How do you train a dog not to jump onto you? If your dog jumps onto you, it can be very embarrassing for you, both for the moment and forever. Not only is it annoying but it can be dangerous as well. Your dog might knock you down if it tries to jump on you, or worse, it could cause you to trip and fall, which would be a real risk if you were in the middle of something, like a shopping mall, or other public area.
There are some simple dog training tips that you can follow to train your puppy not to jump onto you. Some tips are more useful than others, though. Some dog trainers really know their stuff and have tested many different methods over the years. These tips are from experienced dog trainers and should not be taken as 100% sure-fire solutions, but they are safe and proven to help train dogs not to leap on people.
The first tip, which is by far the easiest to learn and implement, is to get your dog to sit. The first time you try this, your dog may jump on you, especially if you haven’t gotten your dog to sit when you are trying to train him. To get your dog to sit, encourage him to sit, then say “sit” in a firm voice. Your dog will likely sit, and you can give him a treat for his obedience. Repeat this pattern several times, until you are left with your dog sitting calmly next to you without any jumping.
The second tip is to be calm, quiet, and in control. This is one of the biggest dog training mistakes that new dog owners make. When your dog is excited or fearful, he needs to be calmed down quickly. Dogs are naturally pack animals, and if you disrupt their routine, they will take care of it by barking. By being in control of your dog’s behavior, you are praising and rewarding him, while keeping him calm and in line.
After you have calmed down your dog, start in the same manner you did when he was calm. Pet him, give him treats, praise him, then calm down. Go ahead and pet him again, reward him again, and so on. If you were too harsh on your puppy when he was still a pup, it will be even harder to train him as an adult. Be patient, be consistent, and above all, always stay calm!
The third tip is to greet people. If you have never gone out on a walk with your dog before, you are going to get distracted, and he is going to be distracted too. Teach him how to hold the hand of whoever is coming to greet him by putting your hand up in a palm forward position. This teaches him that it is OK to get your attention, and that you are someone he should respect. This simple gesture will prevent you from being run over by a big dog, and it helps you greet people properly. If he is naturally timid around strangers, you can soften the edges by saying, “Aren’t you the pup from the shelter?”
The fourth tip is to practice proper greeting behavior at an early age. If you do not want your dog jumping on visitors, and you don’t want him to be aggressive, you must learn to ignore him. You can do this without scaring him by simply ignoring him when he tries to follow you. Whenever he pulls and tugs on your sleeve, ignore him. Do not give him any attention at all until he stops tugging on your sleeve.
Finally, if he has learned his tricks correctly, you can start to exercise him more. If he is a well-behaved dog that only bites or nibbles occasionally, you can begin to play fetch. As he gets more used to sitting and standing still on command, you can slowly introduce him to running, jogging, and jumping. With just a little bit of time, your dog will be well trained not to jump on visitors.
