A new trick?

[crysania4]

Dahlia is learning a new trick. I think. When we got home from session on Saturday I came bearing pieces of steak. I can never finish my open steak sandwich and so I always cut up the rest and bring it home to Dahlia (no she's not spoiled, not at all!). She can smell that stuff from a mile away and so combined with her excitement over our coming home, she is also excited over the smell of that wonderful, still warm steak. Well, I asked her for a "sit pretty" and she sat and then immediately came up on her hind legs to rest her front legs on my chest. It was adorable. I gave her a piece of steak, and patted my chest and up she went again. So I think I could train her to do this for some command. Maybe "give me a hug" or "up" or something.

But I don't know. Is this dangerous? She's not the type of dog to jump up on you and never does when we come home usually (instead she prances around, licking frantically, and curls herself into a C-shape while grinning). So I don't THINK this would result in her starting to jump on us when we come home, but is that possibility there? Something to think about.

Comments

[petulant.livejournal.com]

Darce knows "up" (he jumps up and his front paws land on my extended right forearm) and "hug" (paws on my chest). He wasn't a particularly jumpy dog either so I taught it with a low value reward, started by having him sit first, and never did it when he was excited to begin with - as in, I'd get him all riled up so he'd be in the mood or whatnot to jump, but not when I first walked in or whatever.
I think the key is to simultaneously teach an "off" command, for which she gets a much higher reward. Store-bought treat things for up vs. steak/chicken/cheese for off, for example.