How to Train Your Dog Not to Jump on People

Tuesday, November 26, 2019 10:55:00 AM America/Los_Angeles

Your dog wants nothing more than to please you and get all the love and attention he can. It's in his nature. It's literally what he lives for. However, humans are confusing, and it can be difficult for your pup to interpret exactly what you want from him. If you're having difficulty training your pet, it probably has more to do with your delivery than it does your pet, so you might need to make some adjustments. If you want to train your pet to not jump on people, you must send a clear message. Here's how:

 

Why Your Dog Likes to Jump on People

Although your dog may scare a visitor, knock them over, or get them muddy, that's not his goal. In fact, he wants the exact opposite; he wants to greet and welcome them. To understand why dogs jump up on people, you must first understand the way they think and behave. When greeting each other, dogs sniff and lick each other's faces exuberantly. To dogs, people are just other dogs. When they greet you or anyone else, they want to see you and lick your face in greeting. In many cases, this results in a lot of jumping and pushing as they try to reach your face.

How to Correct Exuberant Puppy Behavior

Puppies are exuberant, and they have boundless energy and curiosity, which can make them difficult to train. After about 10 weeks of age, puppies really start testing their boundaries to see what they can get by with. It may seem like they can't understand you or aren't listening, but they are. You can start training your puppy at this age, but you should not expect to see much from them until he's about 6-months-old. Your puppy may not be fully trained until he's a year old.

Training your puppy not to jump requires discipline. When you get home and your puppy jumps on you, don't push them away or yell at them. Puppies will do anything for attention, both positive and negative. If you react negatively to their behavior, it may actually reinforce it. Instead, stand completely still, not looking at your puppy. Cross your arms at your chest. Once your pup gets tired of trying to get your attention and puts all paws on the floor, praise him and give him the attention he desires. 

How to Train an Adult Dog

Adult dogs are usually a bit more disciplined, and, therefore, easier to train than puppies. If you exercise your dog regularly, and he has an optimal attention span, you should be able to train him not to jump up on people within 2 weeks. Enlist as many family friends and members to train your adult dog as you possibly can. Hold several training sessions per week in which various people arrive at the house and come through the door. If your dog jumps on a visitor, have them leave immediately and wait outside for about a minute before coming back in. Repeat the process as many times as necessary until the dog stops jumping. When your dog keeps all paws on the floor, allow the guest to greet him and praise him, without letting him jump of course. You may also wish to incorporate treats. Give them to your dog when he greets guests properly and does not jump on them.

How to Address other Training Concerns

Just like with training your dog not to jump on people, other training concerns require patience and diligence. For example, housebreaking your dog is a monumental but very necessary task. More dogs end up in shelters due to housebreaking issues than any other issue. If you're concerned about housebreaking your dog, consider using a Bark Potty. This revolutionary indoor dog bathroom allows your pet to use the bathroom even when you're not home, but it is much cleaner and sanitary than pee pads. If you're looking for a dog potty that's easy to use and clean, get your Bark Potty.
TAGS: adult dog training bark potty dog training how to stop my dog from jumping on people pee pad alternative pee pads potty training puppytraining
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