We have a two year old rescued golden retriever. He is a very friendly dog that enjoys visitors. He is calm and relaxed when it is just our family (thanks to all of the great training techniques from SitStayFetch!). However, when company is over, he is a total pest. He is constantly seeking attention from our guests. He paws, jumps and generally annoys everyone in the room. We used ignoring when training him to leave us alone when we sit and relax but it is not working when someone new is in the house. I have also tried sit/stays but then my focus is totally on the dog and not the conversation. What can I do to get my dog to relax when company is over?
I had the same problem with my dog Maggie. The best thing that I have found is teaching her the "sit/stay" in her "place"...her dog bed that is in the family room. She is so good at staying there now that she will stay while we eat dinner with company and not come over to bother us at the table. It didn't take that much time to train this, but I did practice with her every day. Begin by working in 5 minute increments with a leash on. Put your dog on its "place" (can be a rug or a dog bed), have it lay down and say "Stay" and drop the leash. If it stays put, praise and give a treat. If it gets up, take the leash and lead it back and start over. Hold out your hand when you say "Stay" and say it like you mean it.
Vary the length of time between treats and try to back away while staying in the dog's eye view. You have to practice every day--when its just you or just the family around. The dog does not have permission to leave the "place" until you say "release". When your dog can stay put for 20 minutes, you'll be ready to use this trick when you have company. You should be able to put the dog in its place, and expect it to stay for at least 20-30 minutes, with an occasional "Stay" reminder and/or treat. This doesn't take too much time away from your guests.
You'll find a lot of times, your dog will relax and lay down, sometimes falling asleep. This helps Maggie get over her excitement about having new people in the house. By the time I say "release" and she is allowed to get up, she's over the crazy excitement phase.
