Jumping Up
Why Dogs Jump
Dogs jump for a number of different reasons, and these can vary from dog to dog.
Some of the reasons a dog might jump are:
To move from place to place
To strengthen their muscles
Because they are excited
To avoid a perceived danger
Or to get closer to a stimulus
While the reason for jumping may seem obvious, pet parents often wonder why their dog particularly likes to jump on people.
Dogs will often jump on people because:
They are excited
They want to get closer to them for attention
A lot of very ‘informative’ scents come from our mouths and so dogs often want to get closer to our faces
Licking on the mouth is a social signal in dogs and it’s possible they are seeking this in people as well
Whatever the reason behind the jumping however, people do not often enjoy dogs jumping up on them.
Maybe they don’t like dogs in general, perhaps they are afraid or nervous of dogs or maybe they are just wearing nice clothing and don’t want to get dirty.
Unintentional Reinforcement
When a dog jumps up, whether we mean to or not, we often reinforce this jumping behavior.
Even saying ‘no’ or pushing the dog down is still attention, which is a reinforcement. Any response is a reward and is reinforcing!
Managing Jumping
Most pet parents find jumping annoying and it can be dangerous to family members and other, especially children or those who are elderly.
In order to manage jumping, we will want to make sure that we are breaking the cycle that is reinforcing the behavior. Unfortunately, jumping is often a self-reinforcing behavior so it’s important that we prevent jumping all-together in those situations if we can.
Note: It is extremely important that all humans are committed to this plan. From household family, extend relations, friends, dog walkers, pet sitters etc. Everyone need to be on the same page.
Strategies for Prevening Jumping
Managing Your Dog
Remove your pup from the situation that trigger their jumping. For example: Place your dog in another room, or walk away if you are that stimulus.
Put up a barrier. This could be a baby gate, a closed door, a crate etc.
You can also keep your dog away from what causes their jumping. For example: If a person comes to visit, have your dog on a leash when they arrive so they are not able to run up to them and jump on them.
Managing the Trigger
Remove the stimulus. For example: If your dog jumps up on people coming in from the front door, maybe try bring them in from the back door. Or if your dog jumps up, ask the person to walk away from your dog.
Bring the stimulus to the dog. For example: Maybe a person greeting your pup can crouch down, so they don’t feel like they have to jump to get to them.
Provide another stimulus. For example: When a person comes in the door, scatter some treats or toss a toss a toy to teach them to go find something rather than jump up.
Addressing Jumping
While many pet guardians will complain about their dogs jumping up on people, rarely do they talk about what they would prefer their dog to do instead.
If you have determined that all of your dog’s needs are being met (ex. they are not jumping up on the counter for food because they are hungry) and that their jumping is from excitement or because it has been previously reinforced, you can being to look at other things your dog can do instead to fulfill what it is they want.
It’s often heard that you should just ignore your dog when they are jumping but this can be quite difficult. It can also often lead to the behavior getting worse, as the dog feels they have to do more, to get that reinforcement they were previously experiencing. Ignoring the behavior also doesn’t teach your dog what it is you would like them to do instead or give them an outlet for their excitement or needs.
Alternative Behaviors
There are many things you could have your pup do instead of jumping up on a person.
Here are some options:
Standing on all four paws
Sitting in from of the person
Go lay on their mat
Bring a toy to the person