Our friend owns an Australian who whines and curls up on her back for petting whenever I arrive. Her Rhodesian ridgebacks are also lovable and intimidating to strangers. I got tired of the male, Dude, jumping at me, so I swatted his nose. He did it again, so I swatted him again. Then he growled. OK, no more swatting. Instead I stroke his face on each side and he looks transported with ecstacy.
I favor the nose swat for jumping dogs, but a border collie/lab mix fixed me. I swatted her nose once. The second time she jumped on me she anticipated the swat and dodged several attempts to discipline her. Then she ran to the basement steps (when I was headed, laughing at her high IQ) and looked at me pleadingly, as if to ask, "Do you still love me?" I did not see her for years and we were still great friends.
We have a Sheltie. Every day on our walk a new person will say, "What a beautiful dog!" Ours is a mahogany tricolor, so she looks just like Lassie, but smaller.
My wife says that when I leave the house for a few hours, Precious will look up and whine for me. Right now she is sleeping on a corner of the bed, her nose pointed toward me. (I mean my dog, of course.)
The funny thing about Precious is that my wife and I were determined to keep the dog outside. Then the weather got hot and Precious would bark to come inside and escape the Phoenix heat. Her bark at the bedroom door to the outside sounded like her last plea before dying. Then my wife decided it was unfair for Precious to be out in the rain. Precious was inside more and more but not on the bed. Then she wanted up on the bed. Soon Precious was sleeping on the bed. Precious wormed her way into our life so adroitly that we laugh about it. One puppy outsmarted and outmaneuvered two adults who never had a pet before.
Our friend Brenda adopted a miniature poodle that was abused to the point of death. Duncan does not like bars or men for that reason. Duncan did not trust me for a long time, then suddenly adopted me. Brenda has a degenerative bone condition and uses a powered wheelchair. Duncan rides and walks with her. They love each other. I was eating a Dairy Queen when I was talking to them outside one day. Duncan got a weird look on his face. I asked what was going on. Brenda said, "He thinks the cone is for him! He loves Dairy Queen!" I put the cone on the ground and let Duncan enjoy it. Now I buy for everyone when I am with Brenda.
I remember one of our dogs eagerly lapping up some melted ice cream that one of my brothers left on the table. Some dogs will eat anything- LOL.
Actually (for all who don't know already), the preferred method of training for dogs who jump on people is the knee. When they jump up on you, hold your knee up, so that their chest comes into contact with your raised knee. Don't raise it forcefully, or put any energy behind it; just raise it and let the dog's own energy produced by jumping be the only "force" involved.
This is the kindest way to teach them not to jump up on you, or anyone else. Swatting on the face is not recommended. It teaches them to fear you. If you discipline them by swatting them on the face (nose included), they will generally begin to cower when you raise your hand to pat them on the head. Worst case scenario -- they may begin to growl, or even bite, when someone raises their hand to them. I don't think anyone wants that.