There are lots of reasons why puppies should be taught not to jump up whether on people or on furniture. The golden rule is that puppies should keep all four feet on the ground. Dogs learn to jump up when they are young and one mistake that many owners make is to react to their pets when they do. Unfortunately, this only encourages a young puppy to keep on jumping up, even though an owner may do this unintentionally. Here are some tips that can help stop your puppy jumping up.
Why Do Puppies Like Jumping Up?
Puppies and younger dogs learn to jump up because they want to get your attention. The problem is that it’s more tempting to encouraging them to do this when they are cute puppies. However, a fully grown dog jumping up can be a real problem. Not everyone may appreciate it when a dog jumps up to greet them. In fact, some people may find it very intimidating and even frightening.
Another reason to stop a puppy jumping up is because their bones and joints are still forming which includes their spines. When puppies jump up, it puts lots pressure on their backs and joints. Not only should you stop puppies jumping up to greet people, but you should also stop them from doing the following:
* Jumping up and down from furniture
* Climbing up and down stairs
* Jumping in and out of a vehicle
Perseverance, Consistency, and Timing
Training a puppy not to jump up takes patience, perseverance, timing and consistency. When you don’t know whether your new puppy was rewarded for jumping up before you got them can make training them more challenging.
The key to effectively teaching a puppy not to jump up is to get them to understand it won’t get your attention. The steps to take are as follows:
* Step one – turn your back on your puppy when they jump up and totally ignore them. You should avoid any eye contact and keep perfectly quiet. Once all four paws are back on the ground, you can turn around and give your puppy with lots of attention being careful not to get too excited. You effectively reward your puppy calmly for having all their paws on the ground. A good trick is to place some healthy puppy treats around you which will encourage your puppy to focus on the ground. You should turn away each time your puppy jumps up. You have to remain consistent when want to stop your puppy jumping up whenever they want to. Your puppy will soon understand this behaviour does not get them any rewards
* Step 2 – friends, family and people you meet should also help in training a puppy not to jump up. In short, everyone your puppy interacts with must follow the same process of ignoring them when they jump up. When your puppy behaves and keeps all paws on the ground, they can be rewarded with a tasty treat
* Step 3 – divert your puppy’s attention when they too excited or frustrated. If your puppy still jumps up, carry on ignoring them and ask for a more positive behaviour by saying the command ‘sit’. You should get puppy to sit before anyone says hello to them and ask people to ignore them until they do. As soon as puppy sits, they can be rewarded with treats and attention
* Step 4 – it’s a good idea to keep puppy on a lead and to make them wait before they greet anyone. Always offer your puppy a safe, healthy treat when they wait calmly and keep all four paws on the ground when people greet them
Reward your puppy calmly for having all their paws on the ground
Puppies are fun-loving, exuberant characters but they are also sponges when it comes to learning how to behave. A puppy jumping up is no fun and it is an unwanted behaviour that needs to be gently nipped in the bud with positive reinforcement.