How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping on People

Jan 2

3 min read

Does your dog greet every visitor by jumping up with excitement? While it might be cute when they’re small, jumping can quickly become a problem—especially for larger dogs or when guests aren’t as thrilled about a paws-on welcome. The good news? Teaching your dog to greet people calmly is achievable with the right training techniques.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to stop your dog from jumping on people using clear communication, timing, and reinforcement strategies.

Why Dogs Jump

Jumping is a natural behavior for dogs. Here’s why it happens:

Seeking Attention: Dogs often jump because it’s rewarded—whether through petting, laughing, or even being told “no.”
Excitement: They’re happy to see someone and haven’t learned a calmer way to express it.
Learned Behavior: If jumping has been unintentionally reinforced in the past, your dog will keep doing it.

The key is to teach your dog that calm greetings lead to attention, while jumping does not.

Step 1: Stop Rewarding the Jump

Dogs repeat behaviors that work. If jumping earns attention—positive or negative—they’ll keep doing it. The first step is to remove any rewards for jumping.

What to Do When Your Dog Jumps:

Turn your back and avoid eye contact.
Stay calm and wait for all four paws to be on the ground.
The moment your dog is calm, turn around and reward them with praise or a treat.

Why This Works: Your dog learns that jumping is ignored, but calm behavior gets attention.

Step 2: Teach an Alternative Greeting

Replace the jumping behavior with something more desirable, like sitting.

How to Teach a Calm Greeting:

When someone approaches, ask your dog to sit before they reach the person.
Mark the sit with a “yes” or clicker and reward immediately.
Repeat consistently until your dog starts offering a sit automatically in greeting situations.

Pro Tip: Practice this with family members first, then move on to friends or neighbors to generalize the behavior.

Step 3: Use Pressure and Release for Guidance

When excitement is high, leash pressure can help redirect your dog’s focus.

How to Use Pressure to Stop Jumping:

Attach a leash before guests arrive to maintain control.
If your dog jumps, apply gentle downward leash pressure.
The moment your dog stops jumping or sits, release the pressure and reward calm behavior.

This teaches your dog that calm actions release pressure, while jumping does not.

Step 4: Reward Calmness Proactively

Don’t wait for your dog to jump before rewarding them for calm behavior.

How to Encourage Calm Greetings:

As soon as your dog notices someone but remains calm, reward them with treats, toys, or praise.
Gradually increase the difficulty by practicing with more exciting visitors or in higher-distraction environments.
Be consistent—reward calmness every time to strengthen the behavior.

Step 5: Prepare Your Guests

Training is easier when everyone is on the same page. Let your guests know how to interact with your dog.

Tips for Guests:

Ignore the dog completely if they jump. No eye contact, talking, or petting.
Wait for the dog to sit or remain calm before offering attention.
Be patient—it may take a few tries for your dog to fully understand.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Accidental Reinforcement: Laughing, pushing, or talking to your dog when they jump only encourages the behavior. Stay calm and consistent.
Inconsistent Responses: If some people allow jumping and others don’t, your dog will be confused. Everyone needs to follow the same rules.
Not Practicing Enough: The more opportunities your dog has to practice calm greetings, the faster they’ll learn.

Why This Works

This method teaches your dog that jumping never leads to attention, while calm behavior always does. By replacing jumping with a desirable alternative (like sitting) and using consistent reinforcement, you’ll help your dog develop good manners for life.

Jumping is a common but manageable behavior. With a combination of clear boundaries, gentle guidance, and positive reinforcement, you can teach your dog to greet people politely and calmly.

At Perspective K9, we believe every dog can learn the skills they need to be a well-mannered companion. With patience and practice, your dog will be greeting guests with confidence—and all four paws on the ground! 🐾