Many pet owners complain that their dog is jumping on people, but are frequently puzzled by exactly how to discourage this behavior. Some ideas are:
- Dogs are not stupid, but they are single-minded. Often, your dog is jumping up because he wants attention. One way to short circuit your dog from jumping is to ignore him when he jumps. Cross your arms and turn away; ignore the dog until he's doing something else that warrants praise. You, and everyone he jumps on, must continue this consistently, and your dog will eventually learn that jumping is not an appropriate behavior.
- You can stop the jumping activity cold in its tracks by training your dog to sit. When you notice your dog is about to jump, order him to sit. Once he sits and stays briefly, reward him with a treat and praise him on how good he is. Each time you perform this command, extend the time between the sit command and the treat.
- Whatever training method you choose, you need to be consistent. Use the same command every time that jumping occurs. You should be kind, yet firm. Your dog just wants to be good and to please you, so don't treat him like he's doing it on purpose. With a little training, he'll happily keep all four paws on the ground, and his loving place in your heart.
By being realistic with your expectations and consistent with your training, you can teach your dog to behave.Both of you will be happier for it.
