Does Your Dog Have An Irritating Jumping Habit?

  Do you have a puppy that jumps on you, company and even your Grandma who has a walker? This can be a very irritating trait for your dog to develop. Unfortunately, it can make people dread coming to your home. No one wants to try to have a conversation with a fluffy fur ball trying to jump on them or sit on their lap.

There are many dogs which are just too friendly. They never meet a stranger, and they would even roll the red carpet out and lavish love on the most grouchy individual. While no one wants to discourage friendliness in a puppy, they do need to learn social manners.

Have you ever known a person who you try to avoid? When you see this person coming do you do everything within your power to ensure you aren’t held up by their endless chatting? There are some dogs who people simply want to avoid, too. If one of these overly friendly guys is in your home, you should teach them self-control. This can be done through consistent training.

Sometimes this sort of problem arises because a puppy thinks he is in charge of the home. He thinks he is “Lord of the Manor” and everyone should be pleased to have him on their laps! Dogs usually develop this attitude when they do not feel that a leader has been clearly defined in the home. These canines are more than happy to step into the role as the alpha male and do things at their whim and fancy.

The most important thing you can do when you bring your puppy home is to send him the signal that you are the leader of his pack. One of the first steps to achieving this is to have your pet rely on you for his food. You should never leave a full bowl of food out for your puppy to munch on at his leisure. By having you be the one which meets his hunger needs, he will quickly learn to respect you. You should have a set routine when you feed your dog throughout the day. Any food that is left after 20 minutes should be put away until the next feeding.

Dogs can also get confused and think they are the king of the house when they are the first ones greeted by a member of the family after an absence. You should make a point to greet all members of your household before you acknowledge your puppy. If you live alone, you can go to your room, change clothes or get a drink before you settle down and greet your puppy. Many owners only intensify a bad jumping habit when they greet their puppy exuberantly when they come through the door each day.

It is very important that you start teaching your puppy what “down” means the moment they start a habit of jumping. This is not a very hard technique to teach your puppy--if you practice it ever time they jump. The best thing to do during this phase is to let your pup jump on you. When he does and bounces back to the floor say “down.” But, don’t say this while he is jumping. You have to wait until all four feet of his feet are firmly on the floor. You should also use this word each and every time he is caught reclining on the furniture and you have to put him on the floor.

Once your dog seems to have an understanding of what down means, you should never allow him to jump on you again. Each time your puppy starts to jump on you, turn away immediately. Your pooch will miss his mark and hit the floor. Don’t make a fuss. Simply turn your back and step out of his way. Once your pup is back down on the floor, you can reach down, pet him, and say “down.” Your pup may not take to this at first. He may continue to jump repeatedly until he reaches his target . . . you. Every time he jumps up to you, simply step away and turn your back. Never greet your puppy until he is completely down on the floor. Your puppy will soon learn what down means, and he will also learn that he will not get attention from you if he is jumping. While this can easily turn into a match of wills, it is important that your dog understands that you are the leader of his pack!

An option to teach your puppy that jumping on guests is unacceptable is to have him on a leash. Have a leash by your door and if a guest arrives, put him on the leash before you open the door. If your pup stands up on his back legs and tries to greet the guest, pull him gently to the floor and say “down.” You should advise your guests to ignore your puppy until he is on the floor. When your puppy starts to stay on the floor when guests arrive, have dog treats by the door to reward him with. Each and every time he does not jump up to greet a guest, praise him for staying down and give him a dog treat.

Dogs are very intelligent animals. They learn rather quickly. They can learn to obey and blend into the family, or they can learn to run wild and be a general nuisance to everyone. The choice is up to the owner. It is best to start training your puppy from day one. While many commands cannot be learned right away, you should always let your puppy know that you are the leader of his pack and that you will take care of him. In return, you expect to be obeyed and respected.

You may find that some dogs take to learning their social skills easier than others. You should never give up if you have a pooch who is a slow learner. Once it mentally clicks with your puppy what you are expecting from him, he will usually happily oblige. Puppies thrive under consistent training, routine, and praise. Once he discoveries that you will pile on the praise and adoration, he will gladly keep his feet on the floor and greet you and your guests from a comfortable distance.

Some dog owners may have trouble mastering the proper tone and techniques which are needed to command their dogs respect. If you are finding it hard to train your puppy, you may want to consider taking your canine to an obedience class where the pair of you can benefit from the instruction. You can check the local newspapers or go on the Internet to find the next available class in your area.

Your puppy will be with you for the rest of his life. You owe it to you and your guests (and even your dog!) to teach him how to interact and get along socially with humans.

About the Author

Author Ian White is founder of Dog-Breeders.biz. Those seeking dogs can locate and match with appropriate breeders. Dog-Breeders.biz automates the matching of dogs for sale with dog wanted entries, with daily email notifications.
Dog lovers and breeders can find more information on the website
at: Worldwide Dog Breeders Directory

 Ian White

More Articles 

Dog Accessories - Kirsten Hawkins
Dog ownership carries with it the burden of a number of other purchases. In order to properly care for a dog and to comply with certain local laws, the owner must have a number of dog accessories in his or her arsenal. Some of these items are...

Bringing A New Puppy Home To Meet Your Dog - Ken Shorey
Buying a new puppy is an important decision, especially if you already own a dog. It may be a good idea to ask the previous owners or the pet store where you make your purchase how your puppy interacted with other dogs around him. If he didn't get...

Who's Pulling The Leash, You Or Your Dog? - Juanita Bellavance
Hopefully no one is pulling the leash. The ideal situation is that you and your dog are equally enjoying the walk and neither is pulling and tugging the other in any certain direction. If your dog tends to be pulling you off into its own direction...

The Pros and Cons of Vaccinating Your Dog - Rose Smith
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? That's become the burning question of many dog owners in this day and age. I'm not a veterinarian, just a regular pet owner like yourself, but would like to impart the information I've found regarding regular...

Dog Training Tips - Jack Russell
Considered "man's best friend," dog training professionals have been disseminating more knowledge on how to make this animal live up to that title. Here are tips that one should keep in mind in training his dog more easily. Digging...

Eliminating Problem Dog Behaviors - Jumping And Roaming - Dawn Keadic
Every dog owner must eventually deal with some unwanted behaviors on the part of their four legged companions. Some of the most frequently encountered training problems with puppies and dogs alike are jumping on people and performing...

Dog ebook for training and grooming - Rolf Rasmusson
dog ebook for training and grooming dog ebook The dog ebook is a tremendous asset when learning about care giving and grooming your best pet. There are numerous simple and easy to understand manuals to assist you in your new task. House training,...

Can You Handle a Pet Boxer Dog? - Amy Howells
The answer is "no" if you are the type who mostly leave your dog on a chain. Boxers require much of your love, attention and companionship although they are easy to take care of. One Boxer-lover even said to never get one as pet if you work full...

Flea Control in dogs and cats - Niall Kennedy
Flea control can be a very hard thing to do especially if you live in areas where fleas are largely populated. Weather has a lot to do with fleas and trying to keep them outdoors and off of your pets can be very changeling. You can try many of the...

4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten - Mark Eckenrode
4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten by Mark Eckenrode You spoil your pooch as close to rotten as you can get, don’t you? Hey, who doesn’t? It’s almost impossible not to, with those adorable, big, beautiful eyes, the little lashes, the...

Dog training - the basic commands - Jeff Rose
There are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful dog. For one thing, obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities...

Dogs - Wonderful Companions - Wendy Yeager
Dogs Are Man's Best Friend Dogs are believed to be descendants of wild wolves. They were the first wild animal to be tamed. Ancient man probably brought home cub wolves to raise as pets. The pet wolves were also useful in driving away bears and...