6 Steps to Keep Your Puppy or Dog from Jumping Up

Jumping up on people is a common dog and puppy behavior that is annoying and can even be dangerous.

A dog that jumps on you can cause a lot of problems. If your dog has dirty feet you can get covered in mud or dirt. You can end up getting scratched and bruised depending on how large your dog is. A small child or frail adult can be knocked down and seriously injured. If your dog is allowed to jump on you, chances are he or she will jump on others too.

It helps to understand WHY your dog is jumping up. Dogs innately greet each other by sniffing each other’s faces. Furthermore, dogs jump on each other to play and be social. So it’s natural for your dog to want to jump up on humans and sniff their face too.

It’s crucial to resist the urge to permit the behavior. When your puppy is obviously happy to see you and looks at you with those adoring eyes, it’s so easy to give in and allow them to jump on you because, after all, you are happy to see them too. But if you want a dog that has good manners and learns to refrain from jumping up on people, you are going to have to teach them how you expect them to behave.

Here are 6 steps to take to train your dog (or puppy) to stop jumping up on people.

Step 1. Make a decision and stick to it

You must decide if you are committed to teaching your dog to stop jumping up. From the moment you start training your dog to stop jumping, there is no going back. You MUST be consistent for your dog to learn what you expect. Your dog needs to learn that jumping up is unacceptable, no matter the circumstances.

And, just like you need to be consistent, everyone in the household needs to be consistent as well. If needed, call a family meeting to discuss what is needed. Explain to your children that it’s not fair to the dog if everyone is not doing the same thing because it confuses the dog. Usually, if you explain the negative impact that inconsistency creates for the dog, everyone will understand.

Step 2. Manage your dog’s behavior

In the beginning, you are going to have to control your dog’s behavior until they can be trusted to not jump up. To do this, you can take one of these actions:

• Restrain your dog on a leash
• Confine them to another room or kennel
• If you have a guest coming, crate your dog before the guest arrives.

Controlling your dog is a good way to protect yourself and other people, but it won’t teach him or her to stop jumping up.

Step 3. Train your dog to stop jumping on you when you come in the door

The key to teaching your dog to stop jumping is to reward them by giving them your attention when they don’t jump up. To do this:

• Keep your greetings quiet and low-key
• If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door.
• Try again. Keep repeating coming in and going out until your dog understands they only get your attention when they stay down.
• As soon as your dog stays sitting down with all four paws on the ground, you can give them attention and reward them with a treat.

Step 4. Train your dog to stop jumping on you when you are sitting

 If you are sitting and your dog jumps on you, stand up. Just keep ignoring them until they keep all four paws on the ground. Don’t push the dog away, talk to them or acknowledge them in any way.

Step 5. Train your dog to stop jumping up on other people

Ask someone that you trust, and the dog knows to help you. Don’t ask someone that the dog is afraid of.

• Give your dog the sit command. (If your dog doesn’t know how, work on that until you are confident your dog knows how to sit on command.)
• Ask the greeter to approach you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter should immediately turn and walk away.
• Give your dog the sit command and have the greeter approach your dog again.
• Keep repeating this until your dog learns to stay sitting when the greeter approaches them
• When your dog stays seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward.

Step 6. Train your dog to stop jumping up while you’re out with them

When you encounter someone while you’re out somewhere, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time.

When someone starts to approach your dog, ask them to stop and explain that you are training your dog to not jump up.

• Hand the person a treat.
• Ask your dog to “sit”.
• Tell the person they can pet your dog and give them a treat as long as your dog remains seated.

Some people will tell you they don’t mind the dog jumping up on them. But remember it’s not fair to the dog to not be consistent. If you want to train your dog to stop jumping up (which is best for everyone), stick to your training and don’t make exceptions.

It’s easier to stay consistent when you remember that your dog depends on you for clues as to how he or she should behave. When you let them jump up sometimes, but not always, you are sending mixed signals, which is confusing to the dog. Remember, when it comes to training a dog, you are showing kindness and leadership by being consistent all of the time.

Does your dog have a bad habit of jumping up on people? Have you successfully trained your dog to stop jumping up? Tell me about your experience in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!

Are you looking for a high-quality daycare, boarding or grooming experience for your dog? Canine Campus, a local, family-owned business in Colorado Springs, has provided premier dog care services since 1999. Learn more about our services here or call us at 719-448-9600. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.