As nice as it is to see our dogs full of energy and excitement, it can be frustrating sometimes when we’d just like to relax for a moment.
One thing dogs often like to do is jump on us when we sit down. And if we haven’t quite got our balance or we’re holding something like a hot drink, it can be dangerous. But even if there’s no danger, it can still be a little annoying.
So, how can we stop our pups from jumping on us when we sit down – particularly when they’ve already got all the best dog treats and toys to keep them happy?
Juliana DeWillems, the owner and head trainer at JW Dog Training & Behavior, has offered some advice in a recent Instagram post. It’s more simple than we thought, so let’s take a look.
If you’d like to know how to stop a dog from jumping up, you’re in the right place! DeWillems explains that you “can’t do a don’t” – in other words, you need to teach your dog what they should do rather than tell them what they shouldn’t do.
“When teaching new behaviors to replace undesirable ones, it’s often easiest and quickest to use food (versus other rewards),” she says. “You can get good timing and a lot of reps in the teaching phase.”
It’s a good idea to understand why your dog was jumping to begin with, and use that reward to maintain the desirable behavior. So, if your dog is jumping because they want you to give them attention, which is pretty likely, teach your dog to keep all four paws on the floor when you’re sitting down, and make sure you give them plenty of love and attention when they do so.
“Your dog will learn that four paws on the floor equals attention from you, so they will do it more often,” DeWillems explains. “There is pretty much always a replacement behavior for an undesirable behavior – sometimes you just have to get creative.”
Maybe your dog isn’t jumping up at you for attention, but for another reason. In this case, the same process still applies – find out why your dog is jumping, and use what they want as a reward to maintain the behavior you’re looking for.
If you’re really struggling with your dog jumping up at you, whether you’re sitting down or standing up, you might find this article insightful, too: I tried everything to get my dog to stop jumping up, here’s what actually worked.
