Dog owners often face problems when their dogs have a habit of frequently jumping onto others. Dogs jumping on you or your guests can be annoying, and it can be dangerous too if the dog is powerful and of a large breed. People who can't balance well can easily fall when dogs jump on them, and this can hurt them. Some pet owners find this behavior adorable at the start, but when it gets too frequent, they start feeling irritated and annoyed. A puppy jumping on you can be adorable, but when it turns to a mightier and heavier dog, it can cause problems.
Why do dogs jump?
Dogs naturally jump on their owners and other people to greet them. They do this because they are shorter in height than humans and they want to make a face-to-face contact to say hello. When dogs jump on you, they sniff your face and want to talk to you. Mostly dogs jump on people to get attention and greet them. When your dog jumps on your guests, he is letting them know that he is also a member of the family and that he is responsible for many things in the house. There are many types and reasons for jumping: attention seeking, excitement jumping, panic jumping, or table jumping. This behavior of dogs is, however, unacceptable because they can unintentionally hurt others. Unfortunately, just telling them not to can't do the work and you'll have to train him properly to eliminate this problem.
How to overcome the jumping problem in dogs:
You can't tell or teach your dog through talking; you will have to teach them with actions. When your dog jumps on you, he is most probably trying to get your attention or is greeting you when you have returned home. To teach your dog not to jump, you will have to teach him other acceptable and pleasant ways to earn your attention. The main part of training is to make your dog learn how to behave properly and not get annoying for strangers. Following these tips will be helpful in training your dog to overcome the jumping issues:
- Set a routine for training your dog daily. The key to train is right from the beginning when you bring a puppy to your home. Training after returning home from a tired and exhausting day is not feasible because that way you won't be able to train him properly. Also, make sure to be careful when you open the door as paying less attention to your dog can make him jump on your guests to prove his existence.
- Use the reward-training method because it is a very effective one. You can make your dog sit on a mat or a specific place when your guests are at home, and then you can offer him treats or things to play as a reward for staying there. If there are other people at home, you can ask someone to open the door while you pay attention to your dog.
- Use the distraction technique. If you think your dog is about to jump on you, give him some other command or offer him something to play at the very moment. Have your dog sit in front of you peacefully and quietly and involve him in some activity which he loves. Don’t scold or punish as this can cause aggressiveness in dogs.
- Another technique is to ignore the jumping behavior. Your dog jumps to seek your attention, and when he learns that you are not paying attention to him this way, he will gradually stop jumping. If your dog jumps on you, don't push him away and just ignore the behavior. If he doesn't stop jumping at you, move away from the place.
- Training him not to jump is the best way to get rid of this jumping behavior. When your dog is about to jump, order him to sit down patiently by moving your hands. Tell him to sit down calmly and keep telling him until his front paws are on the floor. If they try to jump on you again and lift their front paws, ask them to ‘stop' or ‘sit down.'
Preventing jumping problems:
Dogs jump on people to greet them and show their affection. However, they can get very excited or can jump in a panic too, especially if there are strangers in the house. To prevent your dog jumping on other people, make sure that you have taken preventive measures otherwise your dog can cause harm to others. Follow these effective tips:
- When your guests arrive at home or you have taken your dog out to walk with you, make sure that he doesn't jump on others. To prevent his jumping behavior to avoid embarrassment, keep some treats with you or something for him that he carries in his mouth such as a boomerang, ball or any other toy.
- Don’t shower your dog with hugs, kisses, and affection when he jumps on you when you arrive home. This act will make his jumping behavior stronger as he will feel that you are happy with it. Though jumping sometimes can be pleasing but jumping all the times can be annoying, especially if the dog is heavy and powerful. Moreover, you will love that your dog is jumping on you but others will not.
- Train your dog to jump on request and greet your guests nicely and politely. You can train him by inviting many guests at your place and make him learn how he has to meet and greet them.
- Always appreciate him and reward him for his good behavior such as giving treats and patting on the head and saying, ‘good job' or ‘good boy.' This way he will learn that he is doing a good job by not jumping.
- Dogs often jump on children and other dogs to show their dominance. If your dog does this, you will have to train him more properly and strictly. You can organize group play sessions and classes with other dogs and make him more social. Make him learn that he should be friendly towards other dogs and not aggressive.
- You can also use the desensitizing technique if your dog jumps on other people and animals due to panic or fear. This type of jumping behavior can be very dangerous because if a dog jumps in fear or panic, he will try to harm the stimulus.
Conclusion:
Dog jumping is a very typical behavior, and dog owners often complain about this. The jumping issues are natural, and most of the dogs don't mean anything when they jump on other people, animals, or things. However, when your dog frequently jumps on you and others, its time to analyze the situation and train him not to do so. Dog jumping can get annoying and irritating especially for your guests, and if there are children in the house, it can be dangerous too. It is important to teach your dog how to behave with others and how to greet everyone politely. Always remember that there is nothing wrong with your dog and this is a very natural behavior. Only its excess can cause problems.
