Tips to Stop a Dog from Jumping Up

There are many annoying behaviors that a dog can start to establish as it grows up.  Many of these behaviors can be stopped when it is a puppy, but some of these behaviors may start to manifest when the dog becomes an adult and may not be getting the same amount of attention that he was getting before.  Barking is a typical annoying behavior that many owners want to correct.  While annoying, it is not dangerous to anyone that comes to the home.  Stopping a dog from jumping up on people however is not only annoying, it is also dangerous and can cause individuals harm.

Reasons and Corrections

There are many reasons for a dog jumping up on people, the most common of which is that it is happy to see the owner or other people.  The dog can also be seeking attention if it is bored, and it can also be trying to assert dominance over the individuals that enter the home.  While it is fun to be greeted by an exuberant dog, it is not fun to have an outfit ruined by its paws, or to be pushed over by the jumping.  When there are children that come into the home or elderly people, the jumping can become very dangerous, possibly causing a fall that can hurt the individual.

The best way to stop a dog from jumping up is to start when it is a puppy.  The behavior of jumping up can never be rewarded with attention.  Stopping a dog from jumping up takes consistency, so that the dog knows that jumping up never gets it the attention that he desires.  The only way to get attention is to behave properly in the home.  If the owner thinks it is funny that the dog jumps up on him and gives the dog attention for it, and then scolds the dog for jumping up on other people he is confusing the dog with the mixed messages.  The dog must behave around the owner the same way that the owner expects the dog to behave around other people.

When stopping a dog from jumping up, the body should be turned away from the dog and the dog should not receive any eye contact.  He should be entirely ignored until he has calmed down and then contact should be resumed.  Another way to stop a dog from jumping up is to give him another command, such as to 'sit.'  This is a distraction to the dog and helps to negate the behavior.  It also helps to reinforce proper behavior by giving the dog the attention it seeks by jumping up.