Training Tips needed...tooo pushy for attention?

[Serena]

I have a 5 year old Aussie girl...
All her life she has been pushy. Demanding attention and doesnt take no for an answer to the point of "petting" herself on my feet even if I ignore her. My other Aussies are pushy, but with a little ignoring and a little command work they back off and know not to boss the boss, you come for attention when called and ask nicely and politely when you want to seek it out and to respect the bosses space. I've always kind of let it slide with her(bad of me) because what works with them doesnt work with her, banishment to the backyard doesnt work, sending her to her crate doesnt work. Ignoring her doesnt work, running through some training doesnt work... She knows what to do when shes told to BACKOFF... they all know BACKOFF as let the boss out the door first and dont trample her to get out. She is the kind that follows you and touches her nose to your hand when you are walking. She has excellent recall, comes on command, Sits on command, down on command(not as easy as she has a stiff leg from an old injury.) she will hold at the open door on command, back off on command. Move and sit where pointed, She will leave it/drop it on command. She doesnt have any ball drive, not overly motivated by food. Shes a couch potatoe( totally different from what Im used to training...) Just not motivated by much except being touched, rubbed, petted and snuggled up to. I am trying to figure out how to teach her to tone down the DEMANDING attention annoyingly.... Any ideas? My attention lover male thrives on attention as a reward...will do anything you tell him to for rubbing and snuggling and backs off when told... she just keeps demanding. She will sit and relax... like now shes alseep at my feet but if I say something to her she pops up and pushes pushes pushes.. hand bumps, nose bumps, body bumps etc... Its not a horrible vice....but she would be an even better companion if she werent so demanding.... Im just not sure where to start!

[caroline]

Where did you get her---how old was she?

[Wolf Flower]

When she demands petting, do you pet her? If so, you're reinforcing the behavior. If she did that to another dog, the other dog would eventually get tired of it and reprimand by a sharp bark or a snap. Maybe you could try that? When my GSD gets pushy and annoying, I simply tell her to go lie down. Yours sounds like an obedient dog despite the pushiness, so she *should* listen to a "back off" command.

[wendle]

Tell her to back off, sharper correction if she doesn't listen. Then ignore her. No praise, no pets, no going through obedience routine, no treats when she does it. I wouldn't even worry about telling her to go to a crate. Do not look at her either. Simple absolute no. She needs to learn how to relax about the house without being in your lap. Some dogs take longer to get this than others.

[wendle]

double post

[Maura]

Call her to you, rub her ears. There are many pressure points on the ears and you can calm her down this way. Rub circles on her shoulders, another calmer. When you are done, tell her to lie down (or whatever you wish), then ignore her. Be diligent about not giving her attention when asked, but waiting at least five minutes of ignoring each other you can then call her to you for a pet.

[Immaculate Sublimity]

Where is she in the pack hierarchy?

It seems to me this 'demand' for attention as well as the 'petting herself on my feet" which I assume to be the rubby thing that dogs do even flopping themselves over to do it, isnt a Dominant trait. its a submissive one. One in which the dog itself isnt trying to actually gleen the petting, moreso, some form of approval in its pack. I can see, in this situation if what I'm surmising is accurate - that banishment ...crate, backyard, yelling, wont work, it simply reinforces the need to try harder to gain that approval.

[Maura]

If IS is correct, the outline for massage I gave you is still a good practice.