It happened again; you walk into a house and are rudely assaulted by four paws and a tongue! Most dogs prefer to greet people this way, and many believe these dogs are just trying to make friends, but jumping up on people is a dangerous habit for your pet to develop. A big dog that is allowed to jump up on guests can be scary and intimidating, and an unfortunate incident may be the result of your pet’s misbehavior which is why learning how to stop dog jumping behavior is critical for the safety of your family, friend, neighbors and, even your dog.
By getting down to your dog’s level, you may be able to stop your dog from jumping on you. However, this won’t necessarily work with neighbors or strangers that you pass. You must teach your dog a command to stop jumping for situations like those.
Many people want to learn how to stop dog jumping behavior before they have even trained their dog in the basics. When training your dog to stop jumping on you or others you must make sure that he is properly trained in sitting first. It will be to difficult trying to teach your dog two commands at the same time. Be patient with your pet and diligent, soon your hard work will pay off.
Begin your training with your dog standing in front of you and talk to him gently. If you watch him closely enough you will notice little signs that he is getting ready to jump up on you and wanting to play. At first just gently and firmly say, “Sit” to your dog. He may or may not do this at first and chances are he will not. This is when you lift you knee up to his chest, look at him and gently but firmly say, “Off.” Many people make the mistake of telling the dog “Down” but that just confuses him because it is the command to lay down. Remember to say, “Off” and gently use your knee to discourage him from jumping on you.
The goal is not to hurt your dog, but to gently raise your knee, knocking the dog off balance. This is a natural way to show him the “off” command and you should reward him when he listens. Repeat this enough times and he will associate the word off with not jumping on people.
No one likes a dog that misbehaves, particularly a dog who jumps up on any person they meet. A jumping dog will eventually knock someone over. The person could be badly injured, and you might be facing a lawsuit. For your own safety and piece of mind, it’s essential to take the time to learn how to stop dog jumping behavior. Doing so will ensure that your dog is an enjoyable member of your family.
