Jumping

                                Jumping on Folks

Who doesn’t love a big, wet, sloppy, kiss & muddy, stinky paws on their favorite shirt when they get home from a long day at work? I know I do!! But this particular greeting may not be desired by everyone. While a jumping dog may be on my list of guilty pleasures my guests don’t always agree – to some it’s actually dangerous while others just find it annoying. Young children may be knocked over or frightened and elderly adults can sustain scratches, bruises or worse, broken bones. As with any training, if you are calm & consistent you can teach your dog that jumping is not allowed.

Why do dogs jump?

When we are changing this behavior it’s important to know what makes dogs jump up in the first place. In the wild, pups will jump up on other pack members as a greeting; they will jump on their mother, licking her mouth to induce regurgitation so they can be fed. This is a behavior that they grow out of – domestic dogs do not. Unless we teach them not to, our adult dogs will always jump up on people. Often times, it’s a behavior that we accidentally reinforce. When they are puppies we find it cute & may allow it but when your full grown Lab is launching up to greet you it may not seem so charming. If you make it clear to puppies from the beginning that jumping is not allowed, that behavior will not pose a problem as they get older. On the flip side, if you give any kind of attention to the unwanted behavior you may be reinforcing therefore, it will continue.

Making a change

          There are probably as many “tricks” to stopping a dog from jumping as there are trainers; quite a few involving a reaction of some kind: pinch between the toes, put your knee up, turn away & cross your arms etc. These methods are not very effective and may send the wrong message. Pinching or squeezing their paws may make it difficult for you, your vet or your groomer to do their nails. Using your knee may hurt them & could put you off balance so they can knock you down. If you turn away, they can still jump on your back.

        Think of dogs in this moment as the little boy in school who acted out in class for attention. Even though he may have gotten detention or sent to the principal’s office he still got attention from his classmates, the teacher, the principal & his parents. Any attention is still attention – this is how a dog perceives this situation. You may be yelling, pushing or grabbing at them but they see it as attention – it becomes a game.

        Here you must ignore the dogs while it’s jumping up. Freeze, don’t make eye contact or look at them & don’t say anything to them, until all four feet are on the floor – then you can greet them in a calm manner. If they start jumping again immediately go back to ignoring. Attention is what they are seeking so if it is withheld until they are not jumping they will understand that the only way to get the attention they want is by keeping their feet on the ground. 

        The ignoring method works extremely well for puppies & small dogs; while it will also work for larger adult dogs it may not always be possible. It’s hard to ignore a 75 pound Wiemariner who’s got his paws on your shoulders & is looking deep into your eyes! For larger dogs we teach them an incompatible behavior such as sit. It is physically impossible for them to jump when they are sitting. Using a collar, leash, treats and praise will give you more control and make the training more effective. Any time that you and your dog are being greeted by someone, be sure that you ask your dog to sit and keep them in a sit (using treats if needed). What we are teaching them here is that if they stay in a sit position, they will get attention, food and praise – jackpot! If you are consistent with this and follow through with EVERY person you meet and every time they start to jump, you will create an automatic behavior; when your dog wants attention instead of jumping, they will sit. Be consistent!

Who wants a hug?

        If you’re like me, and you do enjoy a bouncy, “hands on” greeting from dogs of all shapes and sizes, you can put this behavior on command. By using physical encouragement – like patting your chest – and a verbal cue such as “Give me a hug” you can let them know when it’s appropriate to jump. You will also need to teach them “off” to tell them when to get down by guiding them with the leash giving them a treat them when they are on the floor. They can’t tell the difference between your work clothes and your play clothes but they will understand a verbal command. Be sure you don’t reinforce this behavior if you haven’t asked for it. You must be consistent!!

        While a jumping puppy may seem cute any jumping dog can be dangerous or considered rude. A well trained dog is a happy dog. Be patient and consistent and you will have a polite pup who sits for attention!

Some dogs jump as a sign of dominance, if you feel that your dog is doing this, please seek the help of a professional.

          * You can probably tell that this picture of us is staged :) My dogs don't jump*