Stop Dog Jumping – How To Stop Your Dog Jumping Up On You & Over Your Garden Fence!

Do you have a dog that just won’t stop jumping? There’s nothing worse than being bombarded by a big slobbering pooch every day when you get home from work. Worse still, overexcited dogs can overwhelm visitors and even injure small children with their jumping. If you are sneaking past your dog through the side gate when you come home and hesitant to introduce friends to your dog - it’s time to take control of the situation.

Once you have a well behaved dog that you are able to control, you will enjoy your time together far better. If you are able to get your dog to listen to your commands and recognize you as head of the pack, you are well on your way. Remember, a well trained dog is a happy dog. Training your dog takes time, but the rewards are many. Not only will your dog be happier and healthier but they will be easier to manage and control. The first step in how to stop your dog from jumping is to understand their behavior. Dogs play up for a reason, they may be lacking something in their doggy life, or they may simply just not know any better.

What Is Your Dog Trying To Say?

Many people train their dogs blindly, so to speak. They go along to a few obedience classes and mimic whatever the trainer does. Sure, this works to some degree, but if you really want to learn skills that will help you train your dog now and in the future, you need to spend some time learning why dogs behave the way they do.

Note: I highly recommend you get a copy of Sit Stay Fetch by Daniel Stevens, this guide will teach you all you need to know about dog jumping, training and behavior issues.

There are several reasons that dogs jump. The first is their excitement to see you. Dogs have glands around the face that omit odor, this is why dogs sniff each other out when they first meet. They are simply trying to do the same to you. They also want to know where you have been, what you’ve been doing and who you have met along the way. You’re dog won’t understand when you tell them about your annoying boss or the great lunch date you went on, but having a sniff of you can tell them a lot more than you might think.

Dogs jump to get your attention, usually it works. As puppies they seem cute and affectionate when they are jumping, rewarding this behavior reinforces it in adulthood. Part of training your dog not to jump is not rewarding your dog for anti social behavior, whether you are doing so intentionally or not. Dogs also jump to assert their dominance. Dogs are pack animals, and in each pack there is always an alpha dog. Your dog views you and our family as its pack.

Have you ever noticed how much happier your dog is when you are all together? You need to ensure that you are the alpha in your pack. A dog jumping is one way of it trying to be the alpha, when it jumps on your couch or your bed, it is claiming ownership of that particular object. Keep in mind that what you allow your dogs to do they will continue to do. By not telling a dog off when they jump, you are encouraging this behavior.

Your dog wants nothing more than your approval and love, and will do what it thinks is making you happy. Please don’t use violent methods to discipline your dog. You may have been told that pushing a dog’s chest or pinching his paws may stop jumping, this is not the case. Doing this may injure your dog and will not help with training. Instead they will become afraid of you which makes them more likely to bite or attack you. Also, avoid excessive yelling. This will only stress your dog out, in this frame of mind, they won’t learn anything. When telling a dog off, do it quickly and sharply.

How To Stop Your Dog Jumping

So, in order to get your dog to stop jumping you need to gain some control in the relationship. You need to reassert yourself as the alpha of the pack. When your dog jumps, they are taking control of the situation. The next time it happens take a step away from your dog and calmly ask him or her to sit. If they don’t obey ask again in a sterner voice. It may take a little more time than usual for them to sit if they are excited. Once they have sat for a few moments, allow them to get up and give them a quick pat on the head. If they jump again, you need to repeat this.

Don’t excite your dog when you get home. It’s tempting to start making a fuss and giving your dog a big hug and pat, but this is when they are likely to act up. Instead, give them a simple hello in a neutral tone of voice and a pat on the head. If you are unable to do this you need to ask them to sit until they are calm enough to have a pat on the head and a hello. Alternatively you can ignore them until they calm down. Patting your dog on the head is a way of asserting dominance.

Repeat this everyday and over time your dog will calm down and stop jumping. You may like to teach your dog that a certain action must be completed in order for a certain reaction to occur. For instance, teaching your dog to sit on a mat before you greet them is a good way to enforce good habits. If they are sitting on a mat, they are not jumping, and they will stop associating jumping on you with greeting you. Teaching your dog a command word which means stop is an excellent idea. You may like to make this word OFF, STOP or DOWN, whatever you choose, just make sure you are consistent.

When your dog is jumping, either on you or on an object, use this command. By speaking in a low tone, your dog will quickly learn that this word means they are doing the wrong thing. Many obedience trainers will advise you to teach your dog the word NO as a puppy and use this command across the board. This is not to say you can’t let your dog jump around on you and have a wrestle when the time is right. This is one of the best ways to bond with your dog and it would be a shame to miss out on. What you do need to do though is remain in control of your dog. Once you have practiced your sit commands and calm entries, feel free to have a play with your dog. A good time to do this is in the evening when both you and your dog are feeling relaxed. If you feel like your dog is getting too rough ask them to stop of sit. If you can’t do this then you need to spend some more time together training.

Note: I highly recommend you get a copy of Sit Stay Fetch by Daniel Stevens, this guide will teach you all you need to know about dog training and behavioral issues like jumping.

More On Dog Jumping:

The #1 Jumping Prevention Guide - Click to view our top rated prevention guide to finally get your dog to stop jumping up on you and other people.

How To Stop Dog Jumping - More useful tips and advice on how to go about getting your dog to stop jumping. Including a basic understanding and solutions to jumping dogs.

How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping Fences - Many dog owners have asked the question of how to stop their dog from jumping fences. This can cause many problems of which may cause harm to your dog.

How To Stop Your Dog Jumping Up On People - There can be many different reasons why a dog would jump on a person. However, these reasons can be broken down into three different categories.