Wolfdogs are extremely alert and sharp by nature, making them excellent watchdogs and home guards. They are commonly raised in rural areas, but even though they have a natural guarding instinct, they still need training to fully develop their advantages.
Training to stop jumping up on people
When a wolfdog sees its owner come home, it may jump up in excitement. The owner may not like this behavior, so it should be corrected. If this is not addressed when the dog is young, it may continue to use this direct and emotional way of showing happiness. There are two common ways to stop it.
The first method is: when you come home and the dog jumps on your body or legs, raising its front feet excitedly, use your foot to block or trip its back legs lightly, or step gently on its hind toes. The discomfort will make it give up. If it tries again, repeat the correction so the dog understands that this behavior does not work.
The second method is: when the dog jumps up, hold one of its front paws and squeeze firmly enough to cause brief discomfort. The purpose is to make the dog associate jumping up with an unpleasant feeling. After using either method, you can immediately command the dog to sit. If it does so, gently pat its head as praise. With repeated training, the dog will learn that sitting and waiting for affection works better than jumping on the owner.
Training to stop chewing things at random
Wolfdogs have reasons for liking to chew. As puppies, they are curious about everything around them and treat objects like playmates. Their playful posture often reflects this curiosity. In addition, between three and six months of age, when baby teeth are being replaced by permanent teeth, they often chew because their gums itch. A third reason is that energetic puppies may simply have too much energy and nowhere to direct it, especially during the growth stage.
Besides scolding or physical correction, the owner should also review the environment and routine:
(1) After the dog enters the house, limit play to the kennel area or exercise space.
(2) Provide suitable toys, such as commercial rawhide bones, hard balls, or unused items like dolls or old shoes.
(3) Increase walking time and exercise outdoors.
(4) During the peak chewing stage, place movable items out of reach or store them away.
A puppy that never chews at all may actually have health or temperament problems. As long as the owner is good at stopping destructive chewing and redirecting energy into training, the dog can still be taught well.
Training to correct biting habits
Dogs naturally tend to chase moving things and get involved in everything around them. This is especially obvious in puppies. If such behavior is not stopped in time, it can gradually become nervous or troublesome behavior, so it should be trained as well. To do this, you can bring the dog near smaller or weaker animals to test its reaction. If it tries to approach, immediately stop it with a firm “No” or correction, and pull it back with the leash. Repeat this with different situations so the dog clearly understands what behavior the owner dislikes.