A common issue that many of our Salt Lake City dog training clients mention is jumping. When these dog owners walk into the door after a long day at work, their dogs are excited. Many of our clients find this behavior stressful and are unaware how to change this behavior to more obedience. There are also many dog owners that reinforce this jumping because they are so excited to see their dogs after being gone for most of the day.
Why do our dog’s jump on us? Mostly they are wanting to say “hi”. When dog’s are excited they love to greet us by licking our faces. Also, many times the jumping behavior is rewarded because the owners give atttention to this behavior by doing one or more of the following:
- Talking to the dog. This can include saying “no.”
- Giving eye contact to the dog.
- Petting the dog.
- Pushing the dog down. Many dogs perceive this as play.
To train your dog more obedience and more calm behavior when you walk through the door, you will need to change your dog’s perception of the situation. Stop giving your dog attention for jumping and start giving him attention for being in a sit, down or stand. I personally perfer the “sit” or “down” in dog training. Salt Lake City has many opportunities to reinforce our dog’s arousal level through dog sports, hiking, etc. Training them to be more calm and less impulsive is important.
You can train your dog to be more calm by simply turning your back when he jumps on you. Then click and treat as soon as he sits, downs or stands. Over time if you are consistent your dog will begin to show more obedience.
Your Turn! We want to hear from you! Please post a comment below.
What tips did you find valuable when training your dog to be more obedience when you arrive home after a busy day?
Namaste!
Johanna Teresi, Professional Trainer and Owner of Four Legged Scholars LLC, Dog Training, Salt Lake City
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