I watched a training video that suggested teaching dogs to "shake a paw" was good way for them to greet people.  I have to admit, it did look like a good idea as the dog had to sit, under control, and the person's hand then reached under the dog's head and the dog was able to sniff the hand.  Shaking the paw was presented as something for the dog to do other than jumping up on the person.  But I really, really don't like that shake a paw stuff.  I've met some dogs who pester you constantly with their entreaties to shake and they scratch your hand, your leg, their paws are muddy etc.  What do you have your dog do upon meeting/greeting a person?

Throw the visitor to the floor!!!!

sit. a bouncy bullmastiff often offends the uninitiated

normally i hate the paw thing to, although i'm trying to teach our lad to do paw as he insists on always pawing people- i figure if i can get him to do it on command he might stop doing it the rest of the time!

I agree Astarte....a good way to control a certain activity is to teach a dog to do it on command....so you can teach them to stop on command. I did this with excessive barking, and it worked a treat. Incidentally both my dogs have learned to give a paw on command, but neither EVER paw for attention. I am not sure the two are necessarily linked.

yeah, it's worked with his insistance to kiss people to. being a v large boy with apparently terrible co-ordination he can accidentally bash you if he decides to give you a slobbery one, so i've got him to do it when he's told, much better! you can prepare to be drowned! i think after a while you just have to accept certain habits and simply do your best to tober them

My boy has to sit to greet people, he gats far too exited so a 'sit' helps calm him down.  He also gives a paw on command, he doesn't do it without being told to

My boy gives one woof when people come in...then waits patiently for the visitors to come to him to say hello - a bit like royalty receiving visiting dignitaries LOL. He knows he is so gorgeous that no-one can resist him.

We have also taught him to give paw and will only do it when we ask. He can do both paws ( not at the same time )

My big ones " go lie down" then get invited by name to meet humans (after said humans are sitting comfortably) and NO slithering up onto laps( did you hear that my lot?) -although that is their main aim.
Little ones are let in and drape themselves tastefully over the visitors- laps,  around necks etc. After greetings, the humans are asked to ignore them and a few minutes later I give the ' Settle' command.      Peace!

Invariably, the visitors have come to discuss dogs so, depending on the breed, I usually remove the rest... much to the opposite 'teams'  disgust....they all seem to think that they are the centre of the universe.

Visitors in my house are greeted with a yodel from mine,usually Cali first then Kwame followed by Belle who has finally realised she has a voice I then put them in a sit, then once they are calm they are allowed one by one to actually go up to the person,though we are still working on Belle as she is still learning manners.

Visitors to our house are greeted with a sit although she is vibrating with excitement at the time and making a "chuff chuff" noise

She doesn't do the paw command but she will do a high five if asked

We put Mitz in her crate until she is calm and then let her out, if she gets overexcited again or starts being a pest, back in the crate till shes calmed down

I would say that pawing people isnt associated with teaching a dog to give a paw or wave a paw.  Normally this means they have tried pestering someone and someone has given them attention for it, bingo one learnt bad habit straight away. 

Bounce up excitedly and then be told firmly to get off and sit - oops, they should do the sit bit first really shouldn't they!

I never taught give paw as they don't distinguish that they have dirty feet or that the person may have sheer tights.

When my children were small the dogs had to lie down to get attention. 

Now I have a tall gate between living room and kitchen as four or five dogs tend to compete for attention and it gets to be overpowering for some visitors. 

Once they are all calm and visitors seated they can come in where they will plonk them selves next to their victims and use the head under hand thing to be petted.  they keep their victims immobile by sitting on their feet. 

If I am not careful they will try to get their front halves on people's laps.

>they keep their victims immobile by sitting on their feet<

LOL My boy does that too.

Visitors in our house are usually presented with something from the dog, normally 'ted' or 'blankie' but if they're not to hand (or paw) anything will do, including on one occasion, my underwear!!!

He does greet calmly but you can tell from the grunting & snorting & wiggling that he just wants to jump up and cuddle!! He'll do 'paw' on command but won't pester anyone (except for OH - he knows there are always treats to be had there!)

my rottie gives a paw if requested. but the danes i have never taught this- & actively discourage people that try to make them 'give paw' they are reknowned for pawing if they want something & i dont ever want that behaviour to be asociated with a reward.

My two are told to get back and sit and wait and this just manages to contain their excitement until they can get at the visitor and love them to death.  They will only give paw in return for something and when asked, apart from little 'un who will sit at the gate with paw out waiting for her lead to be put on.  They will also give a 'high five' if asked.  Sometimes they surprise me at how good they can be - when they feel like it. Huskies ! :D

My three are a bundle of enthusiastic nightmares - the little girl gets so excited that nobody can resist bending down to make a fuss, the younger of the boys stands back barking excitedly and the older boy very quietly plods to the front of the queue and nudges the little girl out of the way.   Eventually they do let the visitors get more than two steps in the hallway but nobody can resist three cavalier faces so trianing has proved futile so far    

My two sit and wait, their tails sweeping the floor, then it's "go say hello" then it's hips swinging, chuffing, my boy tends to have to pick up something and parade it around it could be anything from a wellie to a bit of paper!!

they keep their victims immobile by sitting on their feet.

Oooo, that's far too subtle for my gruesome twosome!  They keep their victims immobile by pinning them down and sitting on their chests!    I hasten to add that this 'special' treatment is reserved for only two very special visitors - one of whom is a professional dog trainer!    However, she encouraged the behaviour at 8 weeks of age, so as far as I'm concerned she now pays the price - having 55kgs of GSP on her chest fighting to give her a facial and a special groom!  :-0  The conversation at some point usually involves me asking 'do you know of any good dog trainers that you can recommend?'   

All other visitors I hasten to add are greeted by the male bringing them a 'gift'......whatever he can find to hand and fit in his gob when the doorbell goes and the bitch squeaking and wagging her entire body.

Our girl is a mouther and although with training this has improved she can't seem to stop herself when shes excited (i.e when there is a visitor) so shes learnt to pick up a toy first so her mouth is occupied and just wags a lot then sits down at their feet waiting for a fuss. Our boy is a jumper but gave my dad a black eye the other day as he jumped as my dad bent down so think a bit of training is needed for that.

So in response to how do my dogs greet people - in a very excitable way!

> My boy gives one woof when people come in...then waits patiently for the visitors to come to him to say hello - a bit like royalty receiving visiting dignitaries LOL

wow thats so not like the frenchies i;ve know...my fav one that my auntie had- Bilbo_ wouldn't go away till he'd climbed you and given you a slobbery kiss (terrible breath to!)

>> they keep their victims immobile by sitting on their feet

lol my keeper does that! then she slowly falls over!

LOL His cunning plan is to wait til they sit down before climbing on their lap and planting the kiss - even if your lips are as tight shut as poss, his tongue still finds a way in!!  Must be why they are called 'frenchies' eh?   OH thinks Louis has terrible 'morning breath' but apart from that its lovely puppy breath

> Must be why they are called 'frenchies' eh

lol yes! they all used to do that! snakey tounge!

Is he really 55kg?!

I think there are 2 of them

Yep - there are two of the darrrrlings!    Boy is c 33kg and bitch c 22kg.

That makes more sense - I thought it was just the weight of one. And Dorain is big for a GSP but he's only 33kg.

Mine wees all over the floor but then he is only 11 weeks Hoping he will grow out of it but in the mean time he gets to greet people in the garden - less smelly. We may not get visitors for much longer if he carrys on ! lol

Just thought I'd update to tell you, we were supposed to teach the pups "shake a paw" last week, which I didn't do.  The trainer suggested I teach puppy-boy to BOW instead.  As if he is greeting royalty.   The movement on my part has to be different than his down command, so for the time being, while we learn this, I am sort of doing an exaggerated Three Musketeers sort of sweeping bow myself, whilst holding up his tummy.  It's working.