Hi my name is Ali I'm a canine behaviorist and training advisor here at Battersea today we're going to show you how to train your dog to stop jumping up
The most common reason a dog will jump up is to gain our attention and often we unintentionally encourage this so timing, consistency and perseverance are key for this training
Usually this behavior starts during puppyhood as it's tempting to encourage when your dog is small however once fully grown this can become a real problem any form of attention can be rewarding for your dog
This can include touching them speaking to them and even eye contact
Remember although your dog may just be being friendly not everyone will appreciate this and some people may find it intimidating
To start off with when your dog is jumping up at you just turn around and completely ignore them and wait until all four paws are back on the floor
As soon as all four paws are back on the floor immediately reward them with attention
If your dog gets overexcited when you give them this positive attention consider using a food reward
Instead place a treat onto the floor to encourage their focus downwards
You will need to repeat these actions every time your dog jumps up this may feel a little repetitive but consistency is key
The more consistent you are the quicker your dog will learn
You will need to get everyone that your dog needs involved with this training well so you may be consistent
You need to ensure that every person who interacts with your dog follows the same rule otherwise all of your hard work will go to waste
This includes everyone in your household and even people your dog meets when out and about
If your dog is getting frustrated and keeps jumping up even after being ignored then you may need to change your approach
Continue to ignore the jumping up and ask for a more constructive behavior that your dog knows well such as a sit
Check out a video on how to teach a sit if your dog doesn't already know
Ask your dog to sit before somebody says hello to them, not giving attention until they do
Then once they've sat you can give them the reward
Once your dog has given the sit now let them say hello
As before repeat this process every time your dog jumps up
Keep practicing each time you interact with your dog they will soon learn that sitting gets attention and jumping up doesn't
There are a couple of other tips that you can apply to help set your dog out for success
Utilizing baby gates and keeping your dog on a short lead when introducing them to people can help
When you first start this training you may find your dog jumps up more
This is because jumping up has been rewarded previously now they're going to work harder to get your attention
Don't worry though just stick to it
Those are our tips on how to teach your dog not to jump up if you'd like to learn more about how to teach your dog The Battersea Way visit our website or follow our channels
