Dogs are joyful animals who can jump on people out of excitement and curiosity. While this behaviour may seem harmless, it can be highly bothersome to your guests who don’t interact much with your dog. Besides, if you have a large dog, it can also knock off small children who are approaching them.
In this blog, you will see 7 highly effective tips to prevent your dogs from jumping on people and also to make them get along well with them. These tips will also help young children play with their dogs, provided they are well-socialised.
1) Start the Training Early
It is better to start training your dogs in their puppyhood itself. This is because puppies are quick learners and are more receptive than older dogs. Apart from teaching them not to jump, you can also teach them basic commands like sit, stop, come, go, etc, during this stage itself.
2) Reward Them When They Obey
The best way to reinforce good behaviour in your dogs is by rewarding them. Each time your dog obeys your command not to jump, give them some delicious dog treats or praise them. Doing this will cue your dogs that it is a desired behaviour, and they will repeat it to get rewarded.
3) Ignore When They Jump For Attention
Dogs often jump on people to catch their attention. It is important that you don’t reward them instantly at this point, as it only strengthens this behaviour. Next time, instead of paying attention or offering them treats while they jump, just simply ignore them. Once all their paws are on the ground, you can then reward them, as it is a desired behaviour.
4) Teach Them an Alternate Behaviour
Sometimes, you need to teach a new habit to your dog to make them shun an undesirable one. For example, teaching them commands like sit, roll, shake hands, etc. and rewarding them with a treat can build new neural pathways in their brain, which will help them overcome their old habit.
5) Use a Dog Leash or Harness
Using a dog leash or harness can significantly help you control your dog, which has a tendency to jump. They are highly useful when a guest is visiting your house or when your dog is playing with a child, as they can jump out of excitement. You can leash train your dog easily by offering them treats and praises.
6) Provide Enough Exercise
Providing your dogs with sufficient daily physical activity is an outlet for their excessive pent-up energy. A tired dog is less likely to show any hyperactive behaviour, including jumping on people. You can also give them some engaging dog toys that divert their attention and keep them from doing any undesirable actions.
7) Be Patient and Avoid Punishment
You need to have a lot of patience when it comes to dog training, as all dogs are different. Setbacks are common during the training, and this is why you should take things lightly. Also, never punish the dog, as it can only harm their learning process, making it more difficult for you. You can make quick progress in the training by celebrating the smaller victories of the dog.
In Short,
Teaching your dog not to jump on people can help you a lot in socialising the dog or taking them outside without worrying much. Besides, you will also be able to greet your guests freely in your house. Take your own time to implement these 7 strategies and let your dogs have healthy interactions with everybody.
