I need help training !!!

[Preston]

I have a German Short Haired Pointer, who is 2 and a half years old. We have had him for nearly a year and we rescued him from a lady who could not look after him anymore due to personal circumstances. I love my dog dearly and could not see myself without him. Where ever I go - he goes. Im an airhostess so im at home quite often and he is never left for more than 5hours on his own.
When we first got him he was quite well behaved, he was bad on the lead and never came back to you when out for a walk, but we have over come that and he is a lot better.
When you walk through the door he has always jumped up at people, even though we have stuck to the turning your back on him and ignoring him until he is sat down - but to no avail. TO add to the problem he wee's aswell ! So you get splashed with wee whilst he is jumping around like a loony. Its not too bad when your not the 1st in the house as we can take him out side and get him sat down with a biscuit until he is calm. But if you the 1st one home - you've had it.

Secondly, in the past 2 weeks he has turned into a nightmare with snatching food off the table. He will sneak into the kitchen and what ever he can find he will have. The other day he had tried to eat a full bag of pasta, and cous cous (he must have strange tastes ) It had been left on the work top by mistake. If he can get to a tin of beans/soup etc he will have this and then do his best to open it, ande on some occassions has managed it !!!!

If anyone has any tips on how to help they would be greatly appreciated.

[emmabeth]

Hiya

The food stealing thing, id see a vet first in case there is anyting going on that would cause a sudden change like this.

If you are sure he isnt bored and finding fun for himself, and isnt really hungry, then definately, see the vet, and after that, make sure he cant access foods to steal!

So, jumping up when you return.

Ignoring the behaviour is only HALF the solution to this, for it to work you need to replace the loony behaviour with something you WILL reward him for.

After all, thnk about what happens if you speak to someone and they dont react... you speak louder dont you!

Thats what your dog is doing, hes shouting HELLOOOOO IM HEREEEEE and hes getting really worked up and stressed and urinating possibly because of stress or insecurity.

Teach him a behaviour you will reward and ask him for that when you walk in. You may ahve to set up the situation 'fake' for a few times, so you can be sure that the first few goes at it, you DO get him to sit, or down or be on his bed and you wont accidentally reward him for jumping up (even shouting 'gerroff you silly dog' can be a reward!), as you may do if you come home tired or loaded with shoppign etc.

Teach him a really strong sit, a raelly fast sharp snappy sit, bum hits the floor before you have finished the T of SIT type thing. Teach him it wherever he is when you walk in the door, so if thats in the hall teach him to sit there, for a dog, a change of environment can completely change what the command means!

Then practice over a few weeks, coming n the door and rewarding the dog when he is sat down. Dont ask him to do anything but sit. Dont say 'down or off or shuttup or argh or 'you are going to the dogs ome' or anything else, just stand there, arms folded, and say SIT. If he sits, HUUUUUUGE fuss. If not, wait until you have eye contact and ask him again, make sure hes aware you have a reward like a food traet on you!

Hth

Em