My girl dog Lally is half boxer — which is why she likes to “box” me when I walk in the door. She stands up on her back legs and bats at me with her paws. It’s cute, but it can also be painful!
It seems like every dog has his or her own particular greeting ritual. Moose demands a good scratching as soon as I come home. My brother’s dog Lily isn’t happy until she has licked everyone’s face. Lally boxes — and she recently accidentally tagged a male friend of mine in a very delicate area!
The first thing to decide is what greeting is acceptable and what greeting isn’t? I don’t want Lally accidentally hurting my friends when they come to visit. Instead, I have been redirecting her enthusiastic greeting. She loves her squeaky ball, so every time she starts to box me (or someone else), I firmly tell her to get her ball. It may take a few repetitions of the command before it breaks through her excitement, but she eventually gets the ball and is happy to chase it — rather than box me.
If your dog has a favorite treat or toy, you’ll have an easier time redirecting his enthusiastic greeting. Have the treat or toy in your hand; just before your dog jumps up to greet someone, squeak the toy or toss the treat. Your dog’s attention should instantly be redirected onto the object.
You may need to keep this special treat or toy in reserve ONLY for times when you want to stop him from jumping up.
What about excessive licking? A treat can be a good distraction for that oral fixation. You or your visitor can offer the dog a treat. While the dog’s mouth is full, you can give your dog a pat in greeting. We often do this with my brother’s dog Lily — if she has a rawhide, she won’t be so interested in kissing everyone who comes to the house.