If you did the previous jumping up work described in the April issue of Chipawgo!, your dog has received information that:
1. Jumping up will not be reinforced, but sitting, standing (all four on the floor) or lying down will be reinforced.
2. If anyone cues the dog to "sit" and the dog sits rather that jumps, it will be reinforced - any other behavior will not be reinforced.
3. The cheerfully spoken words "too bad" indicate jumping up behavior will not be reinforced.
4. A person folding or crossing their arms becomes a signal for the dog to sit rather than jump.

Having done this, why not celebrate with a party? You are probably a busy person who would like to see your friendss a bit more than you've been able to arrange, and here's a great opportunity to do that and have your friends train your dog at the same time.

I'm indebted to Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinary behaviorist and one of the best friends dogss will ever have, for this idea. Invite your friends over, tell them what you want them to do with respect to your dog (or repetitiously show them as they arrive), and have a great evening of catching up with your guests and having them train your dog to sit rather than jump - sit happens!

Dr. Dunbar suggests putting the beer in a cooler tub outside, so whenever someone goes outside to replenish, they come in and train the dog.

This has the benefit (however wonderful or dubious> of the dog getting lots of training by people in various states of inebriation. Repeat parties as necessary or desired. On the home front, continue to rehearse the dog by doing everything you can to invite jumping up (vocal sounds, open arms, patting your thighs, acting the fool) and if you dog falls for it, mark the very beginning of paws coming off the floor with your cheerful "too bad" and no reinforcement until the goofier you and others act, the more it tells the dog to sit (and not jump). This will be helpful when you encounter idiots on the street who will encourage your dog to jump while telling you, "I don't mind if he wants to say hello-dogs looove me!" (And they frequently has the scars to prove it.)

Taking it to the mean (or otherwise) streets.

In our classes we suggest a training progression of:
1. Familiar areas with no distractions - your house or your apartment.
2. New areass - different rooms and your outdoor property areas (front, back, side, etc.)
3. Unfamiliar areas with no distraction - parking lot, field, alley at a time when nothing is going on, etc.
4. Add distractionss - numerically 1, 2, then 3, etc., and from least distracting for your particular dog to most distracting.

Train each new level until your dog nails it, always relaxing your expectations at first so your dog can be successful and then advancing through the steps.

When you move to the streets, your dog will encounter strangers (real strangers whom you have not arranged) and stooges (people you have arranged as setups). You will also want to equip your dog with a drag line (leash, clothesline, etc.) marked with tape at the point which interrupts the dog's from feet from getting higher than two or three inches off the ground. (For a reminder, see Homework-Part 2 in the April issue of Chipawgo!).

Around the clock and around the block

Here's a fun way to get lots of repetition and generalization for your dog. Have your friends pose as whatever distractions will be helpful to your dog, spaced out and moving clockwise around your block. You and your dog travel counterclockwise. When we meet a woman, we sit. When we meet a man pushing a stroller, we sit. When we meet two kids, we sit. When we meet some guy heading to the Heartland Cafe, we sit, etc. Graduate your dog and yourself from the dragline when it's no longer needed, and then work in all locations until your dog's jumping up behavior is to your complete satisfaction. And then you might want to celebrate with another party!