GOOD DOG: Hop to it to keep pups from jumping on people
Perhaps the most common behavioral problem I hear about from clients is that their dog jumps up on people. This behavior, which can be cute when the dog is a puppy, loses its charm when the dog weighs 80 pounds. Therefore, jumping should be discouraged immediately with any dog.
There are many reasons that a dog may jump on a person. In my experience, it is mainly an attempt to get to the person’s face. The face — particularly the eyes and mouth — is the primary physical source of information for dogs.
Furthermore, the dog might be trying to lick your ‘muzzle,’ which (in dog social etiquette) is a sign of submission and greeting. Puppies, young dogs, insecure dogs and hyperactive ones tend to jump for this reason. A good habit for owners to get into is to bend down to greet these types of dogs, calling them happily. (Actually, this is a good remedy for most jumpers.) Bringing your face down to the dog’s level allows them to give you “proper” greetings, while also eliminating the need for jumping.
Some dogs jump on people to display their dominance. Often, this jump will progress into mounting behavior, or make the dog growl when you try to push it away. It is even more important to correct dominant jumping, because it can lead to aggression if not extinguished. If your dog is displaying these types of behaviors, contact an experienced trainer as soon as possible.
Most of the techniques floating around to get a dog to stop jumping involve pain: kneeing, pinching, stepping on toes, hard shoves and even striking the dog. But all of these techniques, suggested by well-meaning folks, can cause unwanted side effects, such as avoidance. Physical corrections should always be the last resort!
The way we start eliminating unwanted jumping involves neither physical nor verbal corrections. It’s purely positive, though it’s called “negative punishment.” In operant conditioning, “negative” means something is withheld (in this case, a treat and affection), and “punishment” is something that decreases the chances of a behavior (here, jumping) recurring. Here’s how it works:
One person holds the dog on about 5 feet of leash, and doesn’t move or talk. Another, or several others (but one at a time), approaches the dog in a very excited manner, wiggling treat-filled hands up by its face. If the dog jumps, the person simply turns and walks away a few steps, then tries again. This continues until the dog sits on approach, at which time it gets treats and affection. Don’t cue the dog to sit by luring or giving the “Sit” command! Just let him figure it out.
This is a very cool exercise to watch, and really helps people accept positive training over the “old school” methods. And it works quickly — the most it ever took me was 10 repetitions! Practice this everywhere, with anyone who will help, and your dog will quickly learn that jumping doesn’t get him what he wants.
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Jim Beinlich is the owner of Cool K9’s Dog Training in Colorado Springs and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Reach him at www.coolk9s.com.
