Owning a dog can be a lot of fun, except, of course, when they start jumping up at everyone. While it can be cute to watch as the owner, it’s not much fun for the victim.
It turns out that there are proven ways to prevent this type of behavior. You’ll have to become a bit of a dog whisperer, but there are things you can do to prevent it from happening (and raise a happier pup in the process). Here’s what you need to do:
Control The Greeting
The first thing to do is control the greeting. Whenever someone knocks at the door, put a collar on your dog and restrain them. Prevent them from jumping up at the unsuspecting person. Helping them keep all four paws on the ground prevents them from instinctively engaging in the jumping behavior every time someone new shows up.
(Young dogs are particularly bad for jumping up at people, but it can also be a problem in older four-legged friends).
Redirect The Excitement
The next step is to redirect your dog’s excitement. Instead of having them get excited about a new person showing up at the door, make them chirpy about getting a treat instead.
For example, suppose your dog sits on the doormat instead of jumping up at the new person. That’s an opportunity to reward the behavior you want to see, encouraging them to do it in the future.
Therefore, whenever a person rings the doorbell, take your dog to the door and wait for them to sit on the mat. If they continue sitting without jumping, give them a calming dog bone.
Turn Your Back
Another technique you can use is to slightly turn your back away from your dog when they jump up at you and avoid eye contact. Ignoring this behavior is another way you can discourage it from occurring.
Remember, your dog might be jumping up at you because they think it’s a good way to grab your attention. If you ignore this sort of behavior, it is less likely to result in any benefits for your pooch.
Use A Treat To Bring Your Dog Back To Earth
You can also try using a treat to bring your dog back down to Earth. When you think they might jump up at you, have a treat ready you can use to reward them for behaviors you want to see. Hold the treat down to the ground, encouraging your pooch to sit or lie down instead of jumping up. When they are in the proper position, reward them with whatever is in your hand.
Make Sure You Involve Everyone
Training a dog is a family effort. You need to include everyone in the household. Dogs will continue jumping up at people if only you are following the above guidance, but everyone else is ignoring it. That’s why you’ll need a family meeting to explain the rules to prevent your pooch from jumping up once and for all.
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