In the minds of many people, a well-mannered dog always behaves in a balanced manner and obediently follows all commands. A dog that jumps on its owner when meeting or on passers-by during a walk certainly does not give the impression of being well-mannered. It is possible to wean both a puppy and an adult dog from this unpleasant habit using certain techniques.
A well-mannered pet is the pride of the owner
Why does a dog jump on a person?
Basically, the pet begins to jump and be active when the owner returns home, greeting guests or passers-by during a walk. The main reason for this behavior is the expression of emotions. This is especially true for active dogs prone to overexcitement.
In order to wean your furry friend from jumping and galloping, you will first need to teach him to control his emotions. In addition, he must understand that his calm behavior is more pleasant to the owner than excessive activity. This is precisely the basis of techniques for eradicating an unpleasant habit.
Why dogs shouldn't jump on people
It’s worth looking into the question of what’s wrong with the joyful jumping of your beloved friend. It's one thing to jump over a barrier or fence on the street, and quite another to jump on a person from a running start.
For the owner, this can lead to such consequences as torn clothes or bags brought from the store. Even a small dog can cause such problems.
Attention! Large dogs, such as a Labrador or Shepherd, can unwittingly cause more serious injuries.
As for passers-by, in this situation both a stranger and the pet itself may suffer. It is difficult to predict the reaction of people to jumping dogs, especially large ones. This will frighten some, but there may be those who will defend themselves - they will kick or roughly push the animal away.
One way or another, jumping on passers-by is a habit that needs to be broken.
Reassure your dog with your behavior when meeting him
Unfortunately, raising a dog is inextricably linked with raising the owner. Pay attention to how you greet your dog after a long separation of an hour or a whole day. Surely, when you arrive, you begin to stroke and kiss her, pat her crest, or pick her up if she is a small breed, and you are just as excited and happy as she is. Unfortunately, all this encourages the animal to jump at you in response.
Stop doing this, enter the apartment calmly, and do not greet your dog at the front door, at most say “Hello” to him in a calm and even voice. Therefore, as they usually say, start your education with yourself.
We recommend: Why dogs dig holes in the ground and how to wean them from it
How to rid a dog of the habit of jumping on its owner and passers-by
There are a number of ways to stop a dog from jumping on people, both its own owner and strangers. You should also pay attention to jumping on guests in the apartment, because this causes a lot of inconvenience. Each method will be relevant in one case or another, so it is worth considering everything in more detail.
Ignoring
This method is applicable to almost any case of unwanted behavior. Regarding jumping, he means that as soon as the dog tries to jump, it is necessary to:
- turn your back to the dog;
- fold your arms across your chest;
- stand until the pet calms down and sits down.
Most likely, the dog will not jump for long without seeing the face and without feeling a response. As soon as he sits calmly, you need to turn around, praise him and give him a treat. If, after turning, the jumper decides to repeat the action, it is necessary to turn away from him again.
It is necessary to repeat the exercise as long as attempts to jump are repeated. You can keep a mental tally to see how long it takes to calm down each time.
Blocking
To block, you can simply turn your palm.
This method combines two functions at once - to make jumping uncomfortable for the dog and to show that the owner does not like it. The idea is to create an obstacle for jumping. To do this, you should put your leg bent at the knee forward, or simply turn your palm, as if reflecting a jump.
Thanks to this position, it will be very uncomfortable for the pet to continue the action and, moreover, he will understand that the owner does not like this game at all. Guests or other family members can also be taught to use this technique. The adoption of such a pose by a person will in itself be a signal that it is impossible to jump.
Attention! It is necessary to protect yourself in this way so as not to injure your furry friend. There is no need to push him away - it will be enough to remove him if necessary.
Holding front paws
Another option for making jumping uncomfortable for your dog. The second meaning of this action is to show the authority of the owner. The idea is to grab the front paws at the moment of jumping. There is no need to squeeze them - just grab them and hold them there for a while. This position is not to the liking of the four-legged animals and after several repetitions the attempts should stop.
Using a leash
It is immediately worth noting that jerking with a leash, according to many modern dog handlers, is an outdated and inhumane method. This option for stopping attempts to jump can be used while walking. At the moment when the dog is about to perform an undesirable action and rushes towards the passerby, you should sharply pull the leash.
It would be more reasonable to back this up with a prohibiting command and it would be desirable that it be not just “not allowed.” You can come up with any other wording and use it only to stop exactly this kind of behavior. Thus, over time, you can stop jerking the leash and limit yourself only to the command.
Jerking with a leash is not a good way
Training your dog to dig holes and scratch the floor, doors and walls.
Training a dog to stop digging and scratching is a difficult task, as he usually indulges in this activity when left alone, when no one is around and he is bored. When you are at home with her, when you can give her at least some attention, you are unlikely to catch her doing this.
Methods for teaching a dog to dig and scratch.
- Set the e-collar intensity to the level you determined in the Tips for Selecting Intensity section.
- Leave your dog alone in an area where he usually digs or scratches.
- Watch your dog, but so that he doesn't see it. As soon as your dog starts digging or scratching, press the button immediately.
- If after several corrections the dog does not stop the unwanted behavior, increase the intensity by 1 level.
To wean your dog from these habits, you must catch him at the very beginning of the action every time he first starts doing it. Prepare to spend several days watching your dog. This doesn't have to be several days in a row, but don't give your dog the opportunity to do this when you can't watch him. Continue to observe your dog for three days whenever he is in an area where he has the opportunity to dig. If within three days after the last correction the dog did not try to do this, the training can be considered successfully completed. However, be prepared to repeat if the habit shows up again.
Raising a puppy and a middle-aged pet
It is much easier to wean a pet from unwanted behavior in childhood than in adulthood. Regarding techniques for weaning a puppy from jumping, not all of the methods listed above are applicable. It is worth considering the features of working with a puppy and an adult dog separately.
Raising a puppy
It is easier to raise a small pet.
You should raise and train a puppy from the moment he gets comfortable in his new home and learns his name well. He needs to immediately make it clear that he is not allowed, for example, to jump on the sofa, sleep in the bed, or chew the staircase railing. In childhood, it is easier to correct behavior, but the difficulty may be the owner’s tendency to connivance.
When a little fluffy jumps for joy on a person or starts biting, it looks touching, but such attempts should be stopped. Soon the pet will grow up and the innocent prank will develop into a bad and inconvenient habit. Owners of large dogs should especially pay attention to this. When a large dog starts biting hands or actively jumping, this will become a real problem.
Blocking with your hand or knee is not applicable to puppies; it would be more appropriate to use a light release. It is enough to simply push the small pet away with your palm and repeat this every time you try to jump. The method of ignoring is also relevant, but difficulties may arise with active children. Despite this, you should be patient, because retraining an adult dog will be much more difficult.
Important! It is strictly forbidden to jerk with a leash on puppies - this can cause both physical and psychological injury.
Retraining a middle-aged pet
A dog does not always end up in a home as a puppy; there are many cases when a pet becomes a member of the family as an adult. If he already has a habit of jumping on people, don’t despair. Using the methods listed above, you can wean even the most stubborn four-legged friend.
The main thing is to first earn the dog’s trust and authority in its eyes, and then begin to train it.
Unusual methods of pacifying a pet
Along with traditional methods, you can find more interesting and humane ones. It is very convenient to use a clicker or, alternatively, clapping your hands to get rid of jumping.
It is advisable to first teach your pet to follow the command to sit by clicking or clapping. As soon as she gets ready to jump or jumps, you should make a sound and the dog will sit down. This technique is especially relevant when jumping on the owner at the moment of returning home. Over time, meeting a person while sitting will become a habit.
You can use the sit command without using sounds. To do this, the dog must initially learn it in a special interpretation - “ask”. To begin with, you can teach her to ask for treats in this way, and then you can use it to stop any unwanted behavior. Regarding jumping, it would be more logical for such a dog to ask for attention by “sit”, rather than jumping hysterically on the owner.
You can teach a dog to greet its owner while sitting
Teach your dog to sit
If you teach your dog to sit, then the problem of jumping will basically go away, since the animal will follow your command when you and guests arrive. However, all dogs have different personalities and some may require additional training.
When guests arrive, have your dog sit. While she's sitting, ask your friend to say hello to her. If your dog gets up, ask your friend to turn around and ignore the dog. Have your dog sit again and repeat the procedure until he sits throughout the entire greeting.
We recommend: Rottweiler - protector, killer and loyal friend
Photo: depositphotos
Share link:
Tips and tricks
Some useful tips and recommendations that will help you quickly and efficiently wean your four-legged friend from jumping on people:
- You shouldn't yell at your dog for jumping - most likely he won't understand what exactly he's being scolded for.
- Each time you need to actively praise and give treats for the fact that the dog has calmed down and sat down. You can also encourage them with a toy with a bright pattern.
- You shouldn’t cut corners and allow him to jump sometimes—even just allowing him to jump will let your pet know that sometimes it can be done.
- It is worth practicing the sit command well and using it every time you try to jump.
Important! You should not use physical methods of punishment. You can achieve the desired result without them, but the use of force will ruin the relationship between the pet and the owner.
The pet should be praised and rewarded for good behavior
There are different ways to train your dog to stop jumping on people. Performing exercises and prohibiting actions while jumping will help rid both the puppy and the adult dog of this habit.
