Puppies who jump on people are cute and manageable. In fact, most of them can be picked up when they jump, but they’re being rewarded for the deed every time they’re picked up. But as puppies grow, their jumping habits also grow because of the encouragement they received through the months of their youth. Then they get yelled at or worse, when all along, they were encouraged to jump, most likely by owners who weren’t thinking ahead and didn’t know any better.
You may have adopted an adult dog who was never trained, got tossed around from home to home, went into a shelter, or rescue, and you have no idea how he got to this point, but you have a dog who jumps on people. Otherwise, you would most likely not be reading this page.
It’s embarrassing to have no control over your dog while he’s accosting a friend or stranger. Most people don’t appreciate a dog jumping on them, no matter the size. Small dogs scratch the legs and hands of people, while big dogs can do as much harm as knocking people off their feet when they jump on them. The good news is this is a behavioral problem which can be resolved with consistency and practice.
There is an old fashioned way of training a dog not to jump, which is less effective in teaching a new behavior and more effective in creating a dog who is fearful of approaching people because it incorporates kneeing or kicking dogs in the underbelly. Most dogs jump on people because they’re excited and happy to see them. Dogs want to lick our faces, and are being affectionate, and the only way they can reach our faces is to jump up. Or crawl in some cases.
I had a client whose itty bitty Yorkie pup, weighing just a couple of pounds, crawled up my leg, into my lap, up to my shoulders, just so she could get to my face to give me kisses. This is how dogs greet. It’s how they communicate, and unfortunately for them, it’s not compatible with people’s conception of greetings. And the bigger the dog, the harder it is on us. So dogs need to learn what’s appropriate, and that leaves it up to us to teach them what that appropriate dog-to-human behavior is. But not through kicking, yelling, or otherwise punishing a dog for his love of life and people.
Training a dog to control himself when meeting people or seeing his people friends is simple with consistency and practice. A dog can learn to enjoy meeting his two-legged friends in a way we enjoy, too, and his lifetime reward of making even more friends will be a pleasure for both sides. And as his owner, you will enjoy having your best friend under control and civil.
Contact me for help training your jumper.
Please visit the Investment in Dog Training page as well.
By Helen Verte
Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Training dogs who jump in Broward County, South Florida
