How to Stop Dog Jumping
Posted on Jan 27, 2010 under dog training | No CommentIf you have ever owned a dog, one time or another you have probably dealt with this problem. Your dog is so happy to see you that he jumps up on you getting his muddy paws all over your new suit or dress. Or even worse, during his excitement he jumps on a smaller child and knocks them down or scratches the child’s face, arms or legs.
Sorry to say this, but you probably taught him to greet you in this manner.
Many unsuspecting dog owners encourage this behavior way before it be comes a problem and the next thing you know you have a dog with an unacceptable behavior problem. You see, you would encourage your cute little fluff ball of fun (when he was a puppy) to come running to you and jump on your leg. At that time he could barely reach your knee cap, if that. And then, like most everyone, you would reach down and pet him of maybe pick him up.
Your puppy has just learned a great lesson, jumping up is a good thing, it’s a great way to get positive affection. Your dog doesn’t understand the difference between a small, cute little puppy and in a matter of a few months he is now a larger adult dog with the mass and power to be able to take down a small adult human. All he knows is “jumping gets me love.”
Is it bad manners to have a dog jump on you?
My advice is to never allow jumping. But, most owners of small dog breeds or “toy” breed dogs, expect there dog to jump on them (your personal preference). Jumping on an unprepared house guest could prove to be uncomfortable. If you do decide to allow your dog to jump, it is best to work with him on the “off” command. That way if he were to jump on someone or something you can quickly get him off.
For larger dog breeds, there really is no debate on this matter. You should either never allow him to jump or at the very least work the “off” or “no jump” command in to their regular training. After all it is one thing to have to deal with scrapes or soiled cloths due to your own dog, it is quite another to have to deal with him jumping on a guest or stranger.
Why does dog jumping happen?
Most often dog jumping happens out of pure excitement. Usually greeting an owner after a long absents or when adrenaline is running high. Some dog don’t jump at all accept when greeting their owner after a long day away.
A much more complicated and serious reason dogs jump, is to display his dominance over you. Centuries of the pack mentality are still evident in all dogs and if there is doubt in who is alpha in your dogs pack (your family) he may try to exert his dominance over you. One of the behaviors dogs use to show physical superiority is to place one or both paws over a lesser animals shoulders.
That’s all well and good, but why is my dog jumping on me and how do I stop this behavior? First off, lets determine which type of jumping problem we are dealing with. This is pretty simple: If your dog jumps on you or anyone else out side of an excited welcome or high energy playtime, your dog is trying to dominate you or the person that he is jumping on. This will have to be dealt with in a much different way and you should bone up on your alpha dog techniques. (Tip: Secrets to dog training has a great course on dog behavior problems, you can find the link at the bottom of this page.)
On the other hand, if he jumps in a variety of situations, you could be dealing with more of a dominance issue and symptoms of a more complicated problem of communication and attitude. The longer this type of behavior is allowed to happen the harder it will be to regain control of the jumping issues. At this point and time I would highly suggest that you study alpha-dog techniques (tip: you can find more great information on dealing with a dominate dog over at Ez Dog Training At Home, you can find the link for this web site at the bottom of this page)
How to Stop Dog Jumping Fast
Staying with your training routine day in and day out is the only way you will be able to beak this habit of your dogs jumping. Taking a day off and not fallowing though with your training can undermine weeks worth of work, so stick to your plan.
The easiest way to stop unwanted behavior in dogs also happens to be the most effective way. Simply, ignore the bad or unwanted behavior and reward the desired behavior. No need to yell, beat or correct harshly, although your first instinct may be exactly that.
Stop dog jumping forever.
Let your body do all the talking. When your dog jumps on you or is about to jump on you, turn your back and face way from him…i.e. the cold shoulder. Dogs understand your body language much more then the spoken word, so use your posture to get the message though loud and clear.
When your dog goes to jump on you, turn your back on him right away. Dogs understand body language much more than the spoken word. So, what you need to do here is use your posture to get your message though loud and clear.
Turn your back, cross your arms and turn your eyes and face away from your dog. Giving your dog the cold shoulder is very effective and he will calm down rather quickly.
Reinforce the good behavior, as soon as he keeps all for paws on the ground, reward him. If he gets excited again and goes to jump, give him the cold shoulder again. Don’t worry if the cold shoulder and the praise are within seconds of each other, dogs have a very short training memory and are only capable of associating the reaction you give with the behavior he is presenting at moment. So, it will work really well if you give extreme affection when he keeps his paws to himself and the cold shoulder a half of second later.
Looking to find the best deal ondog training basics, then visit www.EzDogTrainingatHome.com to find the best advice on Training Your Dog to Listen to You as well as access to a limited free 6 day dog and puppy training course.
categories: Dog training,dog training tips,dogs,pets,animals,family
