WOOF UNIVERSITY, LLC
Stop Jumping
Teach your dog how to greet politely, and don't reward jumping.
Prevention is easier than Cure
If it's something you don't want your dog to be "On" in the first place, it is better to stop them from getting on it than to wait until they do and tell them "Off".
Every time they are successful at jumping ON something, they are rewarded for it (because it's fun). Telling them "OFF!" after the fact doesn't erase the reward. Neither does punishing them. It stops them at the moment but won't keep them from doing it again later. Sometimes, they learn to jump ON [the something] only when you aren't looking.​
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The way to prevent jumping in the first place is with good management.
Keep your dog out of the kitchen with baby gates or a crate. There are extra-long gates for homes with open floor plans.
Keep your dog from jumping on people by keeping them on leash and teach them to Sit for Petting, or have them drop treats at their feet.
Keep your dog from jumping on you by giving them the Sit or Touch cue when they first start coming toward you, or drop treats at their feet.
Keep your dog from rushing people at the door by putting them in their crate/x-pen or behind a baby gate when visitors arrive. Let them out only after they are calmer.
If they do jump, use the "Off" cue and make a note to be more proactive next time.
If your dog jumps on you, it's because you were late cueing them to do something else instead. Be faster next time.
Training a dog to NOT jump on people shouldn't take a long time - a few weeks at the most. It does require focus and effort on our part to get it done. Otherwise, the habit will never be broken. It's not something we can train sometimes and ignore others because we're too busy and expect it to go away.
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Teach your dog to Greet people politely.
Practice the Sit Politely for Petting exercise with as many people as possible over and over again until your dog gets the idea.
Remove the Reward for Jumping.
Dogs jump to get your attention. Telling them "No!" or putting your hands on them to push them away gives them attention and REWARDS THEM FOR JUMPING! Fold your arms so they can't grab at your hands. Turn away from your dog so you're not looking at them. Move your hip slightly into their space. (Moving away encourages them to jump more). Say "OFF!" and wait. When all of their paws are on the ground, give them CALM attention. Soothing petting and low-key praise.
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Anticipate and Redirect Jumping.
It's predictable when your dog is going to jump. They jump when they are excited. They are especially excited when you come home, when guests first come in, and when children run and squeal.
Manage the environment to prevent practicing the jumping behavior. Keep your dog behind a baby gate or in a crate or on a leash (supervised only) when you or someone else come into the home or when children are playing until your dog is trained to not jump. Wait until they've calmed down to let them out.
If your dog runs to jump on you, put one foot and one hand in front of you like a crossing guard signaling "STOP!" and tell them to "Sit". Praise and pet when they do.
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Keep a toy or box of treats at the door. When you or a guest come inside, scatter treats on the floor or toss the toy for the dog to redirect their energy onto something else. This is management AND training.
Set up training sessions to teach your dog what to do instead of jumping.
Examples are Sit for Petting, Stand for Petting, and Grab a toy. To be most effective, train a LOT in the beginning. If it's sprinkled here and there and only during real-life situations, it isn't likely to be effective at stopping the jumping habit. Have friends over for pizza and practice polite greetings over and over and over until your dog gets it.
Use a barrier with really intense jumpers.
The intense jumpers are the ones who jump harder when you ignore them. They dig their nails into your shoulders when your back is turned. They leave your arms and legs bruised and may even knock people down.
Instead of turning away from these guys, go behind a door and wait 30 seconds, then open it again. If they jump, close the door again. Repeat as many times as it takes for your dog to keep their paws on the ground. Then calmly praise.
These guys usually have a lot of nervous energy. These dogs benefit most from being told exactly what to do and when. Spend a lot of time teaching them polite greetings and reward them generously for it.
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