Many dog owners have a problem with their dog jumping up. Often, dog owners will innocently encourage jumping when they react with excitement to a puppy that jumps up at them.

The puppy quickly realizes that jumping up gets him lots of hugs and kisses. Your dog doesn’t realize that there is a difference between dogs jumping up as a small puppy and as a large adult.

Your dog will see no good reason to stop jumping just because he’s somewhat older. It will be necessary for you to teach your dog that it is no longer acceptable for him to jump up.

So when is jumping inappropriate?

Many dog owners with small or toy dogs view dogs jumping up as a sign of affection and excitement. Thankfully, it is unlikely that the rambunctious antics of these dogs would knock anyone over, plus they are so small that the only person likely to be intimidated by them would be a child. That said, most people do not like a strange dog of any size jumping up on them. In a nutshell, you should teach your dog the “off” command in case you aren’t close enough to stop the jumping behavior.

The “no jump” or “off” command is essential for owners of big dogs. Frequently, a large dog standing on his hind legs will be taller than a human being – just think how scary that would be for a small child! In addition, their weight is often enough to knock over an adult. Being scratched or bruised by your own dog is bad but it’s much worse if it happens to someone else. Dog owners should make sure that dogs are furnished with a recall to the “off” command.

So why do dogs jump?

Jumping is usually a dog’s way of showing enthusiasm and excitement. Often dogs will only jump up when their master comes home after being away the entire day. If your dog jumps up on you at that time, he is simply jumping for joy. Some dogs jump up to show their dominance over the person which is a serious issue.

A dog that only jumps up out of excitement at seeing you or at play time is simply showing his happiness and enthusiasm. If the jumping occurs under many different circumstances, it is probable that your dog is displaying dominance behavior, which is indicative of a communication or attitude problem. Essentially, major changes will need to take place in your rapport with your dog, which will include making it clear to your dog that you are the alpha.

Tip: Secrets to Dog Training has some excellent resources to help you deal with  dominant dog behavior. To stop your dog’s jumping behavior, visit Dogs Jumping.

Your reaction to dogs jumping up on you is key to whether the behavior is repeated or not. A consistent and prolonged effort will be necessary to stop your dog from jumping. He needs to be trained that it is always unacceptable for him to jump up. Your dog can’t be permitted to jump sometimes, and forbidden other times. Play and work clothes look the same to a dog so, if he’s permitted to jump up on you sometimes, he’ll try to jump up whenever he’s in the mood.

How to stop dogs jumping

The majority of trainers believe that the methods used to stop unacceptable behaviors such as jumping can often be the least difficult. You just need to walk away when he jumps up. All kinds of attention should be stopped, including shouting, correcting or pushing.

Here’s how this training technique works: when your dog jumps up on you, immediately turn your back on him, fold your arms, turn your face away, and don’t make eye contact with him. Dogs are able to interpret your body language so your posture will make it clear to him that jumping is inappropriate.

All too often, people make the mistake of ignoring the dog’s bad behavior rather than ignoring the dog. You should be clearly ignoring your dog rather than acting as if his jumping behavior isn’t happening. The cold shoulder treatment is a highly effective method to let dogs know you are unhappy with them. When your attention and reaction are removed, your dog will quickly calm down.

The correct time to give him praise

Once all of your dog’s feet are firmly back on the ground, you can heap praise on him. Although your dog may have been ignored up to that instant, it is permissible for you to show him affection as soon as his feet hit the ground.

For more information on how to stop dog jumping, visit Dog Jumping Up.