Help! Why Won’t My Dog Stop Jumping?

We all go through it—we get a puppy, fall in love with it, but can’t stand the constant jumping they do! And we say it all the time…lucky for them they are CUTE! So we let it slide. But what if we want to put an end to the paw punches to the stomach and nails scratching down our legs? Do we tell them “no jumping”? Do we push them off?

Short answer? No. 
That can make it worse!

The behavior of jumping is reinforced by giving your dog attention. This means that even if you tell your dog “no” or “stop jumping”, they are more likely to jump again in the future because they got a reaction from you!

The best way to treat a behavior is to look at the root cause, or the function of the behavior. Then the actual treatment needs to be a combination of teaching what you’d like for your dog to do instead, and then once that picture is clear for them, a consequence for the actual unwanted behavior can occur.

If your dog is trying to get your attention, they need a better way to communicate that to you. This could look like an “default-sit” where they approach you and sit down, waiting patiently for your attention. Then some sort of consequence for the jumping behavior can be used later, to communicate with them that it’s not okay. This could look like turning away from your dog or even leaving the room as soon as they jump!

Need more? Reach out to us today to discuss the best training program to finally put an end to the jumping in your life! We can effectively treat any puppy behavior your dog exhibits with our effective trainers.