How to train a dog not to jump when greeting people?

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. 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. This way, the dog gets some attention and learns that “sit” is appropriate, but “jump” isn’t. 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. Again, having “mock-visitors” will help reinforce the fact that what you’re teaching them is universal – it doesn’t go out of the window when new and exciting people are around!

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. Teach your dog to sit when meeting people, ask a friend or relative to walk towards you and your dog, 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. Continue to reward your dog for as long as all four paws remain on the floor, giving them a treat every now and again while you talk to your helper. If your dog suddenly becomes excited and jumps up, make sure you don’t engage and simply stay calm, quietly waiting to reward the moment they stop bouncing. Do persist with your training, whenever you stop responding to any behaviour the way your dog is expecting you to, they’re likely to try that same behaviour with greater intensity, but over time your dog will learn that there is just no point jumping up any longer. Don’t forget, consistency is key, if you’re consistent, your dog will quickly learn what works to get your attention and what doesn’t. Make sure all your family and friends are on board with training, coach any visitors who may interact with your dog before they arrive.

When you first start you may find your dog jumps up more. This is because jumping up has been rewarded previously, so your dog might think they just need to work harder to get your attention. Timing, consistency and perseverance are key when training your dog not to jump up. The trick is to teach your dog that jumping up isn’t an effective way to get your attention. When your dog next jumps up at you, turn your back and completely ignore them. Don’t say anything and try not to make eye contact. Be patient and wait until all four of their paws are back on the ground. As soon as this happens, turn around and reward your dog with positive attention. You will need to turn away every time your dog jumps up. This may feel a little repetitive, but consistency is essential. The more consistent you are, the quicker your dog will learn that jumping up doesn’t work. Instead they will start to realise that they are more successful at getting your attention when all four feet are firmly on the floor. As well as being consistent yourself, you need to ensure that every person who interacts with your dog follows the same rule and ignores your dog’s jumping up behaviour. If your dog is getting frustrated and is still jumping up despite being ignored, then you may need to change your approach. Continue to ignore the jumping up, but instead ask for a more constructive behaviour that your dog knows well, such as a “sit”. Before someone says hello to your dog, try and ask your dog to sit, and ask the person not to give them attention until they do it. When your dog sits, reward them with treats or attention. Keep practising and your dog will soon learn that sitting gets attention and jumping up doesn’t.