Train Your Dog Not To Jump

There are two important elements to training this behavior. Teaching the initial concept of, "jumping does NOT get you things" and also teaching not to jump for an extended period of time. Most people would agree that a dog that is patient for a second or two and then jumps is still not trained properly.

Let's train your dog not to jump at all, okay?

Many Opportunities to Train

There are tons of opportunities to work on jumping if you notice them. Here are some examples of ways to prove to your dog that jumping doesn't work. Here is a list of some of the rewards. Simply wait until your dog sits before giving it to him. I show it in the video for reference using his food.

• His food


• Treats


• Toys he likes


• Bones


• A guest walking in the front door (hold the leash or tether your dog and wait until he sits before the guest says, "hello"


• A yummy stuffed Kong

Verbal Praise - A Natural Timer

As shown in the video, using verbal praise can quickly increase the time period between treats. Simply try and add more verbal praise and less treats in the same period of time. For instance, if your dog can sit for 10 seconds, start with giving him as many treats as he needs to hold that sit. Let's say you gave him 3 treats in 10 seconds. The next time, add verbal praise before you start giving treats and maybe give 3 good boys and 2 treats. Eventually you can give him one treat for the whole 10 seconds. You can also increase the amount of time and eventually your little guy is patiently waiting for treats, petting, toys, etc!

If Your Dog Jumps

Easy. Simple. Just remove the treat, person, toy, bone, etc. that he wants. That's it. Yes, that will work. I promise. As long as you, your family, and EVERYONE that interacts with your dog understands the same rules .  . . this will work.

If You Need A Refresher

Use a Tether

A tether is simply something that prevents him from following you if you walk away. You can attach a leash to a doorknob, a railing, under a chair leg, etc. You should walk away for a short period of time (5-10 seconds) and come back only if he is calm. If he is barking or jumping, you have to wait until he calms down. When he sits, give him the reward. Easy!

How Long Does This Take?

It depends on how consistent you are. If you AND EVERYONE else that interacts with your dog is consistent and NEVER gives him what he wants when he jumps, you can see amazing results in a few days to a few weeks. If anyone ever rewards your dog for jumping, the whole process is going to a lot longer because jumping still works. Why should he not jump when it works for him?

See my other jumping videos for more tips on jumping.

Happy Training!

These are easy tips to use when you and your dog are outside. I recommend watching the video, and then reading the dog training tips below. Look for other dog jumping videos to help with other scenarios. 

Dog Training Tips When Walking

Clients frequently ask about strategies to use when walking their dog outside to prevent jumping. This article explains a really easy way to not only prevent jumping, but also to teach your dog that jumping doesn't work. If you are consistent, eventually your dog will stop jumping. 

Prioritize Your Training

I recommend that you focus on jumping whenever it occurs. Even if you are working on other training topics such as leash walking, puppy biting, or sit, you should stop working on the other behaviors and switch to jumping prevention when it occurs. This way, you will teach your dog as efficiently as possible. 

Use a Fence or Tree

When your dog starts to jump, gently put the loop of your leash over a fence, or tie it securely around a tree. Introduce something that your dog wants, such as a treat or toy. AS SOON as he leaves the ground, walk away. AS SOON as his feet are on the ground, come back and give him the toy or treat. 

Your movements should be fluid and quick. He doesn't need to stay on the ground for more than a second at a time. If you expect him to stay longer than that, you both will probably get frustrated. As you do more training, you can raise your expectations and wait for a longer period of time before coming back. 

Dogs Do What Works

The whole concept involves teaching your dog to do behaviors that YOU like and give him what HE likes. That way, you are both happy! If he jumps and you walk away and he NEVER gets what he wants, then he will eventually try something else. That is your opportunity to teach him what he SHOULD do. Either say, "Yes!" or 'click' if you are using a clicker when he does what you want and then come back and give him a reward. Eventually he will learn that NOT jumping is the way to get things that he wants.  

New Distraction? Lower Your Expectations!

It is important to keep in mind that dogs do not generalize well. This means that if they learn not to jump on one person, that DOES not mean that they have learned not to jump on everyone. Each time they meet a new person (or you bring out a new toy) you need to re-teach them what the rules are. Eventually your dog will learn the rules in all situations, but this takes a long time. Also, they might need to be reminded every once in a while. Don't get frustrated. Instead, be patient and consistent and have fun!

This is a simple strategy to incorporate into your daily routine to prevent your dog from jumping. Use this in conjunction with other positive reinforcement strategies. 

Watch the video and read the short post for more explanation. 

Change the Behavior . . . Change the Behavior

If you simply take jumping out of your dog's repertoire, eventually he will redirect his behavior into a different behavior. This strategy comes into play when you are simply not able to focus on training or if your dog is too excited to pay attention to the training that he has learned. 

Examples of situations where this strategy can be very useful:

• When kids are petting your puppy and you don't want him to nip or scratch the kids


• When guests are over and you are opening the door to let them in and your puppy is jumping


• When you meet someone outside that you want to have a conversation with and can't focus on your puppy the whole time

Did You Know Puppies Can Jump on Other Dogs?

A lot of people have questions about allowing their dog to jump on other dogs. As long as the other dog is not aggressive or has arthritis or other injury, puppies can jump on other dogs. This will not "transfer" to jumping on people. Dogs can learn that they can jump on other dogs but not people. Just be really cautious that the other dog is not aggressive. One bad interaction can unfortunately be traumatic for puppies. 

One Strategy of Many

This is simply one strategy that can prove useful in some situations. Look for other videos with more jumping strategies. 

Happy Training!