Jumping Up on People: Cute or a Dangerous Lack of Dog Training?

Why is jumping up on people such a pervasive dog behavior?

Because everything we naturally do to stop the behavior actually serves to reward it.

Dogs jump up on people because they are seeking social contact. They hope we will look at them, talk to them, and/or touch them. So, if we look at the dog, push them away, and/or say “no” or “off”… it actually rewards the behavior we think we’re punishing.

Why “Off” Isn’t the Solution

Some people think if they tell their dog “off” when it jumps up on them, this will teach the dog to not jump up in the future. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, the dog learns a behavior chain: see a person, jump up on that person, be told “off,” then get petted. The dog learns that entire sequence of behavior to get the reward of petting afterwards. It only serves to make jumping up a stronger behavior for the dog.

“But,” you say, “I don’t pet my dog after they get off of me.”

I believe you, but most dogs would rather be told “off” than be ignored.

I see this time and time again during Puppy Day School evaluations. The pup’s owner and I are chatting about their puppy’s behavior at home. The puppy has finished their Pupsicle and is getting a little restless, so he jumps up at his owner. 

The owner immediately stops looking at me, looks at the puppy, and says “No no! Off!” and gently pushes the puppy away. The puppy gets back on to the floor, and the owner and I resume talking.

You can practically SEE the lightbulb turn on over the puppy’s head. The puppy just learned that he can make it “all about me” by jumping up on his owner. Jumping up had the effect of getting his owner’s attention. 

But I Don’t Care if My Dog is Jumping Up on Me

Some people reward their dogs or puppies for jumping up because they think it’s cute and it doesn’t bother them right now. Think long-term. If it’s not going to be okay for your dog to jump up on you when…

• you’re wearing white and have a job interview in 15 minutes
• they’re wet or muddy from walking outside
• they’re three weeks overdue for a nail trim and look like Edward Scissorhands
• they’re fully grown and weigh 90 pounds

…then it’s not okay for them to jump up on you now. It’s not fair to reward this behavior now and then squawk at them or swat them away in other scenarios. Clarity is kindness!

Also, consider who else your dog comes in contact with. Personally, I have elderly family members who interact with my dogs, so it’s critical that they do not jump up on people they meet.

Last but not least, keep in mind that a dog that jumps up and harms someone – even during a friendly greeting – can be legally considered a dangerous dog. I am aware of situations where dogs that scratched people were cited by animal control. A second citation could have resulted in these owners losing their homeowners’ insurance policies or being forced to rehome their dog. One dog was actually home-quarantined by animal control and required to stay home for two weeks! Dogs that jump up on other people are a liability. 

But I Want My Dog to Jump Up On Me…. Sometimes!

Once your dog has a strong understanding of greeting people without jumping up on them, you can teach them to jump up on you on cue. Think of this like Simon Says: when I give you the cue, you can jump up on me. But if I haven’t given you the cue, and you jump up on me, you lose the game – I am not going to pay any attention to you right now.

Here’s a video of me greeting our dog Wick. Notice that he may bounce, but he does not put his feet on me until he hears the cue “hop it up.” Then, when his paws are on me, I can tell him “off” when I’m ready to move on. “Off” is not punishment or negative in any way – it’s just information.

“Shake” or “Paw” is a Gray Area

In my experience, it can be confusing to a dog to teach them paw while they don’t have a strong understanding of how to greet people appropriately. If your dog is struggling with keeping their paws to themselves, don’t add a situation where it’s appropriate for them to put their feet on you. See my blog post “Why Paw is Problematic” for more details.

How Do I Train My Dog to Not Jump Up?

90% of this problem is solved by rewarding a desirable greeting behavior.

10% of this behavior is how you respond when your dog jumps up on you.

First, when your dog jumps up on you, keep your hands at your side and look up at the ceiling. Count to 10 if you need to. Eventually, your dog will realize they’re not getting that social contact they’re seeking from you, and they will get off. When your dog is back on the ground for a few seconds, praise and pet them. Keep it calm – if you amp your dog up, they’re likely to jump up on you. 

Next, reward your dog for approaching you before they have a chance to jump up on you. Notice when they are walking towards you and start greeting them when they’re a few feet away from you. Don’t wait for them to make contact with you first!

We cover how to teach greetings correctly in-depth in our Polite in Public group dog training class. In this Flex Class, we also explain how to manage greetings with other people – including strangers you meet on the street, so you have a game plan even when greeting people who say things like, “Oh, I don’t mind if he jumps up on me!” (Yeah, because you aren’t my 90-something year old grandma who will break a hip if he knocks you over…)

Stick With It

Retraining a dog who has already learned to jump up on people for attention does take some time, but the results are worth it in the long run. Dogs who greet people politely are safer to live with and enjoy more freedom in social settings – like invites to friends’ houses or access to dog-friendly outdoor restaurants.