Does your dog have a habit of jumping on people when he sees them? If so, you know how embarrassing it can be. But imagine how annoying - or frightening even - it is to your guests.
Teaching your dog to not jump on people is really important, and it's really not hard to do. That's good - because no one likes being assaulted by your dog, not matter how cute he is! Those sharp nails hurt, not to mention the muddy paw prints on their clothes. And though most dogs are just jumping because they're excited, others are actually doing it to show you who's in charge. Here's what I mean...
Most dogs jump because they are excited. They's just plain happy to see you - or you've gotten them worked up about something so their adrenaline is pumping. Maybe you just got home from a day at work - or someone has come over to visit.
There is another reason dogs jump, which is less common but more serious.
Dogs are pack animals, and each member of the pack has a ranking. The "top dog" is the alpha dog. There are many ways dogs show who is ranked higher in the pack -- for example, the alpha dog eats first. He goes through the door first. He also shows he's superior physically. He will do this with other dogs by putting one or both paws over the other dog's shoulders -- and he will do this with you by jumping up on you.
You have to understand, you are a part of your dog's pack too. If he's jumping up on you at other times (not just when he's excited) it's likely he's expressing dominance over you.
If you find that this is happening, you need to realize that you're dealing with more than a simple jumping issue. Your dog thinks he's your pack leader. It's time to brush up on your alpha-dog techniques. Better yet, get some outside help. Since this is a more complex issue, you are going to need to make some serious adjustments to your overall relationship with your dog.
That said, most jumping problems are simply a case of excitement. Solving this type of jumping is relatively easy. The key is consistency. You can't expect your dog to understand that it's okay to jump up on you when you're in your grubby weekend clothes - but not when you're dressed up to go to work. If you want this habit to stop, he needs to be taught that it is never acceptable to jump up on you.
Here is a simple two-step method to stop your dog from jumping.
The first step is very simple. You just ignore him whenever he jumps up on you. This means you withdraw all attention - even negative attention - so no yelling, shoving, or corrections whatsoever. The idea is to give him the cold shoulder.
How do you do this? Whenever he jumps on you, immediately turn your back to him. Your posture should tell him that this behavior just is not acceptable. Fold your arms, turn your back to him and turn your face away. Avert your eyes. Since dogs use body language to communicate with each other, he will know exactly what you are saying.
You just need to be sure you are ignoring your dog - not just ignoring the behavior. You can't look at him or talk to him. You shouldn't acknowledge him in any way at all. Trust me, when you aren't giving him any attention, he'll calm down quickly.
Step two is very important. It's a matter of timing, so even though you're "ignoring" your dog, you have to pay close attention to what he is doing.
The minute all four paws are on the ground and he is calm, then - and only then - you are going to praise the heck out of him! You need to act with enthusiasm the moment he is acting appropriately. Even though he was jumping up on you just a second ago, he will associate your praise with when he was NOT jumping.
As simple as this is, this technique works. You'll be amazed at how quickly your dog learns. By making sure he doesn't get any attention when he's jumping, he'll soon be the well-behaved pooch you always wanted.
Teaching your dog to not jump on people is really important, and it's really not hard to do. That's good - because no one likes being assaulted by your dog, not matter how cute he is! Those sharp nails hurt, not to mention the muddy paw prints on their clothes. And though most dogs are just jumping because they're excited, others are actually doing it to show you who's in charge. Here's what I mean...
Most dogs jump because they are excited. They's just plain happy to see you - or you've gotten them worked up about something so their adrenaline is pumping. Maybe you just got home from a day at work - or someone has come over to visit.
There is another reason dogs jump, which is less common but more serious.
Dogs are pack animals, and each member of the pack has a ranking. The "top dog" is the alpha dog. There are many ways dogs show who is ranked higher in the pack -- for example, the alpha dog eats first. He goes through the door first. He also shows he's superior physically. He will do this with other dogs by putting one or both paws over the other dog's shoulders -- and he will do this with you by jumping up on you.
You have to understand, you are a part of your dog's pack too. If he's jumping up on you at other times (not just when he's excited) it's likely he's expressing dominance over you.
If you find that this is happening, you need to realize that you're dealing with more than a simple jumping issue. Your dog thinks he's your pack leader. It's time to brush up on your alpha-dog techniques. Better yet, get some outside help. Since this is a more complex issue, you are going to need to make some serious adjustments to your overall relationship with your dog.
That said, most jumping problems are simply a case of excitement. Solving this type of jumping is relatively easy. The key is consistency. You can't expect your dog to understand that it's okay to jump up on you when you're in your grubby weekend clothes - but not when you're dressed up to go to work. If you want this habit to stop, he needs to be taught that it is never acceptable to jump up on you.
Here is a simple two-step method to stop your dog from jumping.
The first step is very simple. You just ignore him whenever he jumps up on you. This means you withdraw all attention - even negative attention - so no yelling, shoving, or corrections whatsoever. The idea is to give him the cold shoulder.
How do you do this? Whenever he jumps on you, immediately turn your back to him. Your posture should tell him that this behavior just is not acceptable. Fold your arms, turn your back to him and turn your face away. Avert your eyes. Since dogs use body language to communicate with each other, he will know exactly what you are saying.
You just need to be sure you are ignoring your dog - not just ignoring the behavior. You can't look at him or talk to him. You shouldn't acknowledge him in any way at all. Trust me, when you aren't giving him any attention, he'll calm down quickly.
Step two is very important. It's a matter of timing, so even though you're "ignoring" your dog, you have to pay close attention to what he is doing.
The minute all four paws are on the ground and he is calm, then - and only then - you are going to praise the heck out of him! You need to act with enthusiasm the moment he is acting appropriately. Even though he was jumping up on you just a second ago, he will associate your praise with when he was NOT jumping.
As simple as this is, this technique works. You'll be amazed at how quickly your dog learns. By making sure he doesn't get any attention when he's jumping, he'll soon be the well-behaved pooch you always wanted.
About the Author:
Training your dog doesn't have to be hard. You just need to know the right techniques. For more tips and techniques to stop dog jumping and other bad behavior, visit www.TheSmartDogOwner.com.
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