Teach Four on the floor
Most shelter dogs have not been taught how to greet people, so they greet them like they would other dogs—they jump up, lick, and try to wrestle or play. Taking the time to teach shelter dogs proper greeting skills can help make them more desirable to potential adopters and create a safer, happier, and more welcoming shelter environment.
In this video, Karen Pryor Academy faculty member Steve Benjamin is teaching a shelter puppy that having four paws on the floor works better than jumping up. The key is to reward four paws on the floor before the jump actually takes place. In the video, you can see the puppy respond to this training technique quickly. She is soon choosing to sit. Next, she begins to catch herself just as she jumps. You want to keep pre-empting that jump with clicks and treats for four paws on the floor!
With a little practice, you will find that shelter dogs learn quickly to calm down when greeted, resulting in easier-to-handle dogs that are adopted more quickly and go on to thrive in their new homes!
For more information about how to enrich the lives of animals in your care, check out KPA’s Shelter Training & Enrichment course!