Most puppies are excitable, cute bundles of fun who are always so happy to see us. They want to say hello and get our attention, and the most common method they use is to jump up at us.
This doesn’t seem like much of an issue when puppies are small. However, most dogs don’t stay small and having a large dog jump up on you or someone else is undesirable. This article will highlight the secrets to curbing puppy jumping.
Most puppy jumping is to get our attention, and the easiest and most effective way to curb the jumping is to teach your puppy an alternative method of getting your attention. The other thing to remember is that dogs greet each other face to face, so when your puppy jumps up, it’s trying to get a face-to-face greeting.
It’s helpful to know that puppies and dogs may also jump up if they are anxious or worried about something. Learning dog body language will help determine if it’s excited jumping up, or worried about something.
Teach your puppy an alternative behaviour that is equally rewarding to them with the desired attention.
Ignore The Jumping and Stay Calm
Dogs will engage in a behaviour that works for them. To curb the jumping, dogs must learn that jumping does not work for them. It doesn’t get them the attention that they want.
There are a few ways to teach them that jumping doesn’t get the attention they want. It really depends on how you want your dog to ask for attention. Whatever alternative behaviour you decide to reinforce, the primary strategy remains the same – stay calm and don’t reinforce the jumping up.
Curbing puppy jumping requires you to stay very calm and ignore the jumping. This means you don’t shout at your puppy or push them away – doing any of these inadvertently reinforces the jumping. Even though it is negative attention, it is still attention. As far as your puppy is concerned, jumping is working, so it will keep doing it.
It’s also easier to curb the jumping if you know when your puppy will likely jump up and you are prepared with treats or a favourite toy. Curbing puppy jumping is easier if you are proactive and prepared. Timing and consistency are everything in training.
Four Paws On The Floor
Four paws on the floor is essentially only giving your puppy attention when it has four paws on the floor. The hardest part of this technique is staying quiet and calm while ignoring the puppy jumping.
When your puppy doesn’t receive the attention it requires from you by jumping up, it will stop and try another behaviour. Your puppy is trying to figure out what behaviour works.
When your puppy has stopped jumping up and has its four paws on the floor, shower it with attention; you can add a few treats to make it even more rewarding. The more rewarding your puppy finds a behaviour, the more your puppy will repeat it. The more the behaviour is repeated, the quicker it becomes a habit.
Everyone who comes into contact with your puppy should follow these steps. Consistency will allow your puppy to pick up the desired behaviour faster and won’t confuse it.
Don’t be surprised or put off if your puppy jumps up more at the beginning of training four paws on the floor. Jumping up has previously always worked for your puppy; it’s trying to get the expected response and attention from you. Continue to stay quiet and calm, wait for your puppy to put all four paws on the floor, then shower it with attention and rewards.
When you are consistent, your puppy will quickly learn to associate keeping four paws on the floor with getting attention and stop jumping up when it doesn’t get the desired attention.
If you are outside walking your puppy and don’t want it jumping excitedly at strangers, have some treats handy in your pocket. Throw a few treats on the ground before your puppy gets excited about the person approaching. Your pup won’t jump up if it’s busy eating the treats – with four paws on the floor.
Ask the person not to engage with your puppy unless it has four paws on the floor, as you are training them not to jump up. Most people are happy to comply when you explain that you are training.
The Pre-Emptive Sit
The Sit Cue is probably one of the first cues you teach your puppy. Therefore, this is an existing behaviour that your puppy knows. If your puppy is happy to go into the sit position, it’s an ideal behaviour to use as an alternative to jumping up.
You will usually know when your puppy will jump up, usually when you come home or walk into a room. The pre-emptive sit cue asks your dog to perform the sit behaviour, stopping them from performing the jumping up behaviour.
You must be consistent and prepared like the four paws on the floor training. When you see your puppy barrelling towards you, calmly say ‘sit’ and shower them with lots of praise and rewards as soon as their bottom hits the sit position.
Again, everyone with contact with your puppy should do the same to avoid confusion about what behaviour is expected when it approaches for attention.
Be aware of your pup’s body language if you are outside, and don’t insist on a sit position if your puppy seems worried or stressed. Check the environment and move your puppy away if necessary. Insisting on a sit position if your puppy is stressed or anxious will create negative associations with the sit position.
This is how we trained our Siberian Husky puppy Luna to stop body-slamming when she was excited to see us. Luna was always so pleased with herself when she sat, and we praised her, so it was an easy decision to use this behaviour as an alternative to body-slamming us and jumping up.
Even now, when Luna wants attention, she will sit beside me and lay her head on my knee, and I know she wants attention and belly rubs.
Your Puppy’s Wellbeing
When you decide on an alternative behaviour to jumping up for your puppy, it should be a behaviour that your puppy is comfortable with.
Luna was never comfortable with lying down around other people and dogs when we were outside. That’s fine with me; she was happy to go into the sitting position. However, if your dog is comfortable with this, it’s acceptable.
You want your puppy to be comfortable with the alternative behaviour so that it finds it rewarding and a positive experience. It will be easier to train the behaviour if your dog is happy with it and doesn’t find it intimidating or uncomfortable.
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