Might as well JUMP!
This week’s blog question is one of the most common issues dog owners face…jumping! Depending on the size of the dog, jumping can be a very dangerous behavior. Early in my dog training career I had a client hire me specifically because her 35lb terrier jumped on her coming home, knocking her down 8 steps and causing her to break her collarbone. Bigger dogs can not only seriously injure someone from jumping on them, but they can also damage your clothing from the actual jump. Not a good thing if you’re on your way to work and wearing a suit etc.
Understanding why your dog is jumping in the first place is an important part in the training process. Why is your dog jumping? Is it because they love you and missed you all day? No, and any so-called trainer telling you anything along those lines should be avoided. Jumping is NEVER a behavior associated with loving or respecting you.
Jumping is a dominant behavior that is one of the biggest indicators that your dog is the pack leader of the house! If the dog is jumping on you when you arrive home that means he/she is the pack leader. If your dog jumps on guests, that’s their way of telling the guests who the pack leader is…them!
How do we teach our dogs to stop jumping?
One common reason dogs continue to jump and get the behavior reinforced is due to the reaction of the human when coming home. The first thing most humans do walking through the door is greet the dog with massive amounts of praise, petting and excitement. The dog is normally jumping during these moments and the behavior not only gets reinforced but also gets rewarded.
A quick tip is to NEVER greet your dog with that kind of energy walking through the door.
This will prevent you from reinforcing the behavior, but how do we stop it?
Your certified Always Faithful Dog Trainer will teach you how to establish leadership with your dog. Once you establish leadership with your dog the jumping will stop. Pack followers will not jump on pack leaders. Pack followers will respect the pack leader’s space and respect the rules, boundaries and limits the pack leader has established.
Want to learn more about becoming the pack leader and stopping your dog from jumping all over you and your guests? Contact your local certified Always Faithful Dog Trainer today!
No treats, No clickers, No shock collars, NO GIMMICKS! Real Training, Real Results!