Herding feet

[SoCrafty]

So, when Addie was a puppy, she had a tendency to herd feet. I knew it was going to be an issue and I tried stopping it. But everyone else, and their brother, thought it was the cutest thing ever. "No, she's ok" was the response or giggles. I tried getting her to stop because my Dad is older and if she tripped him, he'd really get hurt. This dog thrives on giggles and smiles. Giggle at a behavior once, it becomes a new thing.

We tried "no", we tried "enough", we tried redirecting, a squirt bottle, a can with coins, exercise you name it.

Now, she is a year old. It wasn't cute then, and it's still not, now. She has been relentless to me the last two weeks with this. I have tripped on her, kicked her on accident and she has had her tooth caught and got dragged. One of these days she is going to get hurt - or she will trip me and I will get hurt.

It has just been me mainly with the issue. She does it to my husband, but to me it's all the time, and I'm the one that was the primary inforcer of trying to get her to stop. She's grabbed onto my robe or my pant leg and tried playing tug of war. As soon as she latches on, she gets into the play bow. She is trying to get us to play.

Can anyone provide me a resource that I can sit down with everyone and say this is what we're doing. Stop encouraging this! I don't want her to get hurt

 

[StompinT]

Ugh. I don't know. My Shih Tzu did this for YEARS. Chased feet and pants when excited, or as an attempt to elicit play. What helped was to immediately stop moving, then ask her for a different behavior. Honestly, she mostly just outgrew it.

 

[meepitsmeagan]

Is it just when she is excited or is it all of the time?

I utilize a down stay, as ours is typically based on over arousal. You herd me, you lay down until your impulses are under control. Either that or I redirect the energy into a nice formal heel so they are still moving and moving with me, but I'm not getting nailed in the heels.

Not sure if will work for you, but it's what I use.