Have you got an excitable pup at home who just won’t stop jumping up? You’re not alone. Dogs jumping up is one of the most common bugbear behaviours for new dog owners. While it’s your puppy’s way of greeting you and showing affection, it can become tiresome and frustrating – and even intimidating in some cases, especially for guests to your home.

So what can you do to discourage it? WagWorks Head Behaviourist Winkie Spiers shares her expert guidance on how to stop your puppy jumping up.

Why do dogs jump up?

More often than not, jumping up is a sign of over-excitement and affection; it’s an attention-seeking tactic and most commonly occurs when your dog wants to greet people when they enter the room. However, in some instances, jumping up can be a way for dogs to seek comfort from their owners if they’re feeling stressed or anxious.

Please note, the advice included in this blog is designed for puppies, not older dogs exhibiting anxiety behaviours. If you think your dog is suffering from anxiety please speak to one of our WagWorks team.

How do you stop a puppy jumping up?

Before you begin your training, it’s important to understand why your dog is jumping up. Possible triggers include excited loud voices, humans bending over them or exhibiting other overbearing body language, your dog being overtired, overexcited or hungry. Jumping up could be your dog’s way of trying to tell you something or expressing frustration.

• Avoid interacting with your dog when they jump up

The most important thing to do if your puppy is jumping up is to simply ignore them. Interacting with them in any way, even if it’s eye contact or saying ‘no’, can still be interpreted by them as a reward for their behaviour. Instead, stand still with your head slightly turned away.

• Turn your head and body away from them 

If your dog ignores this action and continues to jump up at you, turn your head away from them. If they persevere, turn your body away from them. This is a strong signal to your dog that they won’t get your attention by jumping up. When your dog is not jumping up, get down to their level, praise them calmly and use slow gentle touch.

If your dog is jumping up due to fear or anxiety, move them away from the area.

• Reward them only when they have all four paws on the ground

Alongside verbal praise, you can also drop a treat to the ground. This is a good way to keep their attention focused on the floor. Avoid giving them extra special treats as this may cause them to become overexcited and jump up again – stick to ordinary treats that you might usually take on walks or for other training. Using treats and verbal praise are effective ways to reinforce wanted behaviour.

Only interact with your dog when they have all paws on the ground so they learn that they will only be rewarded when they stop jumping up. If you can, kneel down to their level while you praise your dog as this will stop them from getting over-excited and  jumping up again.

• Be consistent 

Prevent your dog from slipping back into bad habits by being consistent with your training. Ask house guests to follow the process too, by ignoring or turning away from them if they jump up so your dog understands what your accepted form of greeting is. Teach visitors and friends to be calm, slow and gentle around your dog.

It’s a good idea to keep a small stash of treats by the front door so you can practise using your marker word and reward them as soon as new guests arrive. Examples of a marker word are ‘good’ or ‘well done’ spoken in a calm tone of voice.

• Repeat the process outdoors

Once your dog is responding well to the marker word and signals in the home, it’s time to practise in new environments. Take your dog out on a walk and use the same steps as before to stop them jumping up at other dog owners or passersby. It may take a little longer than at home because your dog may be overstimulated, but be patient! Keeping your dog as calm as possible will help to set them up for success.

If you come across other people on your walk, kindly ask them to refrain from engaging with your dog until they stop jumping up. Reward your dog accordingly.

As previously mentioned, if your dog is exhibiting signs of anxiety or if you have a rescue dog, you will need to adopt a slightly different method as it’s likely they are jumping up for comfort, not attention. For further advice or tips on individual cases, please speak to one of our team who will be able to assess your dog’s needs.