How do I stop my dog from jumping on people?

Jumping on people is a social greeting behaviour — dogs jump up to reach our faces because that is where dog-to-dog greetings happen (nose to nose). It is not dominance; it is an attempt at friendly contact. The challenge is that it is rude, can knock over children and elderly people, and often gets inadvertently reinforced.

Why jumping persists

Jumping is one of the easiest behaviours to accidentally reinforce. When a puppy jumps, people usually react — they push the dog down, say "no," make eye contact, or engage in some way. Any reaction (even a negative one) is attention, and attention reinforces behaviour. The dog learns: jumping = I get noticed.

The turn-away method

The most effective approach for jumping is complete non-reinforcement:

1. The moment the dog jumps, turn completely away. Cross your arms, look at the ceiling, and offer zero interaction.
2. Do not say "no," do not push the dog down with your hands, do not make eye contact.
3. The instant all four paws are on the floor, turn back and calmly reward (treat or calm praise).
4. If the dog jumps again immediately, turn away again.

Consistency is everything: every person the dog interacts with must use this method. A dog that gets reinforced for jumping by even one person will continue jumping.

Teach an alternative: the "sit to greet"

Ask the dog to sit before every greeting. Reinforce sits at the door before walks, before meals, before play. The sit becomes the default greeting behaviour when heavily reinforced. Ask visitors to ask for a sit and reward it before any petting.

Manage until trained

Keep a leash on the dog when guests arrive. Step on the leash at a length that prevents jumping. This prevents the behaviour from being practised while training is in progress.

Flovvi tip

Log greeting incidents in Flovvi, noting who was involved. Tracking which family members are consistent and which are inadvertently reinforcing helps identify where additional coaching is needed.