Jumping Bean Dogs

 Probably the most common query I receive from new dog owners is “how do I get him to stop jumping up?” Puppies and dogs naturally jump up on people when they say hello. Why? Because we’re taller than them! Dogs greet each other by going nose-to-nose and they like to do the same with us so it’s perfectly natural for them to jump up on us to try to reach our faces. Our reaction must be very confusing to them. Suppose you see an old friend at the supermarket and you run up to give the person a hug. Imagine how you would feel if the person yelled at you, grabbed you by your jacket collar, held you at arm’s length, and then said, “how nice it is to see you again”!!! You would find this experience most unsettling.

What not to doThe good news is that most dogs can learn to inhibit jumping up during greetings; the glitch is that it often takes considerable effort on the owner’s part. There is no one correct method that works for all dogs either. I’ve provided a selection of techniques so chances are one will be effective for your particular dog.

The more excited you act when you greet your dog, the more excited the dog will act. Excited dogs are more likely to jump up. Remain calm when you come home. Speak quietly and pat your dog with long, soothing strokes along the body.

Even though you may scold the dog with your voice, if you push the dog off or try to grab the dog with your hands to control his behavior, the physical contact may actually be reinforcing the jumping up. Dogs love touch and may view your efforts to control him as just part of the game. It’s much more effective to stand up tall, tuck your hands up to your chest, and refrain from looking at the dog until he calms.

Realize that shouting “off” or “down” at your dog won’t do much unless you’ve taken the time to teach the dog what these words mean. The objective is to teach the dog to back off away from you rather than coming forward and making contact with you. This is the reason for teaching the dog “off”. But it’s not enough to just teach the dog what you don’t want him to do. You also need to teach him what you do want him to do, which for most people, is “sit”. So before you do anything else, teach “off” and “sit”.

The “Off” Exercise
Teaching “off” is pretty easy for most dogs. Sit down with your dog and show him that you have a treat tucked in your hand. Hold your hand out as though you plan to give him the treat but keep your hand closed around the treat so he can’t get it (or even taste it). When he reaches with his mouth to nibble at your hand, say “off” in a clear voice (shouting is unnecessary). If the dog pulls back away from your hand, immediately say “yes”, open your hand, and reach out to let him take the treat. If he doesn’t pull back when you say “off”, move your hand toward his nose and give him a gentle “bop”. He should retract his nose from your hand then, at which point, you say “yes” and feed him the treat. The goal is to entice him to pull away from your hand, so you can then reinforce the pulling away behavior. The bop needs to be firm enough to cause the dog to pull away but not so firm that the dog becomes frightened or hurt by your movement.

A common mistake that people make is to pull their hand away from the dog rather than waiting for the dog to pull away from your hand. That won’t teach him the behavior. Once you get it right, your dog should only need a few repetitions before he instantly pulls back when he hears the word “off”. If you are too rough with your bop or your dog is especially sensitive, your dog may become hesitant to take the treat from your hand. Be sure to occasionally offer the dog a treat from your hand and refrain from saying “off”. Simply say “yes” and reach toward the dog. That will help the dog learn that he needs to listen for the word “off”.

Once your dog is consistently pulling away from your hand when you say “off”, require that he wait a second or two before you give him the treat. When you first do this, the dog will likely pull away, then jump back up to mouth or paw at your hand. Say “off” and bop again. Repeat until the dog is able to wait the 1-2 seconds before receiving the treat. This teaches the dog to control himself. Eventually work up to 30-60 seconds of the dog waiting for permission to take the treat.

The next step is to teach “off” while you are standing. Stand up, show the dog the treat in your hand, and wait for him to jump up on you. If he isn’t inclined to do this, just step outside your front door for a few minutes. Come back in, holding your hand, with the treat, in front of your body. When the dog runs to jump up on you, say “off” and deliver the bop to his nose. He will recognize that this is still the same game, and pull away from you. He will most likely sit. The instant he pulls away, say “yes” and reward him with the treat. Repeat this training with you coming in the front door, the back door, the yard, and anywhere else the dog is likely to jump on you. Make sure all family members and regular visitors get involved in the training too. Now your dog actually knows what you mean when you say “off”.

Teaching “Sit”
All mannerly dogs know that sitting is the best way to encourage people to say hello. I bet Martha Stewart’s Chow Chows all greet her by running to line up like little soldiers at the door, each with their butt on the floor and their tail wagging!

You can teach your dog to sit when you ask: stand up, show the dog a treat in your hand, say “sit”, and lift the treat up and back over the dog’s nose (aim for about 4 inches above and in line between the dog’s ears). Most dogs will track the treat with their eyes, causing the head to go up and back, and the butt naturally goes down onto the floor. Voila! You have a sitting dog. Immediately say “yes” and give the dog the treat. If the dog backs up or jumps up, you are likely holding your hand too far away from the dog’s nose. You can also practice by a wall so the dog can’t back away from you. Get the dog standing up again and repeat the procedure.