How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping
A Dog Jumping On You Or Your Guests is Disrespectful
There are few things more annoying than going over to a friend’s house with the hopes of enjoying a night full of fun and relaxation, only to find when you arrive at the door their dog jumps all over you. Even worse, they can’t get the dog to stop, or they choose to overlook it.
Dog jumping is one of the most common behavioral issues dogs develop, especially with puppies and smaller breed dogs. Often this behavior is dismissed as cute and harmless due to the dog’s size or “cute factor.” Jumping should be discouraged from the first day that you bring home a new puppy or dog. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets knocked over and an injury occurs.
Does your dog?…
- Jump on you when you arrive home?
- Jump on your friends when they walk in the door?
- Jump on you when you’re sitting on the couch?
- Jump on you when you are eating dinner?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you deal with the same issues countless other dog owners struggle with daily. The good news is that this issue is straightforward to fix.
As will any training, you want to ensure that you choose the proper training techniques and remain consistent when implementing them; if you are not consistent, your dog will become confused. For instance, if you allow the dog to jump on you at the front door but then correct the dog when they jump on you while sitting at the dinner table. The dog is not getting clear information.
Choose a command such as “off” and stay consistent with that word. Be sure when choosing the word that you don’t choose terms that may later conflict with commands such as “down,” which we will use when teaching your dog to lay down on command.
Dogs do not like the feeling of being off-balance, which you can use to help teach them to keep four feet on the floor. The next time you come in the front door and your dog jumps on you, immediately take a step or two forward and gently pull up on your dog’s collar. As you move forward, tell him/her “off” in a calm yet firm voice. This action will likely both surprise him and throw him off balance, resulting in him putting his feet on the floor. Petting and praise only occur when the dog is on solid ground.
Whenever you are petting and praising your dog, make sure not to get too enthusiastic. Your dog is jumping on you because of excitement, and it is counterintuitive to add more excitement into the mix when trying to calm your dog down. Calm petting is the best form of reward in this case. Also, do not give your dog tons of attention when you first get home. Excitement and anxiety about your return home not only lead to jumping but also more serious issues, like separation anxiety.
Make sure that you practice these steps every day when you come home or in any situation that your dog may jump on you. Everyone in the household (including dog walkers and pet sitters) need to be on the same page to keep things consistent for the dog. Follow these steps, and jumping will be a thing of the past!
