As much as puppy jumping may irritate you, it is a very common behavior in puppies and is solvable. Young puppies are extremely energetic and curious beings. They are trying to communicate with you all the time.
Throughout 7 years of my career, I helped in disciplining many puppies and stopping this jumping behavior. Based on my experience and explicit research I have created the ultimate guide to help you understand reasons why your puppy jumps up and how to stop a puppy from jumping.
Reasons Why Your Puppy Jumps Up
To understand how to stop a puppy from jumping, you need to know why your puppy is jumping. Our little puppies can get jumpy for a lot of reasons. Read out the reasons below to figure out why your puppy jumps up.
1. Excitement
Our little friends are often very energetic and playful. Jumping up can be a way to express their excitement. For example, when you come back home when you feed them.
2. Attention Seeking
Like human children, puppies crave attention. To get you to interact with them your puppies may start jumping up. It can be their way to get the interaction and affection they desire.
3. Greeting Visitors
Friendly puppies often love people and want to greet them on arrival. This a a friendly and social gesture from their side. It only means the puppy is just happy to meet your visitor and wants to say, “Hello!”.
4. Curiosity
Puppies are like little explorers all the time. They are often fascinated by new things in the environment. Jumping can be an expression of their curious nature. If they are interested in something or someone, they may try to reach them by jumping up.
5. Faulty Training and Reinforcement
If during previous training jumping behaviors were rewarded with treats or attention. It can also be giving them a treat whenever they jump to calm them down. The puppy may continue to jump as they believe it is a rewarding behavior.
6. Insufficient Behavioral Training
If you do not communicate your desired behavior with your puppy through proper behavioral training they may resort to jumping as a default.
7. Excess Energy
Our little friends need a lot of regular exercise and plenty of playtime with us. Puppies have high energy levels and may jump out of boredom or excess energy that needs to be released.
How To Stop a Puppy from Jumping Up
Jumping behavior in puppies is more common than you may think. I meet jumpy little pups every day and help many of my clients solve the issue of puppy jumping. To know how to stop a puppy from jumping, take a quick read of this simple and easy step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Act Calm
Puppy Jumping can be annoying. As much as you may be irritated or concerned, do not react with excitement or frustration when your puppy jumps. Act calm and follow the next steps.
Step 2: Ignore Jumping Puppy
Turn away from your puppy and act buddy doing something else. Ignore the puppy until they calm down.
Step 3: Teach Alternative Behavior
Redirect your puppy’s energy into a more appropriate behavior, such as sitting. Encourage them to sit by offering treats or toys when they have all four paws on the ground.
Step 4: Use Commands
Introduce commands like “sit” or “down” through obedience training and reward your puppy when they follow these commands instead of jumping.
Step 4: Reward Good Behavior
Whenever your puppy greets you calmly with all four paws on the ground, reward them with treats, praise, or affection. Positive reinforcement helps reinforce desired behavior.
Step 5: Maintain Consistency
Enlist the help of everyone in your household to maintain consistency in training. If some family members allow jumping while others discourage it, your puppy may become confused.
Step 6: Avoid Negative Reinforcement or Punishment
Avoid punishing your puppy for jumping up as this can create fear or anxiety, leading to other behavioral issues.
Step 7: Implement Physical Exercises and Cognitive Stimulation
Ensure your puppy gets enough physical and mental exercise to expend their energy. A tired puppy is less likely to engage in unwanted behaviors like jumping up.
Step 8: Implement Behavioral Training
Training like crate training, early socialization, leash training, preventive measures for separation anxiety, etc. helps to build up better communication between you and your puppy. This communication will help you to handle him in exciting situations.
Step 9: Manage Exciting Situations
If you know certain situations trigger jumping, such as guests arriving, use a leash or a baby gate to manage your puppy’s access until they learn to greet calmly.
Step 10: Seek Professional Help if Necessary
If your puppy’s jumping behavior persists despite consistent training efforts, consider seeking advice from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.
Conclusion
As of now you know the reasons why your puppy jumps up and how to stop a puppy from jumping. You are well equipped to deal with this situation using our best solutions. Stay patient and maintain consistency throughout the process to ensure long-term success.
To become an aware and educated puppy parent check out our website filled with all the information you need to take care of your little furry friend.
