How do I stop my dog from jumping and biting at visitors?
Pierce Schmitt
2025-06-28 18:12:50
Count answers: 12
If your dog does jump up at you then don’t react at all. You should stay calm, quiet and wait for them to stop. You can then reward them when all four paws are back on the floor. Your dog needs to learn that they won’t gain anything by jumping up. Instead, it’s keeping all four paws on the floor that will get your attention. Make sure you reward your dog with praise when that's the case, especially at times when they’d be most likely to jump up. You can prepare yourself by making a list of all the situations in which your dog might usually jump up. Be quick to interact with them before they do. Don’t tell your dog off for jumping up, as discouraging your pooch from jumping up by telling them off or saying “no, get down” could be rewarding for some dogs as they are getting attention. Teach your dog to sit when meeting people, ask a friend or relative to walk towards you and your dog, and when you get close to them, stop a short distance away and ask your dog to sit. Have some extra tasty treats ready to reward them with, and continue to reward your dog for as long as all four paws remain on the floor.
Rachel Ernser
2025-06-28 15:48:05
Count answers: 9
The thing is that your dog doesn’t understand why it can jump at you but not at other people. The nipping and biting is simply an extension of their over excitement. Instead you have to change your own behaviour first. If you or the family greet your dog with excitement you cannot blame your dog for responding. The first step is to be consistent with your approach. The whole family must acknowledge your dog quietly and give no attention or even eye contact until your dog is calm. If you have a serial jumper that won’t stop biting, pop your dog on a lead so that you have control. Either hold the lead firmly down and away from you or put the lead under your foot so the dog can’t jump. Once you have control you have options: Scatter some treats on the floor to distract your dog, have a stuffed Kong or Licki Mat ready to offer, step assertively in to your dog and command them to SIT. The second you have your dog’s attention firmly tell your dog to Sit and offer a treat. You must stay calm and assertive as you do this. Your dog will soon learn that your arrival (or a visitors) means that rather than jumping and biting, something good happens when they are calm and sit.
Rick Gutkowski
2025-06-28 15:12:24
Count answers: 11
To control this behaviour, it’s important to understand why dogs do it in the first place. In the vast majority of dogs, there are two main drivers for jumping – firstly, a desire for attention; and secondly, that they have inadvertently been trained to do it. Most dogs crave attention; and jumping up is a way to try and interact with you on your level. The first method is to divert the jumping behaviour into something more appropriate – usually a “sit” command. As the dog gets more and more excited and bouncy, you tell them to sit – and then reward them when they do, with fuss and/or a treat. The other thing you can do is to completely ignore your dog whenever they jump. You do, however, reward them when their front feet are on the floor. This way, you are teaching them that jumping does NOT result in attention, but standing on all fours does. In both cases, it takes time and patience – but it is more than worth it to teach them suitable behaviour before they knock over your elderly aunt, or squash your young nephew.
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