#Dogs that dont make the jump drivers
#Dogs that dont make the jump professional

The first method is to divert the jumping behaviour into something more appropriate вЂ“ usually a вЂњsitвЂќ command. Punishing your dog for jumping will, at best, confuse them and at worst result in a frightened and potentially aggressive dog вЂ“ this is a recipe for disaster. It is vitally important to remember that neither of them involves punishment. In these situations, there are two main approaches to stopping dogs from jumping up. However, it is far, far more likely that your dog is attention-seeking and/or excited.

#Dogs that dont make the jump professional

If your dog is jumping and showing signs of aggression, stop reading this now and contact a qualified canine behaviourist.В This is a potentially dangerous situation and requires professional attention.

Whatever the cause, however, it isnвЂ™t acceptable behaviour вЂ“ and the bigger the dog, the less acceptable it will be to your visitors! Alternatively, it may be because they have learnt that jumping is an appropriate response when theyвЂ™re excited to meet new people or because people arenвЂ™t responding to their вЂњget out of my homeвЂќ signals. So, jumping up may be seen as a way for your dog to demand attention from you вЂ“ or from your visitors themselves. This is very unusual but is very dangerous if it does occur. In this situation, the dog will be showing their teeth, growling and possibly snapping. If a dog makes warning signals (hackles raised, growling, tail down etc) and these are ignored, they may make mock attacks, that could be misinterpreted as jumping. There is a third possible reason, although fortunately, it is very rare вЂ“ it may be a form of aggression towards your guests. Dogs are generally poor at distinguishing between those situations when a behaviour is acceptable and those when it isnвЂ™t. Our inconsistency here doesnвЂ™t help вЂ“ many people are happy for their dog to jump at them, but not at guests, or when wearing some clothes but not others вЂ“ but by accepting (or rewarding) any jumping behaviour, they are essentially teaching the dog that jumping at people is acceptable. As adults, this may continue, or their owners may shout at them вЂ“ but when youвЂ™re shouting at your dog, you are still giving them attention, and not ignoring them (which, from their point of view, is worse than being scolded). As puppies, this is often in the form of reward (fuss, even treats, as people think that theyвЂ™ve вЂњlearnt a trickвЂќ). In addition, most puppies learn early on that jumping (especially balancing on their hind legs) gets them attention. Of course, it is quite possible that they want attention from your guests as well! They just see you ignoring them and lavishing your attention on your guests, meaning that they feel left out. Of course, you know thatвЂ™s because your visitors are only around temporarily, and your dog is a permanent part of the family вЂ“ but they donвЂ™t see things like that. This is especially an issue when you have visitors вЂ“ because the chances are, youвЂ™re greeting or talking to your guests, and ignoring the dog.

3 or 4 feet above their heads when theyвЂ™re standing on the ground!). Most dogs crave attention and jumping up is a way to try and interact with you on your level (i.e.

#Dogs that dont make the jump drivers

In the vast majority of dogs, there are two main drivers for jumping вЂ“ firstly, a desire for attention and secondly, that they have inadvertently been trained to do it.

To control this behaviour, itвЂ™s important to understand why dogs do it in the first place. This can either be jumping at you, the owner or at visitors to the house in either case, it can be really frustrating and embarrassing! Probably the most common behavioural вЂњproblemвЂќ in dogs is inappropriate jumping.