Minnesota Valley Humane Society

Dogs jump for many reasons. Some dogs get attention in the form of petting and pushy play, as well as eye contact and verbal attention when they are jumping on people. Pushing a dog off when it jumps up, or even saying no can be received as attention. For a dog that is very excited about people, scolding or other forms of “negative attention” can still be a lot more rewarding than being ignored.

Some dogs like to meet people face-to-face. This can be observed when dogs are meeting other dogs. Many dogs attempt this same social behavior with people in the form of jumping to reach the face. Jumping is also a means of releasing extra energy or expressing excitement. And lastly, some dogs jump in order to access things you may be carrying. Toys and treats might certainly be worth jumping for, and some dogs may think a purse, IPOD or other small objects look an awful lot like something they might like to have.

How do we keep four feet on the floor?

1. AVOID (don’t let your dog practice behaviors you don’t like)

As you approach your dog (or as they approach you) get low. If you get your hands down to their level they may be happy to receive your touch while staying rooted to the ground. If your dog already knows some tricks (like sit or down) you can ask them to do something for you BEFORE they start to jump. Your dog can’t “sit” and jump on you at the same time. If you have guests coming and you know your dog will be tempted, keep the leash on or separate your dog from the guests BEFORE they have a change to jump. Don’t carry objects your dog may want (like toys or food) at a level that is just out of reach.

Avoiding will not “fix” the problem or change the motivations for jumping – but it will stop your dog from practicing the bad behavior.

2. REWARD (tell your dog what you like so they’ll do it more often)

Any time your dog could jump but doesn’t, give them a reward. This can mean petting your dog, verbally praising them, giving them a treat, or handing them a toy. If you give your dog attention for things you like (such as sitting in front of you or even just keeping those paws on the ground) they’ll be more likely to do those things in the future. Dogs, just like people, need attention. Make sure they’re getting plenty of attention while they’re getting it right!

3. IGNORE (don’t accidentally encourage the behavior you don’t like)

The word ignore is a little misleading. What we actually want to do is be careful not to inadvertently REWARD the jumping. Remember – dogs jump to get attention. We want to be very careful not to give them any attention while they are jumping. This means don’t look at, talk to or touch your dog while they’re jumping.

Stand straight up, fold your arms and you can even turn your back on your dog (you may have to keep turning away if they come around to the front of you). Look up at the ceiling, or straight ahead – anywhere except at your dog. Do this EVERY time your dog jumps - even when you’ve had a bad day, or just came home from a long trip or any other time you might not mind their jumping. You can always go back later and teach your dog to jump up on your signal – but first let’s be very consistent and show our dog jumping up no longer pays off.

Here the most important piece – as soon as your dog has all four feet on the floor, turn around and give him or her some love! Once you dog is getting it right be quick to reward this new and desirable behavior.

4. Distract/Redirect (ignoring alone might not solve the problem)

If your dog just keeps jumping and jumping while you try to ignore – don’t give up! If withholding your attention doesn’t get them to stop quickly we need to use other tools. Your dog shouldn’t be practicing jumping while you’re ignoring, especially because a dog can become frustrated by your lack of attention and try harder (by jumping and barking, scratching or even nipping).

With out looking at your jumping dog you can take a step away and ask your dog to do a trick. Ask them to sit or down or shake – whatever trick they’re very good at. If they can do their trick it means they will have to stop jumping. If your dog doesn’t know any tricks – consider coming to one of our Canine U classes. Now that they’ve gotten off of you be sure to praise and get them that attention they’re craving.

Return to Dog Behavior and Care Fact Sheet List