Stop your dog from jumping on people

Puppies are cute. They are playful, happy, and full of energy. They long for attention and praise, and it is challenging not to indulge them no matter what they do. But giving in to that impulse and not correcting puppy misbehavior can lead to problems like dog jumping.

It is imperative that you, as the dog owner, establish the correct rules early to ensure that you will always have a robust and healthy relationship with your canine friend.

Jumping is a behavior problem that’s hard to correct once it’s established. This puppy misbehavior can turn into a significant problem later.

It is much more challenging to stop a dog from jumping on people than a puppy.

Dogs will jump on people for several reasons, and even though it may seem cute initially, it is a problem that needs to be rectified at a young age.

Fortunately, this bad behavior is a relatively simple problem to fix if you start early.

Dog jumping: It’s all about attention

Dogs generally jump when they are excited. Your dog is so happy to see you when you return home that they jump up to greet you.

Although it is nice to know your dog is happy to see you, it’s essential to teach your dog that this is not the appropriate way to express that excitement.

Don’t yell or hit your dog. Even negative attention, unfortunately, will reinforce that bad behavior.

Strategies to break a jumping habit:

Turn away

Turn away when you know that your canine friend is about to jump.

Your dog wants your attention and thinks jumping is the way to get it.

You must ignore your dog and not make eye contact until your dog has settled down.

Once the dog is calm, then you can praise her. This will emphasize your dog will get rewards if she stays calm. 

Distraction

Instead of completely turning away, you can stop jumping by distracting the dog.

For example, commanding the dog to sit is an excellent way to encourage a different, more appropriate behavior.

You must praise your dog and give him attention when he does what you ask. Your dog will understand that jumping gets him nothing while sitting gets the attention the dog wants.

Be consistent to stop dog jumping

Don’t confuse your dog by sometimes letting him jump or by allowing him to jump on some people but not others. Don’t be lazy, and don’t forget to heap on the praise when your dog does the right thing.

Jumping may not seem like a big issue. But it can be annoying and potentially dangerous if your dog jumps on a child or someone who is elderly or unsteady on their feet.

To prevent injuries to your dog or anyone else, you need to start training early to ensure your dog doesn’t jump up on people. This will ensure you will be able to enjoy your dog in all situations.

Imad LB is a long-time dog owner dedicated to sharing his experiences to help other people and their pets have the best life possible. When he’s not working on his site howpup.com, he walks his two dogs with his wife and two kids.