# Is there anyway to limit Sienna's use of "paw"?



## Sienna's Mom (Oct 23, 2007)

Sienna loves to give paw, or prod you with her paw for attention/pets. It has become a problem in that she might do this to a little kid or snag you in the face or DS chest when he isn't wearing a shirt.

I've tried to grab her paw/leg and hold it down, saying the NO command, but she'll just put her paw up immediately afterwards.

It is sweet, but it can be dangerous- especially when I pick up DS from his aftercare and there is little kids saying hi.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I don't mind it some of the time, I would just like to be able get her to stop when necessary.
THANKS!!!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Maybe when you put her foot back on the ground give her a command and treat. Hopefully she will start to work. Have you turned your back on her when she does it? Maybe also doing that will show her it doesnt get the result she wants.


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## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

My pup does the same thing. Im sure it's an affection thing but sometimes it can hurt. I know what works for us is to actually stand up and give a firm no and leave the room. When I am in bed and he does it I say No! Off! and I turn my back to him and that usually does it. I found that if I grab it and try to put/hold it down it just comes back up. Good luck and hope this helps. Consistency is Key.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Biscuit is 3 yrs old and still does this. I agree with 'FishinBuddy' that trying to hold their foot down only makes them want to put it back up again. I will usually step backward and turn around at the same time. It's especially annoying when I have clean pants on, I'm getting ready to go somewhere and I get a big fat muddy paw trying to get my attention.


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## Bogey's Mom (Dec 23, 2008)

I'm going to have to try this too. It's frustrating when we are laying in bed and get a big paw to the face.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

I tried and failed to break Lily of this habit. I'd be interested in the responses you get!

Kinda cute story: The other day I was trying to get Fergus to shake before I'd give him a treat. Lily comes running in from the other room, skids to a stop next to me and begins to hit me with her paw. Bless her heart, she got a treat. I could almost hear the wheels in her head turning... "I KNOW DAT TRICK! I KNOW DAT TRICK! OUTTA MY WAY, BRUDDER FERGUS!"


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## Cam's Mom (Apr 13, 2007)

Reward her only when you ask for her paw. And reward her for "paws off" Just the same as any other command...you only reward sit, when you ask for a sit, or down when you ask for down.

Remember in their mind attention of any kind, even negative like "get off me" is rewarding the behavior. So some management on your part is needed too. One way or another you will have to completely ignore the paw unless you ask for it. Tough...been there with my three year old.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

FishinBuddy said:


> My pup does the same thing. Im sure it's an affection thing but sometimes it can hurt. I know what works for us is to actually stand up and give a firm no and leave the room. When I am in bed and he does it I say No! Off! and I turn my back to him and that usually does it. I found that if I grab it and try to put/hold it down it just comes back up. Good luck and hope this helps. Consistency is Key.


This is exactly the response your dog should get EVERY time she paws at you. GOOD JOB!!! OR tell her to DOWN and demand that elbows touch the ground. Touching her paws OR staying where you are so she can do it again is only reinforcing the behavior. 
The dog I am showing right now (not my own dog, I've had him for almost 2 months) is a LICKER and I can't stand that. He is also very submissive and these things usually go hand in hand. I immediately stop petting him or get up and walk away if he tries to lick my hand, or fold my hands across my chest so he can't get to them. I just realized the other day that this behavior has been greatly reduced and he will even lay in bed next to me without trying to lick my face or hands any more. 
These are submissive and/or attention getting, manipulating behaviors that are symbiotic in nature...the dog won't do it if they aren't rewarded for it....so, tough love from owners!
--Anney


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

I teach a 'floor' command which means front feet on the floor. Easier to do if you have a step of some sort that they can sit on with their front paws on the ground lower than their butt. Once they get the idea you can cue them BEFORE they paw at you to 'floor' and then reward.

The other side of it is to do something more than ignore or put the paw down when you do get it. If every time she gives you the paw you get up and escort her to her bed, or outside, she'll start to figure out that it doesn't get her what she wants. But, you have to do it every time - if you still pet her once in a while for 'asking' then she's not going to learn.

Lana


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## JoelSilverman (Oct 21, 2008)

The simplest way is to just make it a *behavior* to keep her two paws on the ground. 


Give her a cue like "stay down" or "feet down"... whatever you want.
When her feet are on the ground tell her "stay", and reward her.
Start increasing the amount of time she is "staying", and don't worry about the distance, and don't worry about if she is sitting or on all fours. The distance is not an issue. You can stand right next to her.
At times throughout the day, if you see her sitting there or standing on all fours, start to begin to randomly reward her at those times.
This starts to fade out the word "stay", and eliminates you giving her a cue.
You can see that she will understand that if she just has two feet on the ground she is rewarded. This will extinguish the pawing.
If down the road she occasionally raises a paw, you can say feet down, and she will now know what you mean, but I would not reward her with a treat a that time. Only reward her for keeping her two feet down. This should eliminate that problem.
The bottom line is that in your dog's eyes, this is a behavior. But you no longer are giving a cue or making her stay. She is simply "offering" the behavior.... the simplest of all, which is to just not put the foot up.. THE EASIEST PAYOFF!
Good luck!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I would use the word "OFF" rather than "no feet," "feet down," whatever. OFF means OFF -- 4 feet on the floor. Less confusing than 10 commands for the same behavior.


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