Why does your dog jump?

If you have not taught him to do otherwise, your dog may still be jumping on you.  If jumping has been encouraged, particularly around greetings it’s probably ingrained by now especially as we humans tend to come and go from the home a lot.

Jumping can be overcome with patience and consistency.  Dogs learn to jump up to the adults mouth when they are pups, licking and greeting.  The mechanism is designed to signal to the adult it should regurgitate now (adults cannot always carry a carcass all the way back to the den).  Even though most of our domestic pups won’t be fed this way it is still a built in behaviour.

Pair that with humans thinking it’s cute when a puppy jumps up, it won’t be long before you older dog is still practicing the behaviour.

When he jumps it is best to immediately remove your attention (including eye contact and voice engagement), turn away and walk away.  We like teaching dogs to sit before they’ll receive a greeting.
And if you’re teaching to sit before other things such as getting a treat, his dinner or being able to go through the door it won’t take long before he thinks his backside is magic.  Every time it hits the floor something good is going on.

Please do not knee your dog in the chest or the like if he jumps.  He is only doing something which until now has been encouraged or undiscouraged.  Once you provide an alternative behaviour which pays off (giving your attention to him) it will not take long to make the shift.

Remember that rewarding calm should also come into the equation too because even from a ‘sit’ position an exciting dog can spring up to jump in a flash.  The lovely canine pictured here is more interested in play time.

 

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)