Pet Prattle and Products

Many dogs have a propensity to jump on people at least some of the time. How often this happens depends on your dog’s breed and his or her individual characteristics. One particular argument surmises that dogs jump because they are trying to get close to someone’s face; they do this not to attack that person, but to facilitate interaction. Dogs do this with each other as well, only in that case, their faces are close to each other (especially if they’re of similar breeds or sizes). Dogs use both sight and smell to explore.

Therefore, one way to deal with your dog’s propensity to jump is to remove the need for them to “reach out” to you. Instead of standing, kneel down when you greet your dog and let him or her “explore” you on that level. Offer him or her the opportunity to “explore” your face, safely, making sure to protect yourself in the event the dog becomes particularly assertive. Most dogs will not bite their owners this way, especially if the owner has taken the time to assume the leadership position in the “pack,” alternatively known as the “alpha” position.

There are some caveats to this, though. If you have adopted an older dog instead of a puppy, use this approach with caution. You can protect yourself from any potential injury by putting a collar on your dog and then inserting your thumb underneath it behind the dog’s neck. If the dog appears to be getting too aggressive, simply jerk your thumb sideways to stop the dog’s actions.

If at all possible, jerk your dog sideways instead of sharply backwards, because you can bruise your dog’s throat very easily with a sudden backward motion. This is true even though a dog’s neck muscles are very strong. In addition, this “sideways jerking” movement is meant to protect you and educate your dog, not to punish him or her.

You can also train your dog off leash not to jump. To do this, wear a pair of sturdy pants and place your dog, standing, in front of you. You can train your dog to “sit” as a means to avoid jumping, but the dog is not going to be able to sit all the time. A dog usually jumps when he or she has been running or standing. Therefore, you’ll want to train your dog from a standing position.

Your dog will have a particular body tension that you can see if he or she is about to jump. If you see this, order your dog to “sit.” If the dog still jumps, lift your leg ever so slightly and gently nudge the dog’s chest with your thigh or knee. At the same time, put your hand palm out near the dog’s face, saying, “Off!” as you do so. (You shouldn’t say “down,” since this indicates a separate behavior.)

Again, when you do this, be gentle. Don’t knock your dog in the chest overly hard, and don’t push your hand into his or her face. Your raised knee or thigh simply blocks the dog from jumping and puts it slightly off balance. You’re putting your hand palm down and outward as you do so to block the dog’s vision and discourage him or her from jumping again.

If you can work with a partner to train your dog, you may decide you want to use leash training instead, especially if the dog is particularly stubborn about jumping. In that case, when the dog starts to jump, have your partner jerk the dog sideways as you say, “Off!” You, not your partner, should say, “Off!” It’s you the dog needs to focus on and respond to.

If you don’t have a partner, you can do this outside sometimes by wrapping a very long leash around a post or tree. However, this is less than ideal since the jerk will be from the back instead of to the side.

You can use positive reinforcement to teach your dog, too. In that case, take a favorite toy or treat in one hand, and when your dog begins to jump, hold the treat/toy above and slightly behind your dog’s head. This will distract your dog and slightly unbalance him or her. It also encourages the dog to sit, just when he or she wanted to jump.

Using repetition and being consistent are key when you want to train your dog not to jump, and as is true of any training. Be firm but patient, and most dogs will learn to suppress their natural urge to jump until you give them permission to do so.