How To Stop Your Dog From Jumping Up | Attention Behaviors

Have you ever experienced the exuberant welcome of an overenthusiastic dog jumping up on you? Or perhaps you’ve been overrun by a friend or family member’s dog when you come for a visit. While jumping is often a sign of excitement and a plea for affection, it can also be overwhelming and occasionally dangerous, particularly for children or older individuals; not to mention embarrassing for you as the owner. Fortunately, there are effective ways to address jumping as well as other behaviors known as functionally attention-maintained behaviors. By teaching your dog more polite greetings, you can foster a more calm and controlled interaction for everyone.

Attention-Maintained Behavior

Attention-maintained behavior, often categorized as the first function of behavior, is driven by a desire for social engagement or response from another individual. In the case of jumping, your dog’s feedback target is you or the person they’re jumping on.

Attention seeking behavior is not just limited to jumping. This function can manifest in various other ways such as attention barking (like in a kennel or seeking play), mouthing, licking, pawing, crying, or any other behavior aimed at garnering attention. Functionally, understanding this underlying attention-seeking motivation is crucial in addressing and modifying many behaviors.

Inadvertent Reinforcement

Many owners inadvertently encourage jumping behavior by accidentally teaching their dog that jumping results in attention from people. Often, owners may yell “no jumping!” or “off!” in an attempt to discourage the behavior, but dogs, much like young children (especially little boys), interpret any attention, even negative, as reinforcing. And in the case of your dog, even a startled flinch or subtle glance can reinforce the unwanted behavior. This provides the dog with exactly what they are after, attention. Which reinforces the jumping and makes it more likely to occur in the future.

This cycle of inadvertent encouragement typically begins in puppyhood when jumping is not yet seen as problematic. As puppies grow older and physically larger, however, jumping becomes more inconvenient for people. Yet, to the adolescent dog, they are simply doing what has always gotten them attention. Your puppy might think, “If I want attention, I just need to jump on them,” because that’s what has worked throughout their early life. Understanding this developmental and behavioral progression is key to effectively addressing and modifying jumping behaviors in older puppies and adult dogs.

Common Suggestions

Common advice often suggests that owners turn their back on their dogs to discourage jumping. The problem is when many owners attempt this technique, they are still 100% paying attention to the dog; they’re just not looking at him. This training technique is called extinction. While a valid method for addressing some attention-maintained problem behaviors, extinction may not be the optimal solution for jumping specifically. Even when performed correctly, extinction can be time-consuming, the behavior often gets worse before getting better, and nobody can realistically expect someone to tolerate their dog jumping and possibly even clawing at their back.

Older advice advocates for more aversive methods of treatment such as kneeing the dog, squeezing and stamping their paws, or even rolling them onto their back and pinning them down. Apart from being unnecessary and potentially cruel, these approaches are also ineffective because 1) your dog has no clue what they are being punished for, and 2) the punishment does not fit the crime (read more about punishment here).

A more effective approach involves teaching an alternative behavior so that your dog understands what behavior is expected before any punishment could be considered. This proactive approach not only clarifies expectations but also builds a positive relationship based on understanding and communication between you and your dog.

How To Teach Your Dog To Stop Jumping

The most effective approach to teach your dog to stop jumping is by teaching an incompatible behavior instead. The best incompatible alternative to jumping is called an ‘auto-sit’. In principle, this method works by creating a new association for your dog: jumping doesn’t lead to attention, but sitting calmly does. This approach is highly effective because it’s physically impossible for a dog to jump and sit simultaneously; it has to be either one or the other.

The term “auto” indicates that your dog learns to sit automatically without needing a verbal command from you; it becomes a conditioned response triggered by the situation. This method not only redirects your dog’s behavior positively but also reinforces polite greetings without the need for harsh corrections or reprimands.

How To Teach Auto-Sit

Teaching your dog an auto-sit is simple. When your dog approaches you seeking affection, withhold all pets and interactions until they go into a sitting position. Once he sits down, shower him with all the affection he desires, so long as he remains in that position. For dogs that are habitual jumpers, using quick repetitions of stepping back and enticing them with a food lure can be especially helpful. If you’re unfamiliar with using lures to train your dog, you can learn more about this technique here.

Once your dog is reliably auto-sitting and maintaining the position, you can start making it more difficult and “proof” their behavior by exposing them to realistic responses from people. Gradually, delay the attention you give them by counting to 3 seconds, then 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, and so on before rewarding them with attention. This might also include speaking to them with extra excitement or bending over to pet them. These steps help your dog learn to maintain their polite sitting position even amidst varying levels of interaction and excitement, setting them up for success in real-life situations.

Correcting Jumping

If after a few days of teaching auto-sit, your dog continues to jump, you can introduce a correction to your dog. The key is to match the consequence to the crime: in this case, your dog seeks attention through jumping, so logically, withdrawing that attention is the most effective correction.

So how do you remove attention? The best way is via a simple timeout. This is not much different to a timeout with children. Essentially, when your dog’s paws make contact with any part of you or your clothes, take his leash, and guide him behind the nearest door (such as a bathroom, closet, garage, or even cabinet for smaller dogs). Close him into the other room for 30 seconds. Any longer and it will inhibit his ability to make the connection as to why he is in the area. It’s crucial to act swiftly, within 3-5 seconds of the jumping incident, to ensure your dog associates the timeout with the undesired behavior. Leave his leash caught in the door to prevent him from exploring or getting into anything.

Equally as important as the timeout is ending on a successful repetition. Let your dog out and have him auto-sit for attention before moving on with your day. It may take a few timeouts before your dog deduces that the timeout is the result of jumping specifically.

When starting this training, avoid punishment right off the bat. Remember, your dog has to know what is right before they can be corrected for what is wrong. You must teach your dog to auto-sit FIRST, then add in the timeouts if necessary. Once auto-sit is reliably established, timeouts can be used as a clear consequence for jumping, reinforcing good manners and reducing the frequency of unwanted behavior effectively.

Troubleshooting

“What if my dog doesn’t auto-sit?”

If your dog doesn’t auto-sit when seeking attention, either ask them to sit if they know the command or use food as a lure to guide them into the position as they approach you. It’s important to phase out both methods quickly. After all, guests won’t think to ask your dog to sit, so we want it to become an automatic response.

“What if my dog jumps on me as soon as I get home?”

Timeout isn’t the only way to remove attention. If your dog jumps on you as soon as you open the door and they are not leashed, put yourself in timeout by simply closing the door again for 30 seconds before re-entering. Only fully enter the home if your dog is calm and auto-sitting. Speaking quietly and calmly to your dog can also discourage jumping.

“What if my dog is too big and strong, and I can’t physically put him in timeout?”

If your dog is too large to physically manage for a timeout, remember that a timeout isn’t always necessary to teach your dog not to jump. Instead, tether your dog to a sturdy object like a building or door and practice auto-sits. Approach and give attention only when they are sitting calmly; if they jump, walk away. Note that the inability to access you can build frustration and increase jumping momentarily.

*Be conscious of the area around your dog when tethering. For safety, keep away from stairs, decks, or other open elevated areas.*

“What about if my dog jumps on people outside?”

If you’re in a yard or outdoor space, utilize a fence, tree, post, or storage unit as a timeout area. When your dog jumps on people outside the home where timeouts and tethering aren’t feasible, stand on the leash with as much of your weight as possible to prevent jumping as someone approaches. Remember, the best time to practice this training isn’t during real-life scenarios. Set up practice sessions beforehand to prepare for actual encounters.

“What if my dog jumps on kids, and they are too scared to participate in the training?”

When working with children, it’s important to make training enjoyable and safe. One effective exercise is the “red light, green light” game. This game allows kids to interact with the dog without fear of being hurt and encourages cooperation and communication between them. The game is played similarly to how children play it with each other.

Start by tethering the dog or having an adult hold/stand on the leash. Position the kids about 15-20 feet away and instruct them to approach (green light) only when the dog is sitting or lying down. If the dog stands up (red light), the kids must freeze. This game naturally teaches the dog that their behavior influences the proximity of interaction with the kids—whether the attention they seek moves closer or farther away contigent on their sitting or standing.

The kids will enjoy this activity as a fun game, unaware that they are actually training the dog. It fosters a positive association with the training process while reinforcing good behavior around children.

In Summary

Teaching your dog to stop jumping up is not just about correcting unwanted behavior but about fostering appropriate alternatives. By focusing on teaching an auto-sit response and using timeouts effectively, you can redirect your dog’s behavior in a humane and effective manner. Remember, consistency and patience are key throughout the training process. By investing time in proactive training and setting clear expectations, you can enjoy calmer greetings and positive interactions between people and your dog. With these strategies, you’re not just teaching manners—you’re building a foundation for a more harmonious relationship that benefits both you and your dog for years to come.