Jumping for Joy - causing grief!
Two of our members are having trouble with their dogs jumping up on people when excited.
Jay writes … My 5 month old St. Bernard gets highly excited on seeing me returning home. He jumps all over me, licks me and loves me to praise him and hug him. (I also love his behavior.) After I am done with him I tell him 'Calm Down' and after a few minutes he does settle down. I hope this is okay with me and my dog for today and the future. Unfortunately he also does the same with more than a few of our visitors. Please guide me.
Helena writes … I have a 9 month old bearded collie who loves to jump on people. She loves to play and be with people so this is her way of saying so, but not everyone likes this.
I have tried to tell her No, Sit and Greet and sometimes that does help, but her enthusiasm is so big that she has difficulty controlling herself. Any suggestions?
Why do dogs jump?
Dogs jump up on people for two reasons - to show Dominance or to gain Attention. Many owners read human reasons into their dog's behavior. They think that when their dog jumps all over them it’s because the dog is excited and happy to see them. Unfortunately this isn’t entirely true. Yes, of course your dog is extremely happy and excited to see you come home; but he’ll demonstrate this by wagging his tail, panting, and bouncing around the house and yard, not by jumping up on you.
In fact, there is very little, if any, emotional component to jumping up on a person: it’s a means of communication between dogs, not a demonstration of emotion. Between canines, the dog that leaps up on the other dog is asserting dominance. If the leapt-upon dog submits to this behavior, he’s acceding dominance to the leaper. In short by letting your dog jump up on you are saying you will play by their rules because you will pat them when they demand it and you will let them stand up against you in dominance.
Because of this, jumping up is not a behavior that you should encourage in your dog. Even if you have a small dog that can’t inflict harm or scare people when he rears up, it’s still pretty bad form to allow this behavior. By letting your dog jump your are agreeing with your dog that he’s in charge and this can lead to aggression and dominance problems in small dogs just as easily as in large dogs, although the symptoms maybe slightly different.
Dealing with jumping
Consistency is absolutely essential when dealing with jumping. The ‘no jumping’ rule must apply at all times. You cannot permit him to leap up on you on some days, and then get angry with him on other days. Your dog can’t tell the difference between your work clothes and your gardening outfit, or whether you’re feeling rushed or playful. If you’re going to teach him not to jump up you need to be prepared to react the same way every time he does it - and so does everyone else in the household. This goes for visitors, too.
The training is simple:
When he starts jumping, completely ignore him. Give him the cold shoulder: turn your body completely away, avert your face, and break eye contact. Give him absolutely no attention. Don’t react at all.
He will probably sit down puzzled after 30 seconds of fruitless leaping. As soon as all four paws are on the ground, praise him: give him treats, pat him lavishly, shower him with praise. You want to make it crystal clear that four paws on the ground is what you want - not leaping or jumping. He’ll get the message very quickly.
A better way to greet
Once the jumping behavior is no longer a problem you can start to greet your dog affectionately by getting down to its level and giving it some calm cuddles and pats. When you decide you’ve finished, get up and walk off so your dog is clear that you are in charge of when and where attention is dished out. Alternatively when you get home try running your dog through some quick tricks or playing fetch. In this way your dog is getting some attention and fun, but again under your rules.
All the best,
Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/
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