# How to keep dogs from jumping up on you?



## cwedge11 (Apr 27, 2011)

I have heard of lifting your knee up when they try to jump on you and saying no. It doesn't seem to work though! Any other suggestions? They only do it when we come home, or when we first wake up in the morning and they are so spastic to see us. I want to be able to keep them excited about seeing us, but subtract the jumping up because those dang claws can hurt! Any suggestions?


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Cut their nails? haha just kidding
The knee thing worked on my last dog but the timing has to be perfect so they don't
see it and you don't hurt them.
On the current dog we turned our back and crossed our arms and said OFF. With a puppy it takes a while because they are puppies and boisterous. Also, when returning from being away, minimize your greeting, even ignore him/her until he/she settles down.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Fold your arms, turn your back and ignore them.


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

I make her sit. Can't jump when sitting  Hold the collar to keep in a sit if the pup is young.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

Turn your back and look up.
Even tilting your head in their direction is some kind of attention. They need to learn that that kind of behavior does not get any attention.

Ignore them for about five minutes and then greet them. Don't reward the excitement with attention of any kind; whether postive or negetive.
Aloof is the word I'm looking for.


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## bruiser (Feb 14, 2011)

PaddyD said:


> Cut their nails? haha just kidding
> The knee thing worked on my last dog but the timing has to be perfect so they don't
> see it and you don't hurt them.
> On the current dog we turned our back and crossed our arms and said OFF. With a puppy it takes a while because they are puppies and boisterous. Also, when returning from being away, minimize your greeting, even ignore him/her until he/she settles down.


No, really I've thought about that. Bruiser is 6 mos. old and we are still working on the jumping up aspect. I think he is just now getting it, after a lot of turning my back on him and not giving any attention until he mellows out.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

At six months you just have to be very consistant and have everyone that lives with the dog do exactly the same thing.

*Easier typed than done...


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

I've done the knee up as well and it does work sometimes. I also trained my dogs that wide open hand, palm facing them almost like saying stop to a car , in their face and saying no has worked as well. It just takes time and patience and alot of repeat and reinforcement with positive rewards. Also don't give any affection until they have calmed down so they realize the faster I calm down the faster I get loved on.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i would never knee a dog. i would teach them not to
jump from day one. when on a leash slide your
hand down the leash and don't allow them to jump.
if they're not on a leash hold them by the collar. if you
don't have a collar on them hold them down. don't give them
the chance to jump.


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## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

I have used the knee and a scolding tone "NO!", the dog gets the message.

If you have a helper, you can put the dog on leash with some collar around his neck (prong would make it quicker) then you approach the dog so he's in front of the helper, focused on you.. when the dog jumps up, your helper gives a collar correction and you walk away. Approach again, etc. until he does not jump or sits, then you praise him. If when starting the praise he jumps, correction and walk away.

Also as another person said, it's not GOOD for the dog to be uncontrollably excited like that, don't encourage that level of arousal, it will not help anything. Live with it but don't encourage it. As the above person said, ignore them until they settle down. That will make them figure out that they are not going to get anywhere in that crazed state of mind. By that alone, they would be less likely to jump on you.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

With Sasha I tried the turning your back thing and it didn't work for her; she'd jump on my back. I tried pushing her down; it became a game for her. The only thing I've found do work is to squirt her in the face with water. If I even grab the squirter now, she gives me a wide berth.


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## ValleyGirl (Dec 31, 2010)

My dog (9 months) also forgot to read the book about dogs settling down if you turn your back. She just jumps on your back. Worse she interpreted it over time as an ongoing game and once in the yard she ran at full speed toward my back and knocked me to the ground. (Didn't hear her coming). She combines the greeting with zoomies so she is not around to see you ignore her. Its jump, zoom into the other room, return and jump, zoom, repeat. 

Have completed two obedience class courses (she does everything pretty much "perfect" in that situation) and have had private session with trainer. So its getting better but not there yet. We start private agility lessons next week. Just a very exurberant, athletic dog that needs to age and settle down. My trainer says she is a "sneaky jumper"because the trainer has seen Greta approach me from the side and jump. 

Anyway, those owners with a similar situation like the OP have my sympathy because its frustrating to hear the standard "turn your back" advice and know that with some dogs this is not enough. And the knee and water don't always work either. I guess we all just need to persevere with training and time. Susan


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

Tim has tried to climb up my back as well, when we tried turning away. What worked has been, the squirt gun (have it handy), put on the prong and have family members come and go to practice sitting (dont have them greet, just make pup sit)..keep a leash handy and when you arrive home, put on the leash and make them stay down.

Oh, and with consistency and time this does go away!


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## TriadGSD (Feb 19, 2011)

i usually bend down and pet them /rub them all over when i get home it seems to work, he hasnt jumped for a while now.


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## MicheleMarie (Mar 29, 2011)

my trainer told me to do the wide open arms thing with the palms forward when you greet him and if he tries to still jump on you knee him. so far it works. he doesn't jump on me ever-only when we start a training session and i have food and i knee him them too. its other people he doesn't too well yet. but he's still 5 months so he'll get it eventually


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## Drkhse (Jun 6, 2011)

I notice that it hasn't been said but my method was from a puppy to GENTLY sweep not kick out the rear legs from under them. Again this was from a pup not an adult. Puppies are pretty rough and tumble anyway. You sweep the legs and the dog falls over. Pretty soon they get the idea that if they jump they fall. I know it sounds sort of mean to do, but trust me it gets serious results pretty quickly. I had my last dog trained not to jump on anyone very quickly, and am going to train my new pup in the same way. This way instead of them just not jumping on you they won't jump on anyone.


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## novacheck (May 5, 2010)

OK it’s been a while since I have posted, Sasha is now 16 months old and is hyper as ever! I bought a bike in December and take her for long bike rides just about every night. She really is a great dog, the only issue I have been having is jumping. When anyone comes in she jumps them, and she is big and it does hurt sometimes... She tries to kiss you all over and will not stop. I have tried to hold her paws and not let go but then she just starts nipping at your hands until you have no choice to let go, I have tired ignoring her and turning my back but she ends up scratching my back up and I have lost a few shirts this way. I have tried kneeing her gently, holding her down but then she thinks we are playing. I am out of ideas! If I know someone is going to be over I put her in her kennel until they have been in the house for a while then she is usually ok. I just wish I could have someone walk in the door without being attacked (NOT IN A MEAN WAY ATTACKED WANTING ATTENTION AND GIVING LOVE) Any ideas? I read the water bottle idea and think I might try that but the water bottle didn’t really help with the nipping issue in the past she just had to outgrow that.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

cwedge11 said:


> I have heard of lifting your knee up when they try to jump on you and saying no. It doesn't seem to work though! Any other suggestions? They only do it when we come home, or when we first wake up in the morning and they are so spastic to see us.* I want to be able to keep them excited about seeing us, but subtract the jumping up because those dang claws can hurt!* Any suggestions?


That is kinda not fair to the dogs. What are _you_ doing right before they start jumping on you? If you are initiating the excitablity, then _you_ need to change _your_ behavior. 

I don't allow my dogs to jump on me. I don't excite them when I first see them (morning / afterwork). I ignore them. They are excited, but they don't jump. My GSD will rub against me like a cat and I may pet on him on our way to the door, but rarely do I speak to him. 

If I do excite them I can promise you I can watch the stages increase. The end result will be dogs jumping on me. I can push their buttons. I can make it happen.


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

Keep in mind that any contact (after the jump) can very easily be recognized by your dog as a reward!! The knee doesn't often work. Turning your back might work but be prepared to get your back scratched during the practice. If I have a dog that is a known jumper I keep them on leash and attempt to redirect their attention.


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## rblanshan (Jun 23, 2011)

What a great thread! My female, 1.5 yrs. jumps too out of excitment...mainly when I let her out of the kennel. I have only had her for a few weeks, so I am not responsible for not training her as a puppy! However, if one my small kids is running and playing with her in the backyard, she also jumps (and mouths...working on mouthing too!). Nothing too serious, but annoying since she is definitely stronger & bigger then they (and their friends) are. Anyways, back to jumping...when I approach her kennel, I do not talk to her and don't even really look in her eyes. I do make her sit before opening it. When I let her out, she's excited and starts jumping. I tell her "No", I have turned my back and instinctively used the knee. This morning though, I took hold of her collar, she was unable to jump...so I think that is the route to go with her. I think from here on out, if she jumps, I will grab her collar and say "NO" and then hold on the collar for a bit, then let go and try it again. Along with keeping an eye on this thread for other good advice!


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## novacheck (May 5, 2010)

I still have tried everything! If I ignore her and turn my back or have my guests ignore her and turn there backs she jumps all over your back, she has ripped several of my shirts and has left scratch marks all over my guests. Now I have to leave her in her crate for about 30 minutes after I get home and then she will go straight outside. I put her in her crate when guests come over and I let her see them and heard them but no matter how long she is in there while they are there as soon as I let her out she runs and jumps them!


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

novacheck said:


> I put her in her crate when guests come over and I let her see them and heard them but no matter how long she is in there while they are there as soon as I let her out she runs and jumps them!


Bring her out on leash. Have everyone ignore her and leave her on leash until she's bored with them. Then let her greet them on leash if she wants to. If she's calm and not jumping on everyone, try letting her off leash. 

My dogs are very excited when people come over too, but this has worked very well. At her age she should be able to hold a down stay, so when you first bring her out on leash, put her in a down stay at your side while you wait for her to calm down. If she gets up put her back in place. You can reward her for staying there by dropping treats between her front paws if you want, or give her a bone to chew or a stuffed Kong to occupy her.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I use a squirt bottle with Sasha. It was the only thing I can find that works. If I lifted my knee, she jumped on my knee. If I turned my back she jumped me from behind. Getting squirted in the face seems to bother her, so that's what we use.


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## Happy (Nov 28, 2016)

hi all, glad to see that jumping is a big issue for lots of you, not just with Happy, my German Shepherd! (18 months old, and still a big jumper). I have managed to control her a bit when she sees me, by a stern voice, water pistol, etc. The problem is that we have a lot of people coming and going in the house - she wants to greet all of them by jumping. It's not realistic for me to get her on the leash each time, as she is usually already out in the garden and at the gate. What is recommended as the quickest and easiest thing to tell guests as they come through the garden gate, so they don't get jumped on?


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