Puppies are known for their endless energy and enthusiasm, which can sometimes lead to unwanted behaviours like jumping up. It's important to understand jumping up is natural for puppies, especially in the early stages of their lives. After all, they're just trying to get closer to the people they love! While it may seem cute at first, jumping up can quickly become a nuisance and even a safety hazard as your pup grows larger.
Jumping up is normal, but humans make it worst...
Unfortunately, many owners unknowingly encourage this behaviour by giving their puppies attention when they jump up, especially at entry points such as getting up in the mornings or coming in from work.
This reinforces the jumping behaviour, making it more likely to continue in the future, and can be very confusing for your dog.
So how do you stop your puppy from jumping up?
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Step 1:
Avoid Encouragement: When your puppy jumps up, it's important not to encourage the behaviour by petting or talking to them. This will only reinforce the behaviour and make it more likely to happen again in the future.
Step 2:
Keep your energy low: High energy can trigger jumping behaviour in puppies. Keep your energy level low and calm when interacting with your puppy to discourage jumping.
Step 3:
Turn your back: When your puppy jumps up on you, simply turn your back to them. This sends the message that jumping up is boring and you are not that interested in their jumping behaviour.
Step 4:
Wait until your puppy is calm to say "hello" this is the hardest but most important part of training your puppy not to jump up. It's best to wait until your puppy is calm and relaxed before you give them cuddles this only takes a few minutes. But just doing this alone, can teach most puppies to be calm.
Step 5:
With patience and consistency, your puppy will soon learn that jumping up is not an acceptable behaviour. By using positive reinforcement techniques and staying calm, you can help your pup to understand what you expect from them and encourage good behaviour.