How to Stop a Dog from Excitement Jumping?

Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.

We’ve all been there. You walk through the door after a long day at work, and suddenly you’re greeted by a furry tornado of excitement.

Your dog launches themselves at you with unbridled enthusiasm, leaving you covered in muddy paw prints and teetering on the edge of balance.

As much as we love to know how much our dog adores us, this behavior can quickly become problematic, especially when guests arrive or during encounters with strangers on walks.

In this short article, I want to share a few of my best dog training tips with you to correct this behavior.

The Challenges of Excitement Jumping

At first glance, you might think,”meh, this is harmless. My dog is just excited”, and you’re right.

There’s nothing wrong with our dogs being enthusiastic, but the bigger question is, when.

Let’s consider the potential consequences of this behavior:

1. Safety concerns: An overly excited dog can easily knock over children, elderly individuals, or anyone with balance issues. This poses a significant risk of injury.
2. Stress for guests: Not everyone appreciates being jumped on by a dog, no matter how friendly. This behavior can make visitors uncomfortable and reluctant to return.
3. Reinforcement of bad habits: By allowing jumping, we inadvertently teach our dogs that this is an acceptable way to greet people, making it harder to correct in the future.
4. Damage to clothing: Those muddy paws can leave lasting marks on clothing, potentially ruining outfits and creating additional stress.

It’s not just a cute quirk; your dog’s enthusiasm could lead to anxiety-inducing situations every time someone visits your home.

What Causes Excitement Jumping In Dogs?

Wanna turn this around? First, we need to understand why our dogs do it:

1. Overstimulation: Dogs, especially young ones, can become overwhelmed by the excitement of a greeting, leading to an outburst of energy.
2. Lack of impulse control: Some dogs haven’t learned to manage their emotions and reactions in stimulating situations.
3. Attention-seeking behavior: Dogs quickly learn that jumping gets them immediate attention, even if it’s negative.
4. Misinterpretation of human reactions: Our own excitement or attempts to push the dog away can be misinterpreted as play or encouragement.

If we don’t do anything about it, this behavior WILL worsen over time, turning into a deeply ingrained habit that’s challenging to break.

What seems manageable now could evolve into a significant problem, making everyday interactions stressful for both you and your dog.

Solutions to Curb Excitement Jumping

The good news is, we can teach our dogs more appropriate ways to greet people.

Here are some effective strategies that worked for me:

1. Teach an alternative behavior

One of the most successful approaches is to give your dog an alternative behavior to perform instead of jumping.

Teaching your dog to sit when greeting people provides them with a clear, calm action to focus on:

• Start by practicing the ‘sit’ command in low-distraction environments
• Gradually introduce distractions, rewarding your dog for maintaining the sit
• When someone arrives, ask your dog to sit before allowing greetings
• Reward your dog with treats and calm praise for remaining seated

2. Stay calm during greetings

Did you know? Our own behavior significantly influences our dog’s excitement levels.

I know it’s hard to control ourselves sometimes, but by remaining calm during greetings, we can set the tone for the interaction:

• Enter your home calmly, avoiding high-pitched, excited voices
• Ignore jumping behavior, turning away if necessary
• Only give attention and affection when all four paws are on the ground

3. Consistent training and positive reinforcement

As I’ve always preached, consistency is key in dog training.

Everyone in the household and regular visitors should follow the same rules:

• Establish a clear “no jumping” rule for all family members and guests (give them a heads up in advance)
• Use positive reinforcement techniques, rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, or toys
• Practice greetings regularly with family members and willing friends to reinforce good habits

4. Proper use of leash

Did you know that a leash can be a valuable tool in controlling your dog’s movements during greetings? Here’s how:

• Keep your dog on a leash when guests arrive
• Step on the leash to prevent jumping, allowing enough slack for your dog to sit comfortably
• Gradually increase freedom as your dog demonstrates calm behavior

5. Redirect energy before greetings

Another thing that can be helpful is to get your dog to burn off excess energy before potentially exciting situations:

• Take your dog for a walk or engage in play before guests are expected to arrive
• Provide mental stimulation through puzzle toys or training sessions to tire them out

How Long Does it Take to See Results?

Look, there’s no miracle pill that will change things overnight.

As I pointed out earlier, be consistent, and you will see results sooner rather than later.

After all, its your dog’s ingrained behavior, so it’s going to take time and patience.

Some other important factors you should be aware of includes:

• Your dog’s age and how long the jumping behavior has been reinforced
• The consistency of training across all family members and visitors
• Your dog’s individual temperament and learning speed

While some dogs may show improvement in a few weeks, others might take several months to fully overcome the habit.

Remember, setbacks are normal and part of the learning process.

Stay patient and consistent, and you will see progress.

Conclusion: A Calmer, Happier Household Awaits

Ask yourself: How much do you really want to improve this errant behavior? Do you want a well behaved dog that you can communicate with effectively?

Honestly, I see so many dog parents struggle, and it’s not surprising at all. You guys don’t have the right tools to train your dog!

To me, giving a dog proper training is a basic responsibility of pet owners, but it’s sadly put in the back seat at times.

If you’re serious about your dog’s welfare (as well as everyone around it), invest a little in a dog training program.

Go talk to professional trainers and see what they offer.

Or try out an online training program (much more affordable; that’s what I did) that will lay a solid foundation for your dog.