My dog Yankee, a golden retriever, jumps on people.

He does it to me when he’s excited, when he greets people who come to my front door and when someone has something in their hand that he thinks he must have. I always figured it was a golden retriever thing because Rocky did it as well, but it’s become worse as he’s gotten older.

While I may not mind it all the time, there are situations where this behavior is not appropriate. While this isn’t a serious behavioral problem, it can be a nuisance and can become a problem when there’s the possibility he could hurt someone by knocking them down.

So it’s time to do something about it.

Why do dogs jump on people?

Generally it’s because they’re excited and it’s a great way to get attention, most trainers believe. However, sometimes it can be a coping mechanism to handle their discomfort at meeting a stranger.

How do you stop a dog from jumping on you?

One way is to ignore him when he’s jumping. You can do this by:

• Turning your back on him.
• Don’t look at him, touch him, or talk to him.
• When he stops jumping , reward the calm behavior.
• If your dog jumps when you come home, don’t reinforce the excitement of him seeing you. Wait until he has calmed down to give him love and attention.

Another technique is to ask your dog to sit, and reward that behavior.

If your dog jumps on friends and family, have them do the same thing you are doing. You can also manage this by putting your dog in another room and then walking him on leash to your guests and having him sit before they greet him.

What shouldn’t you do?

• Don’t act really excited when you greet your dog. To do so only elevates his excitement level.
• Don’t shout at your dog.
• Don’t grab him or push him away.
• Don’t knee him in the chest, step on his toes or do anything that may cause pain or discomfort. 

Undoing this behavior takes work. It’s much easier to teach a behavior that to “un-teach” it. You must be consistent.

It’s time for me to get to work!

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888