Canines jump on people for three main reasons. First, it’s natural. They do it from the moment they’re born as they play with their littermates. Puppies learn early that jumping is a form of greeting; they continue to do it with people unless they have been trained otherwise.
The second reason involves how dogs interact within their pack. Jumping is an expression of dominance within the hierarchy. In your home, you are the pack leader. If your pooch jumps on you, it might indicate he wants to usurp your position.
Third, canines jump because their owners have either encouraged the behavior or have done nothing to discourage it. This often evolves over time as the dog gains confidence his jumping is not only acceptable, but welcome.
Allowing the behavior to persist is dangerous, especially if it is triggered by a desire for more authority in your home. With this in mind, we’ll provide four quick tips below that you can use to break the habit.
Get On His Level
When you greet your canine, do so from a kneeling position. That way, you’ll remove his opportunity to jump on you. If he attempts to jump, immediately tell him “no!” and block his body with your knee. Don’t allow him to place his front paws on you.
When his feet are back on the ground, command him to sit. Greet and pet him – again, in a kneeling position – only after he complies.
Downplay Your Arrival
A lot of owners encourage their dogs’ jumping by immediately greeting them whenever they arrive home. Doing this communicates to your canine that your arrival is a significant event. Through repetition, he will learn to become excited, which makes him far more likely to jump on you.
Whenever you come home, ignore your canine for at least ten minutes. Don’t greet or pet him until that time passes. During the first few days, keep a spray bottle within reach. Spray him if he tries to get your attention by jumping on you. Also, ask your friends to do the same thing whenever they visit.
Master The “Sit And Stay”
Dogs can learn to sit on command within a single day. This command is critical for discouraging your pooch’s jumping. A canine that complies when you tell him to sit is less likely to jump on you. Sitting has a calming effect. For this reason, make sure your dog has mastered the sit command.
While canines can easily learn to sit, they have more difficulty staying still. Invest the necessary time to train him. Start with short periods and gradually lengthen them, using treats as training incentives. The effort is worthwhile. Like sitting, staying still has a calming effect and subtly discourages jumping.
Avoid Competitive Games
This is another activity in which owners participate without realizing it inspires their dogs to jump. They’ll engage in competitive games with their canines. For example, they’ll play tug-o-war with a rope or chew toy. Or, they’ll wrestle with their dogs.
This leads to problems because dogs do not understand that a specific behavior may be acceptable during certain times and unacceptable during others. Instead, they learn the aggressive activity is acceptable at all times. The competition also trains them that challenging their owner is acceptable.
Look for opportunities to play with your pooch, but avoid participating in “harmless” games that pit both of you against each other.
Training your canine to stop jumping on you, your family, and your friends should take less than a week. The key is to be consistent in your approach. Consistency removes any confusion and reinforces your desired message. Your dog will quickly learn to conform to your wishes and interact with you on your terms.
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