she doesn't stop when she gets to me, she jumps right on top of me, however I'm sitting, or standing... LOL

Although I think it hilarious, and I love it, I also hate it. It's weird. It hurts. Is it bad for me to allow her to do this? When shes in that crazy hyper spastic mode, nothing stops her unless I get mean and firmly handle her. Then she puts her ears back and I feel bad. And by firmly handleing her I do NOT mean spanking her! I kinda just firmly hold her still and speak loud and clear "NO" and "CALM" and she does. But the minute something else makes her hyper, she is right back to that state of mind.

I know it's typical for huskies to be hyper and bullheaded. So, I know you all have plenty of advice RIGHT????

[Ravenwolf]

Huskies love to express themselves by jumping, but it sounds like yours is more enthusiastic than most!

It may seem funny now, but it will become a lot less so when she leaps on a child like that, or a stranger, fragile person or even when you aren't expecting it. At the very least, it can be a major source of frustration when she gets muck all over your dress clothes on your way out, or accidentally tears your favourite shirt.

Time to teach little missy some boundaries! Namely - We Do Not Jump on People. Ever. We Do Not Jump on Furniture. We Do Not Put Paws on People.

She may appear full grown, but Tessa still has the mind of a puppy, and so long as it's all in good fun she will continue, but it could quickly turn into a really nasty habit. I got Scout at 18 months and he was terrible for jumping on people. Now he continues to leap and bound, but away from me.

I would suggest ending play time before she gets to that super-excited limit. If she's a 0-60 kinda girl, as soon as she starts to jump up or make like she's going to leap at you, turn your back to her and ignore her. If she persists, leave - playtime is OVER. No resuming in a few minutes, it's just done until another time. I'm not opposed to throwing an elbow behind me with a persistent jumper - I'd rather clock them in the head or chest than have them rake claws down my back, and sometimes that's what it takes for them to really get the point that you don't like it. I like to teach my dogs that the best way to get my attention is to sit. Therefore, I will pointedly ignore them, whether they're jumping barking, trying to run in front of me, until they at last give up and have a seat to think about what to do next. That's when I turn around and greet them again.

If she does her full blown leap, deflect her as best you can. Try not to shout at her, as - even though you're trying to reprimand her - it probably just excites her more. Give a firm 'enough' and walk away. Leave her outside if you're in the yard, go to another room if you're in the house. I like to teach the word 'enough' to mean that playtime is over. It's a word that means they need to be calm before anything else happens.

When you're playing with her, you should always be the one who dictates when playtime is at an end. I like to have them sit until they heave a big sigh that kinda lets go of some of that excitement - that's a good time to turn them loose again, and you'll likely find that even if she's still playful, she'll be a little more mellow.

So at the end of the day, what she's learning is that you hate being jumped on, it makes you not want to play with her. Once she's learned that rule (and only once she's learned it well!) you can initiate play and roughhousing that allows her to put paws on you, but ONLY if she's learned the 'enough' command and will stop the moment you request it.

It will take time and consistency - she won't learn it overnight, but I'm confident that she is capable of learning it. If there's no reward to jumping on you, only negative (you leave/no more play) she isn't going to continue.

Hope that makes sense, and I hope it helps!

[Rosemary]

Great post [MENTION=5937]Ravenwolf[/MENTION] If I sit on the floor with the huskies I am fair game to them, but they have learned to not jump all over me, otherwise play time is over.

It is wonderful that Tessa is such a happy husky, but I would also curb her 'enthusiasm' before she hurts you or that gorgeous little boy of yours

[huskylover103]

Huskies love to express themselves by jumping, but it sounds like yours is more enthusiastic than most!

It may seem funny now, but it will become a lot less so when she leaps on a child like that, or a stranger, fragile person or even when you aren't expecting it. At the very least, it can be a major source of frustration when she gets muck all over your dress clothes on your way out, or accidentally tears your favourite shirt.

Time to teach little missy some boundaries! Namely - We Do Not Jump on People. Ever. We Do Not Jump on Furniture. We Do Not Put Paws on People.

She may appear full grown, but Tessa still has the mind of a puppy, and so long as it's all in good fun she will continue, but it could quickly turn into a really nasty habit. I got Scout at 18 months and he was terrible for jumping on people. Now he continues to leap and bound, but away from me.

I would suggest ending play time before she gets to that super-excited limit. If she's a 0-60 kinda girl, as soon as she starts to jump up or make like she's going to leap at you, turn your back to her and ignore her. If she persists, leave - playtime is OVER. No resuming in a few minutes, it's just done until another time. I'm not opposed to throwing an elbow behind me with a persistent jumper - I'd rather clock them in the head or chest than have them rake claws down my back, and sometimes that's what it takes for them to really get the point that you don't like it. I like to teach my dogs that the best way to get my attention is to sit. Therefore, I will pointedly ignore them, whether they're jumping barking, trying to run in front of me, until they at last give up and have a seat to think about what to do next. That's when I turn around and greet them again.

If she does her full blown leap, deflect her as best you can. Try not to shout at her, as - even though you're trying to reprimand her - it probably just excites her more. Give a firm 'enough' and walk away. Leave her outside if you're in the yard, go to another room if you're in the house. I like to teach the word 'enough' to mean that playtime is over. It's a word that means they need to be calm before anything else happens.

When you're playing with her, you should always be the one who dictates when playtime is at an end. I like to have them sit until they heave a big sigh that kinda lets go of some of that excitement - that's a good time to turn them loose again, and you'll likely find that even if she's still playful, she'll be a little more mellow.

So at the end of the day, what she's learning is that you hate being jumped on, it makes you not want to play with her. Once she's learned that rule (and only once she's learned it well!) you can initiate play and roughhousing that allows her to put paws on you, but ONLY if she's learned the 'enough' command and will stop the moment you request it.

It will take time and consistency - she won't learn it overnight, but I'm confident that she is capable of learning it. If there's no reward to jumping on you, only negative (you leave/no more play) she isn't going to continue.

Hope that makes sense, and I hope it helps!

OH what wonderful advice! Before reading this I was wondering if teaching her not to do this would make her not want to do cute "hops" and "pounces" in fear of her being left alone or reprimanded or something. But I LOVE the idea of teaching her to stop first, THEN when I say it is okay, she can have paws on me and jump on me. I would love her to be that way! I have actually tried to ignore her when she hurts me. It just results in claws going across my face or my arm or whatever is in reach because shes trying to get me to play. But now I see that leaving the room where she physically cant claw or jump or knaw on me.... that could work!! Then when she is calm, approach her again! Does this sound right?

[huskylover103]

Great post @Ravenwolf If I sit on the floor with the huskies I am fair game to them, but they have learned to not jump all over me, otherwise play time is over.

It is wonderful that Tessa is such a happy husky, but I would also curb her 'enthusiasm' before she hurts you or that gorgeous little boy of yours

Yes, I do worry about Collin when Tess is in her super hyper mode. He usually just laughs at her, but she has knocked him down pretty hard a couple times. It a little scary tbh. I want her to be better behaved, but I don't want her to become boring either, LOL... but I'd love to have in between... I think it can work. Shes a quick learner. It's funny that when I'm teaching her to "shake" she gets a treat for using her paws on my hand, but when she does it on her own (claw down my arm), she gets a "NO Tessa that hurts!" and I try to (unsuccessfully) get her off me and she just thinks I'm playing more.... :/ poor girl must be so confused.... She must be thinking, "what does she WANT from me!?"

and thanks, I think Collin is gorgeous too.

[Ravenwolf]

OH what wonderful advice! Before reading this I was wondering if teaching her not to do this would make her not want to do cute "hops" and "pounces" in fear of her being left alone or reprimanded or something. But I LOVE the idea of teaching her to stop first, THEN when I say it is okay, she can have paws on me and jump on me. I would love her to be that way! I have actually tried to ignore her when she hurts me. It just results in claws going across my face or my arm or whatever is in reach because shes trying to get me to play. But now I see that leaving the room where she physically cant claw or jump or knaw on me.... that could work!! Then when she is calm, approach her again! Does this sound right?

That's correct. You don't have to worry about 'crushing her spirit' as it were - you're just setting a limit to how exuberant she can be. She will find other ways of expressing herself. You can invite her to frolic and be excited, but the moment a paw is laid on a person playtime is over. Same thing with putting teeth on you/grabbing clothing if she's also doing that. I don't like it - I'm leaving. She'll associate that specific action with your displeasure, not excitement as a whole. She'll learn that she can still bounce and jump and spin - just not ON you.

If she's jumping on you when you're on the couch too, just teach her to stay off the couch unless you invite her, and that couch time is quiet lovins time - never play on the couch so that it's always associate with quiet, relaxing time.

It's funny that when I'm teaching her to "shake" she gets a treat for using her paws on my hand, but when she does it on her own (claw down my arm), she gets a "NO Tessa that hurts!" and I try to (unsuccessfully) get her off me and she just thinks I'm playing more....

So long as you clearly define what is expected, she will understand with a relatively shallow learning curve. You ask for a paw, you want a paw. You didn't ask for it, you don't want to be touched with it! Respond with a 'no' (if you weren't playing with her to start) or 'enough' (if you were playing but she escalated), stand up, cross your arms in front of you (so they aren't grabbable appendages) and put your back to her, leaving if she persists. If you push her or grab her she only thinks you're playing the game too. When you say "ow! No!" but continue to grab, I think it's seen as like another dog who is just growling as she plays.

Teach Colin to use the words too - you're never too young to be the boss! - but you'll likely have to enforce his 'no' by actively sending her away from him.