Dog Training – Jumping
When it comes to techniques for dog training, jumping can be one of the trickier behaviors to curb. There are a multitude of reasons why dogs jump up at family or guests to your home, but it’s important to teach your dog that this is unacceptable behavior.
Think about visiting a home where the family dog jumps all over you, unrestrained and unchecked. If it’s only a small dog, jumping may only mean it reaches to your knees or calves, but those sharp little claws can often scratch painfully.
When a larger dog is prone to jumping many people become fearful as a big dog could knock over a child or seriously hurt an adult. You could find your friends coming over to visit you less, or you may feel reluctant to invite people into your home.
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Understanding Dog Jumping
Dogs jump up on people for many different reasons. The dog might be seeking attention, or it might be naturally excitable or exuberant. However, your dog could also be exerting its dominance over a human. This is not an acceptable behavior in a pet dog.
Before you try to practice techniques for dog training, jumping behaviors and the reasons for these actions need to be understood.
Why Is Your Dog Jumping?
Many dogs are just naturally excitable. Young puppies or adolescent dogs may often jump up at people out of sheer excitement to see you. Most dog owners think this is a cute display of affection, and they reward the puppy by petting him and stroking him.
This kind of reward reinforces to your puppy that jumping up at you must be the right thing to do. Not only has he got your complete attention, but he’s also received affection from you.
Older dogs may jump up because they’re seeking attention. Once again, offering a pat or giving your attention only reinforces this behavior, so they’re likely to repeat it.
It’s important that your dog begins to understand that rewards, like attention or affection, only come after he’s sitting calmly and behaving.
Dog Training: Jumping Correction
Before you begin working on your dog training techniques, grab a handful of tasty treats that you know your dog will enjoy.
The next time your dog jumps up at you, remember why he’s jumping. Is he after attention? Affection? Is he overly excited?
No matter what the reason, if you deny your pet the reward he’s after, he’s likely to persist until he gets it. To teach your dog that jumping is now unacceptable, fold your arms across your chest and look away from your dog.
Of course he’ll jump again, as he’s already been shown it’s an effective way to get what he wants, so turn your back on him, keep your arms folded across your chest and turn your head away.
In dog language, being ignored is a severe reprimand. The instant your dog shows signs of calming down, ask him to sit. If he does sit on command, give him a treat and praise him lavishly with a pat and tell him ‘good dog’.
By repeating this form of positive dog training, jumping behavior will gradually stop and your dog will learn that the best way to get your attention is to sit calmly before you instead of jumping up on you or other people.
