Stop Dog Jumping

When we select a pup from the litter, we usually pick one that's active and animated and that often means jumping. And then we naturally condition the jumping in very powerfully by rewarding it with attention, petting, or lifting and cuddling.

When you get the pup, his jumping behavior usually continues and it also continues to succeed. It's hard to ignore a pup jumping onto your leg, so it's a sure fire way to get your attention. The pup quickly learns that and jumps whenever it wants attention from anyone.

Most jumping on people is attention-getting behavior. And it's almost always reinforced--deliberately or not. The problem is that it's hard to punish a dog without paying attention to him. If the dog jumps on you to get your attention and you punish him, the jumping succeeded. See the problem here? It's a dilemma because your punishment is the dog's reward for jumping.

From Dr. Dog's FAST, EASY, FUN Behavior Solutions on stopping jumping problems

How to Stop a Dog from Jumping

Let's use the couch for this example to stop dog jumping on things. Bring your dog over to the couch very excitedly and playfully and teasingly try to get him to jump up. When he does, grip him by the skin on the back of his neck just as the dam did in the litter and firmly remove him saying "off" as you do so.

Then immediately resume playing with him and teasing him to jump onto the couch again. He usually will--at least once or twice more, and each time you grip the scruff of the neck and remove him saying "off".

After a few trials, taking just a few minutes, the dog will probably get very animated and playful, but refuse to jump onto the couch again. When this happens, you naturally praise him for refusing to jump up.

A few minutes later and twice a day for the next week, go through this procedure again. Don't be surprised if the dog totally refuses to jump up there after only the second or third time of using this method to stop dog jumping.

By the way, I'm occasionally asked if it isn't cruel or unfair to tease the dog up there and then punish him for jumping. The answer is a resounding "no". What you're trying to teach the dog is that there is no circumstance under which it's okay to jump on the couch. Won't your kids be playing excitedly when they jump up there to get away from the dog? Will it be okay for the dog to follow if it's all in play? Of course not!

Now, if you were to teach a command to jump and commanded him onto the couch and then punished him for jumping up there, that would be cruel and not a recommended method to stop dog jumping. Never punish the dog for obeying you. But teasing is not commanding. If the dog can be teased onto the couch, it's wrong. Under no circumstance is the dog to feel free to jump onto the furniture, even in play.

If you're lucky, that routine will solve your problem and stop dog jumping for good. But few of us are that lucky. And what may happen is that Godzilla will learn to stay off the couch when you're around. That's the trouble with subjective punishments that come directly from you. You can't do them when you're not there--and the dog knows it. So you have to use other methods to stop your dog from jumping on counters and furniture when you're not home.

From Dr. Dog's FAST, EASY, FUN Behavior Solutions on

Stop a Dog from Jumping

So are you tired of finding when you come home that your dog is jumping on your couch when you are gone. How can you stop dog jumping when you're not there?

If the cushion is depressed or full of hair or warm to the touch when you get home, your dog may be staying off when you're there, but jumping on when you're gone or asleep.

Now comes the part where you take yourself out of the punishment and stop dog jumping by having the couch punish the dog for jumping on it. Really! "Impersonal" techniques also work if a counter is the target of the jumping.

Learn these detailed techniques here: Dr. Dog's FAST, EASY, FUN Behavior Solutions