How to Train a Dog to Stop Jumping at People – A Complete Guide

A dog jumping up at you can potentially be an adorable bonding moment, especially if he or she is your pet. It could even be cuter when he is still a puppy. However, when a hefty adult dog keeps on jumping up at you incessantly even when you are carrying some groceries, could become annoying and at times downright dangerous. A large dog jumping on a small child, a toddler, or even a frail grandparent may potentially cause accidents that we do not want to happen.

In this guide, we will discover some of the reasons why dogs habitually jump up, not only at their owners but other people as well. We will also learn how to train our pets and be able to manage this not-so-desirable jumping behavior.

What Does it Mean When a Dog Jumps at Someone?

Here are a few possible reasons as to why your dog insists on jumping on people:

Dogs have an instinct to come up to another dog and greet them with a sniff to the face. This kind of greeting they do on occasion, usually on a dog that they don’t know. Since we humans stand upright, they try their best to reach out to us by going upright themselves, at least to try to gain access to our faces and say “hi” with that doggie smile. He will jump up and give a lick to your face, or do a quick sniff at a stranger.

Your dog may meet a person whom he doesn’t know and can become stressed and anxious. He will then try to compensate for this by jumping up to assert his dominance and probably trying to be friendly at the same time.

Your dog may probably have way too much pent-up energy that he just can’t help but jump up at you when he sees you. Or, he could be very excited to see you, or may simply have missed you.

On any given day, these may all look normal, until it becomes an annoying habit. Later, you may realize that one way or the other, you will finally have to find ways to reestablish a better behavior for your pet.

Why is Important To Teach Your Dog Not to Jump?

Teaching your dog sociable manners will do well to help him get along, not only with his owners but with other people and animals too. You then help him avoid becoming a nuisance to humans, and not become a threat to other dogs as well. Moreover, not all humans like to have paws on their chests and be licked on the face.

How to Teach Your Dog to Stop Jumping at You and Other People

There are two methods of training that you can use to get your dog to stop jumping up to greet you and even strangers alike. Your choice largely depends on how much time and effort you are willing to give, but either way, they will give you lasting results if done properly. These are the

Basic Commands and equipment you will need to train your dog

Commands and hand signals

The Stop Sign Hand Signal: Slightly raise your hand at the hip level with your palm facing outward, creating a stop sign. Do this with no verbal cue just body language.
“Sit” or “Down”: Additional or alternate commands are given to keep your dog’s four feet on the ground. These verbal cues may be given with or without hand signals.
“Yes”: Used as a marker for the desired behavior.
“Good girl” or “Good boy”: Verbal rewards are given to your dog when he offers the desired behavior. For example, you praise him when he doesn’t jump at you or anyone else. He also gets it when he keeps his four legs on the ground and or when he offers the “sit ” and” down ” positions.

Equipment

Dog collar: It should come with a sturdy latch that connects to the leash.
A Leash (5-10 feet long): You can use the leash to gently restrain your dog but not jerk him with it.
High-Value Treats and a Treat Pouch: for this particular training, you can use his favorite dried treats like kibble, but we recommend something more delicious like high-value treats such as cheese and roasted chicken. Make sure they are cut into smaller pieces. Store them in a small pouch worn on your waist for easy access.
Clicker (optional): A device that makes a clicking sound to mark the correct behavior.
A Low-Rise Gate or Your Front Door: You can use the gate or your front door to train your dog as you come into the house. This technique will be used in method #2 “Leading Your Dog”.

1. The “Capture Method” by Using a Leash.

First and Foremost, Avoid Rewarding Your Dog the Wrong Way

The thing to do is not to reward that jumping behavior with any kind of attention. That’s right. Ignore him. A dog who is seeking your attention does not care what kind of attention it gets. Whether it be positive or negative, as long as he gets a rise out of you that is enough for him to continue doing what he is doing.

It doesn’t even matter if you are happy or annoyed. So, it is always best to not react. And if you can, turn away from your dog.

Keep in mind that with this method we are aiming to address the problem before it happens, not as it happens. As you begin his training, do not reward your dog’s jumping behavior. Don’t look him in the eye, don’t touch him, don’t push him away.

Step 1: Put Your Dog on a Leash and Step on It

Face your dog with the leash laid out in front of you and your dog. Slowly step on a part of the leash pinning it to the ground. This effectively prevents your dog from jumping. Gently call out his name and try to get him a bit excited. As he tries to raise his front paws the leash will stop him from doing so.

If the line is short enough, he will likely sit down or lie down on all fours. It really won’t take him long to realize that he cannot raise his front paws to jump at you. That should signal the start of the exercise. As he lays there on all four paws, immediately mark it with a “yes” then reward him with verbal praise and a treat.

Be aware that you are now capturing a semi-offered behavior. Next, remove your foot from the leash step on it again, and call his name again. Wait for your dog to offer a “sit” or a “down”, and maybe he would simply stand there without jumping. Mark with a “yes” then reward him with treats.

Repeat exercise. (Sometimes he will forget and make a jump for it. He will be stopped by the leash, so be patient and continue doing the exercise)

Step 2: Add a Distraction

Set your dog up for success by adding his favorite toy or making sounds like calling his name in an excited tone. As the leash is preventing him from jumping and keeping him on the ground, use his favorite toy or a piece of food to distract him. If he can keep his 4 paws to the ground despite being distracted, immediately mark with a “yes” and then reward him. Do this with 1 or 2 more treats to highlight the desired behavior of being able to calm himself down and not force himself to jump up.

It is important to note that at this stage, you can’t expect your dog to be readily obedient and relaxed. Although, it won’t be perfect just allow him to understand that good things happen when he stays down.

Step 3: Level Up the Exercise by Releasing the Leash

Begin this step by releasing the leash after repeating step number 2. Reward your dog when he stays down on the ground despite the release and the toy distraction. This will give your dog the chance to exercise restraint in favor of a reward in its proper place.

Repeat the exercise until your dog habituates himself even with all the distractions.

“All Four Feet on The Ground” Exercise

As your dog begins to understand that he gets rewarded when he stays down, continue setting him up for success by giving your dog the chance to control himself. Releasing the leash will help him practice restraint in real-life situations like greeting you or someone else at the door. This, among all other things he will be able to do even if he wasn’t on a line.

As your dog gets distracted and released from the leash, he might still instinctively jump up in response to you egging him on. But then, he will likely remember that he only gets rewarded when he stays down. Give him that space and time to pause and decide to get down and get down. This moment could happen within 1-2 seconds only. It is important that you catch him at that instance and promptly reward him.

For any success achieved in this step, reward him with plenty of verbal praise and give him “jackpot” treat rewards for being able to follow through (2-3 treats in succession).

At this point, your dog may already be accustomed to keeping his four paws on the ground whether it be a “sit” or a “down” position. This is with you not having to limit him with the leash. He will also already be willing and quick to offer the desired behavior of keeping all four feet on the ground despite the absence of physical restraint as well as the presence of distractions.

Repeat the same exercise until your dog masters the desired behavior.

Step 4: Add a Command

Assuming that your dog is already quick and ready to respond to the desired behavior, allow yourself to get a handle on it by adding a verbal cue. This way you can drop to it as a default command just in case your dog gets a little too distracted and excited.

In addition, remember that what we are aiming for here is for your dog to acquire this behavior by default. Meaning, we will want him to do it automatically and not to have to depend on your commands to do so.

So, to set him up for success once again, distract him with his toy and give him your excited demeanor. Right at the moment that he gives in and jumps up for the toy, tell him “off” or “down”. This will be his cue to calm down and get on the floor. If he obeys, quickly praise and reward him with a treat.

Take note that whether it be early on in the training or somewhere at the end of it, your dog might get frustrated and inconsolable. What you can do is use “down” or “off” as backup commands to keep him under control and to calm him down. When he obliges, reward him with verbal praise and a few more treats to help him remember the verbal cue.

Method 2: The” Lead Your Dog” Method

This starts with the idea that whatever it is that you do, your dog ultimately is just reacting to you. It’s up to you to exercise some control over his behavior by using your body language and some controlled reactions. This method may take a little more effort on your part, but it can be very effective and far-reaching. It doesn’t require treats to practice, as all you will need is time, a low-lying gate, and or your front door.

Keep your dogs inside your lawn or yard by the use of a gate (preferably a low-lying one). Here are a few things you need to keep in mind for this method to effectively help you manage your dog’s behavior:

Step 1: Don’t React to Your Dog in Any Way

Start your dog’s training by keeping her inside the house or in the yard depending on what is available. Approach the gate from the outside then open the gate as your dog will try to greet you and jump you. Don’t say anything. Just keep calm and use your left or right hand, bring it up to hip level, and slightly raise it by putting your hand up in a stop signal. Silently tell your dog to stop right there. This is called “claiming your space”.

As you do this, do not make eye contact, do not touch your dog, and don’t speak to them. Just do the slight hand signal and be calm and firm using subtle body language. If your dog still jumps you, do not react. Just repeat the exercise.

Step 2: Repeat Exercise as Needed

Patiently and consistently repeat the exercise until your dog learns to wait on you as you open the gate with all four paws on the ground.

In the first few attempts, your dog might not understand it, especially when they are used to jumping you as you allowed them in the past. Be persistent and you will have a calmer dog that is happy to have you home without being annoying or boisterous.

Important things to remember before you begin training.

“Claim Your Space”: This is the gesture of letting your dog know that he needs to stay down and keep at a little distance. And of course, that includes not jumping on you.
Keep calm: Keeping yourself calm will teach your dog to be calmer too.
How you allow them to greet you is how they will greet other humans as well. That includes small children and seniors. Common sense would tell us that a bigger jumping dog is dangerous to little kids and frail older adults.
From your dog’s perspective, jumping to greet another dog they don’t know is regarded as disrespectful. More often than not, in the doggie world, it could start a fight.
Take the challenge of first being a leader to your dog before becoming their friend or parent. Otherwise, they won’t listen to you.
Avoid pushing your dog away or yelling at them when they jump you, as this will confuse them. Just like children, any reaction is better than no reaction. If they get a rise out of you, they will assume that it’s something that they can do again. And they will. So, at the beginning of training especially with puppies, keep your composure and avoid reacting to them when they instinctively jump on you.
Do more leading and less cuddling.
Try to talk to your dog using body language. Avoid talking to them like humans, they won’t understand you, and they can’t answer back either. Give them commands and keep it simple.

Here is a short list of your dog’s needs in order of priority:

Exercise
Discipline
Affection

This order of priority is designed to keep your dog calm and obedient. If you cuddle more than you exercise your dog, they are likely not to listen to you when you need them to. So, if you’re looking to train your dog, exercise them first.

After which, repeat the exercise to establish discipline, then, you can reward them with affection and food when they are being obedient and are doing the desirable behavior. This type of leading can make things easier for you and your dog. Your dog won’t be confused and they will be happier with less stressful times.

Troubleshooting: What Not to Do When Training Your Dog

Apart from reacting to your dog when he jumps on you, one other thing you would want to avoid is being inconsistent. Don’t call your dog to get him all excited and jump you, then suddenly shift gears by saying no and pushing him off when he is already uncontrollably all over you. This will utterly confuse your dog which will result in him being confusing to other people too. Remember they don’t think, they react.
Avoid using the leash to jerk and outbalance your dog whenever he may still be in the act of jumping, he might think that he is allowed to jump when he has no cord attached to his neck.
Due to knee-jerk reactions, some owners would inadvertently use their knees to push off their dogs. Not only will this confuse your dog it could potentially injure him too.

How Long Does It Take to Train a Dog to Stop Jumping Up?

Adult Dog

It’ll take about 1-2 weeks for your dog to learn to remember not to jump on you and your guests. It would be wise to enroll the support of other household members in the training to prevent the recurrence of this behavior, especially in other people.

Just like any other obedience training course for your pet, the length of time it will take to finish will largely depend on the time and effort that you will be willing to invest. On average, however, a good 3 x a week at 2-3 sessions a day will suffice for the weekly schedule. Do 15 minutes for each session so you can give your dog enough time to understand and practice the desired behavior, as it will apply even to other people and other animals as well.

Puppy

You can start training your puppy at around the 4th month of age. Just like an adult dog, you can also do a 3 x a week schedule at 2-3 sessions per day. Make it 5 minutes per session to make way for your puppy’s short attention span. This no-jumping skill is recommended to be taught to your puppy at just the right age. Not too early and not too late. This is so that he won’t have to struggle with unlearning the habit when it eventually becomes necessary to do so. It would be good to give him some time to enjoy jumping up and down in his early months.

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