# Digging my skull



## Paintergurl (2 mo ago)

Help, My female rescue who is 8 months old and an Australian cattle dog will dig into my skull and pull at my hair after she jumps onto my back and wraps around me like a cat would. For one, its painful and for 2 she's getting way too big. Lol she's not a cat.


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## 3GSD4IPO (Jun 8, 2016)

You need to read when she will do this and turn around quickly and face her.

It is imperative to do this every time before she actually does the behavior. As you face her and she "changes her mind" mark it (I use YES!) and immediately reward her for 4 feet on the floor. Food, ball, enthusiastic "Good Dog!" should be your combined reward.

I suspect this was not discouraged as a young dog when the (self rewarding?) behavior was first exhibited. Now it is somewhat habitual and will be more difficult to avert.


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## Toedtoes (Sep 25, 2021)

This is her way of playing with you, and because you allowed it when she was little, she doesn't understand that it's not OK to do it now.

My Tornado-dog did similar as a young puppy. His was less pulling on the hair and more kissing the face, but in general the same jumping on your back and hanging on and climbing all over.

To stop the behavior, I simply had him sit in front of me when he wanted attention. As soon as he sat, I praised him and scratched either side of his neck (that was the spot where he liked being scratched and would sit calmly for). If he tried to climb on me, I stood up. It didn't take long for him to figure out that sitting in front of me got him attention and jumping on me got nothing. 

Because I didn't want to completely stop the behavior as it was just him being affectionate, I just didn't want him doing it all the time or to everyone, I also gave him a "trigger". If I called out "Snortimer", that meant he could come and get obnoxiously affectionate with me (or with the person saying it). He is now 23 months old and is much calmer (he's part parsons russell so more energy than most by default) when wanting affection. But with that one word, I can turn him into that crazy lunatic.


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## DaySleepers (Apr 9, 2011)

You've gotten some good advice for interrupting and redirecting the problem behavior, but I wanted to add that it can help to be on alert for your pup offering polite, appropriate invitations to play. If, for example, she brings you a toy instead of climbing on you, make a big deal out of it and accept her invitation by having a play session (as often as is possible, of course - sometimes you really can't play and it's important for her to learn that, too). By reinforcing other play behaviors she's already doing - as well as the other suggestions for interrupting, redirecting, and encouraging polite alternative behavior like 'sit' - you'll increase the chance she'll chose to do those instead!


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## Paintergurl (2 mo ago)

Thank you all so much for the advice. Now that I think about it when I first got her (Trouble), she did climb around my neck and make these cute little sounds. I in return was comforting her saying awe it's ok. So, yes I started this. It will take time to correct but it's better than her digging in my skull.


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