Tips to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on People
Dogs are excitable creatures. As such, they may jump on people when it is not right or welcomed. They may jump on guests when they come to the door. They may jump on people in elevators. They may even jump on passers-by they see on the street or when they see someone they like. Can you train a dog not to jump on people?
Most of the time, your pet doesn’t mean harm when they jump on a person. But that doesn’t mean that the person is happy about this activity. Dogs can get people’s clothing dirty when they jump on them. They may irritate them, and they can even injure them.
If your dog jumps on people, it’s best to nip this behavior in the bud. Here are some ways you can stop your dog from jumping on people.
Why Does a Dog Jump on a Person?
There are many reasons why a dog may jump on a person. They may have pent up energy. They may do it to relieve stress or the boredom that they feel being locked up each day. Or you or your guests may have rewarded the behavior with attention and love in the past.
In some cases, they may jump to recreate the behavior they use when greeting other dogs. For dogs, jumping on one another is a perfectly acceptable greeting.
Dogs also jump on their mothers to get food when they are young. Jumping on people may take them back to the fond memories of these early days.
How to Train a Dog Not to Jump on People
If your dog jumps on people, here are some ways to get them to stop.
Behavior Management
There are several management techniques you can use to keep your dog from jumping on people. These are as follows:
• Put your dog in a crate
• Put your dog on a leash
• Put your dog in another room
These techniques are effective in preventing a dog from jumping on guests when they come to the door.
The Four on the Floor Technique
The Four on the Floor Technique can come in handy when training your dog to sit rather than jump. Here’s how it’s done.
1. Have someone approach your dog when they are leashed.
2. Before the person gets to the dog, toss several treats on the ground.
3. Have the person greet the dog when he or she is eating the treats.
4. Have the person back away before the dog finishes eating.
5. After repeating the steps above several times, try something different. Extend the amount of time the person greets the dog tossing treats on the ground the entire time.
6. Once your dog learns to stay on the ground throughout the greeting, try having the greeting occur before any food is placed on the ground.
7. Continue the training giving your dog fewer and fewer treats until they learn to stay on the ground throughout the greeting.
Have Your Dog Sit Through Greetings
You can also teach your dog to sit through greetings with the following training method.
1. Tether your dog to a doorknob or a piece of furniture.
2. Stand several feet away from your dog and ask them to sit. If they get up, ask them to sit again. If they remain seated, praise them, and pet them as you greet them. If they stand, turn and walk away.
3. Once they learn to stay seated through the greeting, you can use more enthusiasm in the hopes that this will train them to remain sitting under various circumstances.
4. After step 3 is mastered, bring in friends and relatives to teach them to stay sitting through greetings.
How Positive Reinforcement Can Help
Positive reinforcement plays a huge role in training your dog to do anything and that includes not jumping. If you pet and praise them and give them treats when they remain sitting during greetings, it will help them understand that they are acting in a desirable fashion.
And just like positive reinforcement can encourage your dog to do the right thing, ignoring the behavior can discourage them from doing the wrong thing. If your dog tries to jump when they should be sitting, simply turn your back on them. This will let them know that they need to change their behavior.
How K9U Can Help
Training your dog can be challenging, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to training sessions. If you are finding it difficult to train your dog not to jump, K9U can help.
K9U offers a Dog Day Training Academy where we teach dogs everything from basic obedience to fun tricks. We provide one on one training and keep owners updated with daily communication and videos that show their dog’s progress. We can teach dogs to stop jumping and make sure they are always on their best behavior.
If you feel your dog is jumping because they have too much pent-up energy, our Doggie Daycare services are another option to consider. We will provide dogs with thousands of square feet of play area. We offer specialized and individual needs care.
Jumping on people is a way for dogs to show affection, but it could lead to an unpleasant situation. The tips in this article will ensure your dog keeps four on the floor whenever they see someone coming. How do you stop your dog from jumping on people?
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