Strategies for Preventing Your Dog from Leaping onto You When You Sit, as Suggested by a Trainer
In an effort to curb the common issue of dogs jumping up on people, Juliana DeWillems, the owner and head trainer at JW Dog Training & Behavior, suggests a positive reinforcement approach. This method focuses on teaching your dog an alternative behavior, such as sitting or lying down, when you sit down.
To begin, prepare to reward calm behavior by keeping high-value treats handy. Practice in a quiet, distraction-free environment initially to help your dog focus. When your dog jumps, avoid giving any attention—no eye contact, no touching, no speaking. This withdrawal of attention helps your dog learn that jumping does not get attention or rewards.
The moment your dog has all four paws on the floor, reward it lavishly. Use a clicker or a marker word like “yes” to mark the behavior, then immediately give several treats in succession. This positive reinforcement encourages the dog to repeat the calm behavior.
Once your dog reliably keeps all paws down, start asking for a sit when you sit down. Reward the dog for sitting calmly rather than jumping. With repetition, the dog will learn to sit automatically when you sit.
Set up multiple practice sessions, including with friends and family, so the dog generalizes the behavior to all people and contexts. Practice calm greetings in different settings, such as when guests arrive or during walks. Incorporate impulse control exercises where the dog learns to wait patiently for attention. Reward calmness consistently and turn away to ignore jumping attempts, reinforcing calm greetings over excited jumping.
Good timing and a lot of repetitions are important during the teaching phase of new behaviors. If a dog continues to jump up at the owner, regardless of whether they are sitting or standing, additional strategies may be needed to address the behavior. Finding out the reason for the jumping can help in teaching the desired behavior.
For training sessions, Juliana DeWillems recommends using a command word or hand signal to signal the desired behavior to the dog. Food is often the easiest and quickest way to teach new behaviors to replace undesirable ones in dogs. Pupford Beef Liver Training Freeze-Dried Dog Treats, for example, are reported to be a favorite treat by dog owner Isaiah.
Giving attention and love to the dog when they keep all four paws on the floor can reinforce the desirable behavior. Consistency, patience, and generous rewards are key to success. This method works by shifting your dog’s emotional trigger: jumping no longer results in attention or fun, but calm behavior does.
For further insights on addressing a dog jumping up at the owner, the article "I tried everything to get my dog to stop jumping up, here's what actually worked" may provide additional valuable information.
- Juliana DeWillems suggests using high-value treats to reward calm behavior in your dog, which is crucial during the training sessions.
- In her approach, Juliana DeWillems recommends using a command word or hand signal to signal the desired behavior to the dog, often making food a key tool for teaching new behaviors.
- Isaiah, a dog owner, reported that Pupford Beef Liver Training Freeze-Dried Dog Treats are a favorite treat for his dog during training.
- By reinforcing calm behavior with attention, love, and generous rewards, you can encourage your dog to repeat the desired behavior and shift its emotional trigger away from jumping.
- For those struggling with their dog jumping up at the owner, the article titled "I tried everything to get my dog to stop jumping up, here's what actually worked" might offer additional valuable insights on addressing this issue.
