Jumping
Ways To Stop Our Dogs From Jumping
Positive Reinforcement of Alternate Behaviors
1. Have lots of small treats ready.
2. Give the dog a treat when he is not jumping, simply when he is standing.
3. Work on getting the dog to sit. Put the treat in your hand and raise it above his head and slightly back. If he jumps at it, pull your hand away and make a negative sound like “huh-uh.” Keep doing this until the dog sits, then praise and give the treat.
Management of the Problem
1. Keep the dog on a leash when you are training him or playing with him. That will help you be able to step on his leash if he starts to jump.
2. Don’t encourage the dogs to jump on you.
3. Pet him under his chin when first approaching him. Don’t reach out above him as he’ll want to jump to your hands.
4. Don’t hold a toy at your waist level—he’ll probably jump for it. If you are playing fetch, throw it before he can jump at it.
5. Don’t let the dogs jump on anyone, so everyone who walks the dogs needs to keep the dogs from jumping.
6. If the dog is excited about seeing you and is running towards you, toss a few treats on the ground which should distract him for a bit. Then praise him while he is eating the treats and not jumping.
Consequences
1. Turn your back on the dog if he is jumping and stop all interactions. Ignore him when he is jumping. Try and step on the leash when you turn your back.
2. Give the negative sound when he jumps.
3. Don’t forget to use his leash and step on it to keep him from jumping.
4. When he jumps and is not on a leash, step toward him while turning your hip so you are sideways to him. Then ignore him until he stops jumping.
Consistency
Consistency is very important. If he gets to jump on some people sometimes, it makes it harder for him to learn that it’s not okay to jump on people.
Quick Ways to Stop Jumping
1. Give treats if the dog is standing and not jumping.
2. Step on the leash where the dog can sit comfortably but gets pulled down if tries to jump.
3. Turn your back on the dog if he is jumping and ignore him until he stops jumping. You can also just walk away from the dog.
4. If he’s not on a leash and jumps, turn your hip to him so you are facing sideways and ignore the dog until he stops jumping.
5. The second the dog stops jumping, praise and give him treats.
