Training your dog to refrain from jumping on people
Learn about behavior-altering techniques and ways to greet other people for your dog without jumping on them
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Training your dog to refrain from jumping on people

If you are fed up with everyone reprimanding you and your dog each time it jumps on other people, this article is the solution to your problems. While your pet may be the goodest boy or girl in the world meaning no one the slightest harm, for others it is still annoying, especially if it happens outside and their tidiness is at stake. Some people are simply scared of dogs and you don't want your fluffy friend to be the source of annoyance.
Why does my dog always jump on others?

For dogs, jumping on other people is natural. They want to greet them face to face and the only reliable way to do that is to jump. Unfortunately, many people deem such behavior unacceptable, and unless your entire circle of friends and relatives is in love with canine friends and their inherent quirks, it is a good idea to teach your dog not to jump when greeting other people.
Is there a way to train my dog to greet people differently?

Lucky for you, dogs are kind of reprogrammable beings, and you as an owner can easily rewire their behavioral patterns by following simple steps. But first of all, you have to understand the basic principles of such training. The action-reward mechanics. To put it simply, your dog expects a reward each time it does something, for it is their dominant drive in life. The attention of other people is also a reward for a dog, sometimes even more pleasing than treats.

Another important thing you need to know is that restricting some kind of behavior won't work. You have to offer an alternative way of fulfilling the needs of your dog. We suggest you try substituting jumping for sitting or staying on all fours as the most simple tricks to teach your dog.
How do I teach my dog to sit when greeting other people?

One of the ways to greet people for your dog is sitting. Your dog should learn that when it sits, it gets a reward in the form of attention. Training a dog to sit instead of jumping on others is pretty straightforward:

  • Tether your dog to something secure in your house or outside
  • Now ask your dog to sit while standing several feet away from it
  • Approach your dog and if it stands up, walk to your initial position and start over
  • If your dog retains its sitting position, get in contact with it and greet
  • When you master the exercise, try it from the beginning with your friends or relatives
It should occur to your pet fairly quickly that it gets greeted only when it sits, which will reinforce the required habit. Surely, it goes without saying that your dog has to be familiar with this command in order to successfully apply it to greeting. Sit is how your dog should saying please, whether it is for food, going for a walk, or saying hello.
Four on the floor as an alternative

There is a way to train your dog to greet people by standing on all four paws. The key to this is dropping treats on the floor during greetings so that it would not have an urge to jump and stay down instead. Of course, controlled training will be the most beneficial and prevent accidents "in the wild". The training routine should look something like this:

  • Ask someone to approach you with your dog leashed.
  • Right as your assistant is about to greet your dog, drop some treats on the floor.
  • Your assistant should pet your dog while it's busy with the treats.
  • Before it finishes, have your assistant back away from your dog.
  • Repeat this with the greeting time increasing each try and dropping the treats while your assistant pets your dog.
  • When your dog starts seizing any attempts to jump by itself, try dropping treats after the greeting process has begun.
  • Sooner or later, your dog will get the idea and you can start feeding it less and less until there is no other reward than greeting itself.
It is crucial for you to be able to "read" your dog's intentions and provide treats at the right moment before jumping. In case you fail to do so and your dog manages to jump, just back away and start over.
Useful training tips

Don't give your dog a single chance to practice greeting by jumping. Whenever you have a visitor, order your dog to go to its cage or place, or limit the entrance area for your dog by installing a baby gate.

Use toys to distract your dog from greeting strangers on the street. For instance, wave and squeak a toy each time you pass someone by on the street. With time, your dog will stop making attempts at greeting strangers.

Hopefully, our tips and tricks will make your life easier, and if you would like more in-depth training lessons, feel free to download eTrainDog, the ultimate app for fun and effective training.
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