Jumping is a common behavior among dogs. If you have ever seen a YouTube clip of dog greeting his owner, you know they jump. Usually, dogs jump when they are overly excited.
Now, some dog owners love that excitement and love. Others, however, think it is too much. If you fall into the latter group, you can learn how to stop dog from jumping on people.
While dog jumping is fun and loveable, sometimes it can be dangerous. For example, it is dangerous for small children, people with physical disabilities, and elderly people. Not to mention, not everyone is excited and expects your dog’s greeting.
With that in mind, today we will talk about why your dog jumps, and what are some of the training methods for how to stop dog from jumping on people.
Why does your dog jump on people?
There are many theories about why dogs jump on people. As mentioned, one of the most widely-accepted is because of pure enjoyment and happiness. Others, believe it is a way of greeting you, and looking for your attention.
Remember, you are taller than your dog. You two are not at the same height level. So, in order to get to your level, your dog has to jump.
There are also some challenging issues for novice owners. Sometimes, without knowing it, they reward the jumping activity by giving what your dog wants.
For example, some dogs jump for treats they know you hide in your pocket. If you give them a treat, they will jump on your leg again after a while.
Now, on the other hand, you should not give into negative attention as well. Yelling and similar punishments may cause other problems. Or, in a twisted way of things, negative yelling might be the treasured attention your dog is seeking.
Therefore, let’s move on to the techniques and tactics you can use to stop your dog from jumping.
What not to do?
We will get to the training tips later on, but the same as when learning to drive, first you need to learn how to brake. You need to know which behaviors to avoid and give your dog more reasons to jump.
Here are some tips for what to avoid:
- Try not to leash or knee your dog too harshly, as you can injure him easily
- When using a knee to the chest, try not to knock him down. He might think of it as a way to initiate play and he will respond by jumping again to continue the game. Instead of stopping the behavior, you are actually reinforcing it
- Do not walk your dog on the leash at all times. When your dog is 24×7 on a leash, he will jump at the smallest window of opportunity when he is off the leash
What Can You do to Stop Jumping?
Now it is time to try the training techniques and methods for how to stop dog from jumping on people. Before we get to the nitty-gritty, we have to warn you it takes patience and persistence on your part. Be consistent in your training, and you will succeed.
Here are some methods to try.
Withhold attention
Dogs love to get your attention. Ignoring them just for a few seconds, or withholding attention is a great way to punish a negative behavior without being strict, harsh, and beating your dog. But be careful, this method requires precision, and too long or too short ignore will yield different results.
Here are some ways to try withhold attention:
- When your dog jumps up, turn your back, and then cross your arms over the chest. Do not make a sound for a few seconds. If the dog tries to jump up again, turn the other way. Once your dog stops jumping, turn to him, and praise him
- Another method is to remove yourself from the equation. If your dog jumps when you come inside, immediately turn around, and walk back outside. Or you can walk out of the room. Wait for a moment, and then step back inside. Repeat until your dog is calmed
Try the sit command
If your dog has learned the sit command, you can use it to calm his jumping. The “sit” command is the most basic command in the canine world. And it is absolutely important that you teach your dog to sit.
When your dog jumps on people, or on you, just redirect his focus to sitting. Ask him to sit, and then praise him. Or you can go a step further, and instead of jumping, ask him to sit, give a hand, high five, or any other greeting, and then praise with a treat.
Delay welcome greeting
When you know there will be guests coming to your home, you can delay the greeting. Put a leash on your canine so that you can control his manner.
When he is calm, and with his paws on the floor, allow him to approach the guests and sniff them to say hello. If he is jumping, turn and lead him away. Wait for calm behavior, and then approach the guests again.
Give him something to carry
For many dog breeds, holding something in their mouth is the ultimate excitement. That can be said for retriever breeds and some other dogs that love to play with sticks and balls.
When your dog has something in his mouth, he will be more reluctant to jump. Simple, he is afraid he will drop his toy in the mouth. Stuffed balls, toys, and sticks work perfectly.
Practice with other people
We talked about how to stop dog from jumping up at you. But it is important that you teach your dog not to jump on other people as well.
You can try teaching this behavior by asking a friend or a family member to assist you with training. Just remember, it has to be someone your dog likes and is excited to see him.
- Start by giving your dog the sit command
- Once your dog sites, ask the assistant to approach you and your dog. If the dog stands up, tell the greeter to turn back and walk away
- Ask your dog to sit again, and have the assistant approach again
- Repeat until your dog remains seated when the assistant approaches and greets him
- You can choose whether you or the assistant gives your dog a treat when the task is successful
Reward good behavior
The most important thing to remember is practice and reward. Whenever method you try, it is always nice to have treats at your hand.
Treats and rewards give your dog an idea of what is positive and what is negative behavior. If your dog is rewarded for his behavior, he will repeat it all the time. If he is not praised, or punished, he will intentionally jump.
How to manage outside situations?
We all encounter these situations. We walk our dog, and someone approaches, your likes to greet them, and you have to manage the situation. Now, dogs are generally great at identifying people that love animals and wouldn’t mind some joyful greeting.
However, you have to remember, not everyone likes to be jumped upon. Even dog owners do not like to be greeted with jumping sometimes. They might be wearing some clothes they do not want to mess up.
With that in mind, when you are outside, you can manage the situation using the following technique.
- Stop the person from approaching your dog by telling them you do not want the dog to jump on them
- Hand them a treat
- Give your dog the sit command
- Let the person approach your dog, and give them the treat. That is if your dog remains seated
