# How do I teach my dogs not to jump on strangers?



## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

How do I teach my dogs not to jump on strangers? I've got no one really to practice on otherwise I've watched a few videos about tying a pup to a railing of some sort and ignoring until they sit. Neither Smokey nor Zeeva jump on me or my husband. But if we go for a walk and someone wants to pet them they'll 100% jump up and Smokey will give a big smakaroo on the lips. :c I think this is very inappropriate. I especially worry about children. 

Right now I'm mostly concerned about my mama who'll be coming to stay with me for a few days in January. She's frail and has balance issues. If they were to jump on her, she'd fall and get hurt. I'll for the most part keep them separated from her, but she will need to use their area on occasion since the pups stay in the kitchen and the nook. 

Any ideas how I can train this? Without a stranger?

Thanks


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

My GSD was really bad with this. She has improved lots, but we are still working on it. She only does it with people she knows. In the house she knows to jump on the couch and sit there until she is approached. We are still working outside the house. Its been a long process. I will say that she is great with kids and doesn't jump on them at all. She was also really good with my mom when my mom was sick. Robyn stuck right next to her, but never attempted to jump on her or act any less then a perfect angel. You'd be surprised what dogs can sense


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## CAOLON1997 (Nov 25, 2012)

My 9 month dog is jumping on every one, would be great if we could get some help from an experienced handler on this matter..


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

What worked with my Sting at that age was to turn my back. When visitors came, and Sting would come running up - I asked them to turn their backs and I would do the same. When Sting saw he wasn't getting attention (this took about a minute or so) , he would sit or even lie down. Then when he was being good, we would turn, and I would let Sting approach the visitor. If he attempted to mouth when people had their hands at their side with those "tasty" fingers, I asked people to put their hands folded across their chests. If you get really good helpers, and are consistent - it doesn't take long for the dog to get the idea that he won't get attention by jumping.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Mary Beth said:


> What worked with my Sting at that age was to turn my back. When visitors came, and Sting would come running up - I asked them to turn their backs and I would do the same. When Sting saw he wasn't getting attention (this took about a minute or so) , he would sit or even lie down. Then when he was being good, we would turn, and I would let Sting approach the visitor. If he attempted to mouth when people had their hands at their side with those "tasty" fingers, I asked people to put their hands folded across their chests. If you get really good helpers, and are consistent - it doesn't take long for the dog to get the idea that he won't get attention by jumping.


I took a class and they taught us the same thing. Neither of my dogs learned though :c My husky is especially prone to jumping on people.

This weekend I had guests over. We tried to teach them in a similar way that you described. It didn't help that my guests were a bit afraid of my doggies :c But every time a new person comes to our house it takes the doggies a good 5-10 minutes of sniffing their butt, crotch, jumping on them and licking them before they stop. It's so rude and I feel no one wants to come over because of them. I'd crate them but then how'll the doggies learn especially when someone is willing to help? :c


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## canasask (Nov 24, 2012)

As I am sure you have been told if you ignore a behaviour long enough, it will extinguish itself. However that could take lots of time. If your dog responds to leash corrections, prepare yourself (Anticipate) for when the dog is about to jump and pop the leash giving a correction and a stern "NO" or similar command. As the dog realizes that every time they jump up they get a firm correction, they stop that behaviour to avoid the correction. 
I am no training Guru but that should be a start. I would use it in conjuction with your guest also turning away from the behaviour.
Good luck


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## Chowgal (Dec 21, 2009)

To avoid my dogs from jumping on people, I taught them that they had to sit before they would get attention from anyone.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

It is harder for you because you have more than one, and since I have had a Husky I know who is leading the "charge". If leash corrections don't work and having them sit doesn't work, use a dog gate. If your guests are in the front room, the dogs could be in the kitchen. That way they can "greet" your guests but no jumping up or sniffing. When the dogs sit and are quiet, the guests can approach the gate and pet them. Giving your dogs incentive to sit, like a treat - helps. And also chew toys to keep them busy while you visit.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

The 'turn your back to the dog' worked very well for me, with my very good friend who's a no-nonsense person. But I think my puppy can read people's energy, and when they're excitable then he'll jump up and kiss them. If you think the dogs are going to jump on your mom, and she's likely to get hurt, I'd just keep them leashed around her, or gated in another room.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Chowgal said:


> To avoid my dogs from jumping on people, I taught them that they had to sit before they would get attention from anyone.


Same here.
He is also not allowed to approach when people come over. There is no reason for him to rush them at the door.


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## Fiddler (Feb 9, 2011)

What worked best for me was my friends (and I) would immediately drop a treat on the floor as we entered the house. Gracie got so used to expecting the treat she she kept all fours on the floor. After she scarfed down the treat she was still very excited but didn't jump up. Of corse lots of praise for not jumping and she was totally ignored if she did. 

It helps too if those entering the house to keep moving through the room and not stand inside the door. My dog tends to want to jump if they stop but just follows excitedly if they keep moving. 

Hope this helps


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

This is really hard, especially for older dogs that have been successful at jumping up - no matter how hard you've tried!

My friend has a great dane that LOVED to jump on people ... she tried everything - dropping food on the floor, turning her back to him (he'd still jump and paws would be on the shoulder from the back - eek!)

She finally found something that worked. When someone came to the door, she would unlock the door, back up a bit, have him on leash and she had the leash on the floor and was standing on it. He was laying down. She'd then tell the people to come in - and he couldn't jump up because she was standing on the leash. (She had her legs spread about 12-18 inches apart, along the length of the leash that was on the floor), and she was hold the loop of the leash in her hand. The dog had about 4-6 inches of "loose leash". He could raise his head, etc. but he wasn't able to get up.

If you're standing "square" you'll be able to keep your balance. It took a couple of different people that she practiced with, but it didn't take him that long to figure it out. Now, he doesn't jump on people at all!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

My crack puppy loves to jump on anything and everyone. Instead of teaching him NOT to jump on people, I taught him TO jump on people (chairs, tables, stools, tail gate etc.). Then I taught him 'Off'. 

"Up" means put your front legs on. "Load" means jump onto or into (all four legs on the object/lap). 
"Off" means put all four legs on the ground. 

I can now tell him "Off" when I see the death charge towards a person. He may forget himself and do a couple mid air leaps, but he no longers hits his target. 

If the person is a dog person, I'll allow them to invite my crack puppy "up". 

Training this included walking through pet stores etc. and asking him to 'load' on dog food bags (etc.) or 'up' (front legs only) on them. He is to remain that way until I command 'Off'.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm afraid that I had to resort to a spray bottle with vinegar water. Havs loves to jump up. He knows he shouldn't but the temptation to get to the face is mighty. We have healthcare nurses and my husband has a foot long wound in his abdomen so I needed to get Havs to quit jumping FAST! A quick, well timed spritz has cured him, now I just show him the bottle when we go to the door.

I literally tried everything else first.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

What worked for us when Rusty was a pup was when guests arrived he was told to sit/stay on this rug at the top of the stairs...I instructed our guests to ignore him. For whatever reason this worked. Now when guests come over he will come up to them and sniff, they greet him, then he's usually done with them...unless it's my dad who he absolutely adores and loves attention from him, but he's not jumping on him.

It just takes repetition and help from the guests. Good luck


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

For me, having the dog on leash has also worked best. My dogs tend to be very excited when people first show up since we don't have company that often, but they always calm down and are fine after the initial novelty wears off. We have a big rug at the end of the entry, and I put them in a down on that, on leash, while people come in. I release them to get up but keep them on leash, and after awhile I drop the leashes and let them drag them, until I'm sure they're not going to jump on anyone, and then we take the leashes off. Having people ignore them during all of this really helps. 

It's a joint effort - if I have the leashes, Tom has to answer the door, but it works.


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