How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping Up On People
The most typical cause for a dog to leap up at us is to get our attention. However, by accepting our dog's affection when they jump up, we may unwittingly encourage them to continue doing so. Dogs generally start to jump when they are puppies. It may be easy to overlook the behavior when your pup is young, but it could become a significant problem when they fully mature especially large breeds. While your dog is only trying to be friendly, not every person will welcome it, and some will find it rather scary. When it comes to training your dog not to leap at people, consistency and patience are essential. So here are four helpful tips to stop a dog from jumping up on people.
Ignore Their Jumping Behavior
Whenever your dog leaps up on you, turn your back, fold your arms and ignore them entirely. Don't speak and avoid making eye contact. Wait till all four feet have returned to the floor. The moment this occurs, turn back and give your dog attention and praise.
Try using food treats for training instead if your dog becomes overly excited when you show them attention. With food rewards, wait till all four feet are on the ground before giving them a treat or scattering a few biscuits on the ground to entice them to concentrate downward.
Redirect Their Focus
If your dog becomes aggravated and continues to jump up even after getting ignored, you might have to modify your strategy. Keep on ignoring the jumping up but instead request a more productive behavior that your dog is familiar with, like a “sit” command. Instruct your dog to always sit before greeting anyone, and tell people not to pay any attention to them unless they do. Reward your dog for sitting with food and praise. Continue to practice, and your dog will quickly understand that sitting receives praise but jumping does not.
Make Your Dog Wait for At-Home Greetings
Place your dog behind a pet safety gate or in a separate room when guests arrive and have your guests ignore him first. When the guests have settled down and are thus less fascinating to your dog, walk him into the lounge on a lead. As usual, make certain that only proper behavior is praised. Use food incentives to motivate your dog to have all four paws on the ground at all times, and to redirect their focus downwards rather than springing up at visitors.
Ensure Everyone Else Follows the Same Tips
In addition to training him consistently yourself, you must make sure that everyone who meets your dog observes the same rules when your dog jumps up. This means your household and anyone your dog encounters while out on a walk.
To prevent your dog from jumping up on strangers in public settings such as parks, pull on the lead and call your dog to you immediately when you notice strangers walking towards you. This way, your dog will be kept in control and far more inclined to concentrate on the “sit” you're requesting of them. As always, give lots of rewards when they demonstrate the proper calm behavior.
