Jumping Behavior

Talk about annoying behavior! Jumping is right up there with house soiling and incessant barking. Jumpers are usually right there at the door when visitors call and have this innate tendency to spoil a perfectly cordial greeting. After all, nobody wants a dog with dirty paws to jump on their nice, clean clothes, especially if the dog weighs 50 pounds or more.

This is one challenging behavior that should never be allowed to gain a firm root in a puppy. Probably the best way to assure this is through strict command training, starting at an early age. Until it learns its commands, be sure to discourage your dog from jumping on you or family members when the occasion arises.

When it does jump at or on you, quickly push it off with your hands and shout "No."  Or, as an alternative, flex your knee and make gentle contact with its chest, making it retreat backwards. Just don't overdo it and hurt your pet! And be sure to reward good behavior when it occurs.

For adult dogs that never learned their manners, a refresher course in command training is the most effective method of curing the chronic jumper. Sometimes dogs that jump are simply trying to tell their owners that they want more attention. In such cases, a few more moments of your time devoted to your furry friend each day is an important adjunct to therapy.