If your dog greets you like they’ve entered a parkour competition, you’re not alone. No matter the size, jumping is one of the most common behavioral complaints and can potentially lead to injury. While a large dog is more likely to knock someone over, a small dog could easily do the same to children or anyone with mobility issues.
There is good news! When your dog jumps at you, it isn’t because they are expressing dominant behavior. They’re often excited to see you and don’t understand they are exhibiting bad manners. The best part of all of this is that jumping is a behavior that can be easily corrected with the right training.
Why Dogs Jump on People
When you look at it from your dog’s point of view, jumping makes perfect sense. Dogs will often greet each other face-to-face, and unfortunately human faces are often way too high for most dogs to do that. Jumping is simply your dog’s way of greeting you and letting you know that they are happy to see you.
Your dog’s need to jump is motivated by their excitement and their need for attention. When someone walks through your door, any reaction such as laughing, talking, or pushing them away will still count as attention. Any kind of response directed towards them is rewarding and your dog will only continue doing it.
Why Saying “No” Won’t Work
While scolding a dog who likes to jump seems like the appropriate reaction, a dog will not respond to “No!” the way people do. To your dog, any type of engagement whether it is talking, petting, or making eye contact is still providing them with the interaction they crave. Negative attention will only reinforce this behavior, ultimately making it harder to correct in the long run.
Dogs love consistency and are easily confused when the rules change from one person to another. If you allow your dog to jump on you but not on guests, they simply won’t comprehend the difference. This only sends mixed messages to your dog.
Reward Good Behavior When You See It
Dogs are fast learners when they’re shown what to do. Teaching your dog an incompatible behavior is the key to stopping them from jumping. Incompatible behavior is something your dog physically can’t do while jumping. An example would be teaching your dog to sit or lie down when they greet you. This is the perfect option as it teaches them to keep all four of their paws on the ground.
Timing also matters! They will only learn the correct action if they are praised the moment their paws hit the floor or when they sit calmly. Immediately rewarding your dog for good behavior, ultimately makes jumping an unnecessary reaction.
Simple Steps That Work
It starts by ignoring jumping completely. When your dog jumps, you can try turning away, crossing your arms, or don’t react at all. It’s important to not talk, touch, make eye contact, or even put a knee up to block them. Yes, this seems silly or even a little mean by not returning your dog’s excitement, but it works because it doesn’t give them the attention they desire.
The moment your dog settles down, immediately reward them. This can be accomplished by calm praise, a treat, their favorite toy, or gentle petting which tells them they behave in a manner that you like.
Teaching a dog to sit or lie down as a greeting will help them acclimate to social settings as well. It is important to initially practice this when things are calm, so your dog won’t become distracted or overstimulated by their surroundings. Start by asking them to sit, reward it, and repeat. Remember to keep it positive and eventually, sitting becomes your dog’s default way to say hello.
When Guests Come Over
Even when a dog has been well trained not to jump, they might not apply that training to a new situation, this includes welcoming guests into your home. Have a conversation with your visitors beforehand and let them know how they should respond if your dog jumps at them. It’s just as important for them to ignore any jumping and that they should only greet the dog when they’re calm.
Try recruiting a friend or family member who doesn’t reside in your home to help with training. Start with keeping your dog on a leash and ask them to sit, as your guest enters. If they stay calm and seated, reward their success. However, if your dog jumps, your guest should turn away and not respond to the behavior. Keep practicing until they show the desired behavior.
Common Mistakes That Keep Them Jumping
Stick to a plan! One of the biggest mistakes we make is by rewarding the occasional jump, or someone in the home that doesn’t discourage the behavior. Remember, this can cause confusion and the occasional reward will only encourage this behavior to continue.
Negative reinforcement such as physical corrections, yelling, or any dominance-based techniques should never be applied when training your dog. It will not aid you when teaching your dog how to be polite when greeting someone. In fact, it only increases the chances of a dog expressing fear, unease, or excitement.
It’s also important to be realistic about training, as habits like jumping can take time to change. While your dog might do well from the start, don’t expect their training to be an overnight success story. Don’t be hard on yourself or your dog, as you are learning how to do this as a team.
Final Thoughts
While it does warm the heart to know that your dog’s first instinct is to enthusiastically greet you, stopping them from jumping isn’t about discouraging their affection. It teaches them good manners and how to politely greet you and other people they will encounter. Positive reinforcement and a little patience will only set your dog up for success.
Remember that consistency is always key and that four paws on the floor gets love!