Jumping Up – is your dog being disrespectful?
Jumping up – is your dog being disrespectful? Does he climb all over you whenever he likes? What can you do about this unwanted behaviour? More to the point, do you WANT to do anything about this behaviour?
Who’s in charge
This is such a common problem for owners of puppies and older dogs alike. It can actually give you an idea about who is in charge in the household, you or your puppy/dog. You may think you’re in charge but he likely thinks, he is!
How do dogs react with each other?
If you watch dogs playing in the park, notice how they react with each other. If a dog tries to jump on another dog, it will likely get growled at or even bitten. In the dog’s mind, jumping up is an aggressive, dominant and rude gesture. The respectful way to meet a dog is to slowly come from the side and sniff, or even lay down sphinx-like in front of the other dog to communicate that he’s no threat.
A submissive dog will show his belly
A submissive dog may lay down and show its belly when jumped on. This is what one of my dogs does. He is admitting straight away that he is a submissive dog and the jumper is the more dominant. This behaviour will often defuse any aggressive behaviour and encourage the pushy dog to walk off or go and find another dog to jump on.
Does you dog jump on your visitors?
When visitors come to your house, does your dog jump up at them? This behaviour is very embarrassing for the owner and goes to prove that the dog is in charge. Some dogs will even mouth you and visitors. Mouthing is not to be tolerated at any cost and can be the beginning of a dog that bites.
You must be the leader
If your dog jumps up at you and the people he meets, without being invited, it is a sure sign that you need to do something to change how he regards you. You must be the leader of the household. In fact, all humans in the household must exhibit strong leadership behaviours. This does not mean you have to be unkind to your dog. It just means he has to know that you call the shots and all events and resources are controlled by you and the family.
You must put certain rules into place
There are certain rules you need to put into place to let your dog know that you’re the top dog and you control all that goes on in his life. Once this is in place, you will see a radical change in your dog’s behaviour, for the better. He will start to listen to you and will want to please you. The majority of dogs do not want to take charge. It’s a big ask for a dog to be the leader and can lead to anxiety, fearfulness and aggression. If the place of leader is vacant, your dog may fill the void. This is not acceptable. Your dog has to fit in with your life, not the other way around.
Are you an agreeable and friendly person?
Unless your dog is super submissive and there are many dogs around that are, you will need to be more assertive and take charge. This is difficult for some owners, especially if they are very agreeable and friendly. It is usually the really gently and pleasant people that dogs take advantage
of. It is clear what this dog thinks of this human!
Take charge, or else!
But for your dog’s sake, you must be calm, mentally strong and assertive and be in charge at all times. You will then own a dog that trusts you, looks to you for resources, protection and affection and will be forever faithful.
Thank you for this very interesting article about dogs behavior. I can really relate to a dog showing its belly. It doesn’t only work with other dogs. When my father visited me and my dog was behaving a little aggressively and without respect to him, I put her on her back and my father touched her belly. After that she started treating him with more respect.
I’m not sure if it works with all dogs, though.
Hi there Sandy, yes crouching low with arched back, head low, ears back, tail low and sometimes a submissive ‘grin’ are all submissive signs. Some dogs will also urinate. Putting a dog on its back is sometimes referred to an ‘alpha rollover’ which many modern dog behaviourists now dismiss as being too harsh. But if you are in control of your dog and show disapproval of an unwanted behaviour, many will lay down in front of you, to show their respect. They will stay still and down until you walk away. This is what happens in a wild wolf pack. Dogs have wolf DNA and sometimes wolf behaviour is exhibited by some dogs.
Yes! Thank you for this confirmation! I personally do not have a dog, and have only had a few in the past when I was a young child. We had a dog that was part dingo, which apparently is illegal in the United States, although we did not know this at the time. It was a VERY protective dog, which was kind of nice, but we also had a few “issues” with it (not towards us, but towards guests). Looking back, I suppose it is definitely possible that the dog may have thought it was the dominant one in the house, and I suppose in a way the dog was! We got rid of it shortly after my mom got some advice to by the vets. Now, my folks house has two cats. It is interesting because the belly thing in cats shows that they trust you. In a way, it is similar with dogs I believe as well. When they show their belly they are exposing themselves. Thank you for the detailed info about dogs.
One question I have, is how do you show a dog who is boss in a humane way? Especially once they have exercised dominance already? Than you!
Hi Sean and thank you for your comments. A dingo can be difficult to deal with, being that it is somewhat more wild than a domestic dog. It was good advice to move the dingo on as it could have exhibited unwanted behaviours as it aged and could be dangerous to own, especially around children.
Cats do have some similar behaviours to dogs but they are much more solitary and independent than dogs. For instance, you could leave a cat overnight and it wouldn’t care, but not a dog. Most dogs would be worried about being left overnight.
As for being the leader of your dog, there are many rules to be put into place, not least mastering the walk. If you can get to grips with the walk and your dog comes back to you whenever you call it, you are well on your way. If you dog is well behaved when out of the home with no pulling on the lead, no barking at strangers, being well behaved in a cafe etc., this is a good start. But…mastering the walk, starts in the home. You should NEVER leave the house with an excited dog. Even if it takes all day, your dog must be calm before it crosses the threshold, otherwise, you will never master the walk. I will be going into these rules in more detail with future posts.
I noticed that behavior when I took my dog to the dog park! They certainly do not jump each other. This makes a perfect sense I think my Shiro thinks he is my boss. I always assume that he is jumping up and down because he is excited to see me or my guests.
How do I train him to know that I am the leader? Is it by giving treats or scold him?
Hello Nuttanee, I’m afraid the answer lies within you. Your dog is jumping up on you and your guests because he can! Shiro has to know that the behaviour will not be tolerated. As for your guests, before they come in the door give them some instruction. Tell them not to look at Shiro, talk to Shiro or touch Shiro. They must completely ignore him and go and sit down. If he gets on them, they gently push him away. It is always a good idea to put a lead on your dog so you can gently move him away from your guests.
If he still insists on jumping on everyone, put him in ‘timeout’ for a few minutes. In the bathroom or kitchen and shut the door. Do this again if he still insists on jumping up. You may have to do it a few times but keep at it and at all times keep calm and assertive. Don’t shout, in fact, don’t say anything, just do it! Once he has calmed down, your guests can throw him a treat and you can also reward his good behaviour. Don’t fuss him too much, he will only get excited again.
Thanks for publishing this fascinating information. I always assumed that when a dog jumps up on someone they are just being playful or are overly excited, but now that I understand it from the perspective of showing dominance, I see this behavior in a completely different light. I am curious what you would recommend in terms of someone ‘taking charge’. I understand that the owner needs to establish themselves as the leader, but how can they go about doing so?
Hi Ashley, good question! One thing you need to consider is your own demeanour. If you are a calm and assertive owner who is always unflustered and does not get frustrated, this is ideal. Of course, this is difficult to do for many of us. Our character’s cannot be easily changed and we have to look into ourselves and not blame the dog for its bad behaviour. Dogs often mirror their owners. They are amazing creatures with a great talent for knowing how we feel. If you are feeling stressed and upset, you will have a hard time convincing your dog to be calm and obedient. Apart from your emotions, you must master the walk and this starts at home. Have a look at my reply to Sean.
Hi
I like your post. I have 4 dogs. I have a big yard and let them run twice a day. But they stay a little and come well in the yard. They generally let them do what they want. I also have many cats, but the dogs leave them alone. Recently, however, I had an experience with my big dog: he had come from outside and I wanted to take it. He has left and bit me. I’m scared to get scared. Since then I do not take it into account and the behavior tells me that she realizes she’s wrong. Do you have any advice for me in this case?
best regards
Carmen
Hi there Carmen, it sounds to me that you never take your dogs for a walk away from the home. Dogs psychologically need to walk away from the home territory, it is in their DNA. I know it is difficult to walk 4 dogs so perhaps you can get some help from a professional dog walker. If you are frightened of your dog, he will pick up on this and take advantage.
You really need to get professional help if there are aggression issues with any of your dogs. I know you love all your dogs but it may be best for you to rehome perhaps two of them, so you can cope with the other two. Just a suggestion but I am thinking of both you and your dogs. Dogs live in the moment so if you did rehome they will be quite happy with a new owner, especially one that has the time to do long walks and concentrate on rehabilitating any unwanted behaviours. Good luck to you, I am sure you will find the best solution for all of you, but don’t do it on your own, get help!
This is a guide for our dog Sammy. We have him from a shelter, and really, he jumps to everybody, and he seems not to understand and to listen to us. I’m going to show this post to my wife, since it has good tips, and I’m pretty sure this can be useful for us. I will let you know soon if Sammy learns of it.
Hi Emmanuel and thanks for your comment. Please be aware that it is often the owner’s emotional state that the dog picks up on. Dogs are mirrors of our own issues so please be sure to always have a calm and assertive demeanour around your dog. If you get frustrated or upset, control these emotions. Look at my replies to other comments, they may be helpful too. Make sure Sammy always has plenty of exercise, away from the home ie. in the park or on the beach. He will be much calmer if you get the fizz out of him!
Thank you for the helpful article. My puppy is constantly jumping up on both me and visitors to the house. I thought it was just a playful thing that he would eventually grow out of but after reading, now I see that he is exhibiting his dominance.
What suggestions do you have to counter this behavior without seeming “mean” or overly aggressive? Simply telling him No in a firm voice does not seem to work. I certainly do not wish to slap or spank my puppy.
Any suggestions you have will be helpful. Thanks so much!
Hi Shannon and thanks for your comment. Puppies are often spoilt because they are so cute but the cuteness will wear thin when they get bigger, stronger and start mouthing or doing other unwanted behaviours. You have to nip it in the bud. When you leave him alone, which you must do for a short while at least, go out the door without saying or doing anything, ignore your puppy. Come back in a short while later, making sure he is not crying or barking before you enter. Ignore him again for 5 minutes or so then gently give him a stroke and a treat.
As for the jumping up, when he jumps up ignore him. Don’t look down at him, look away, don’t say anything, ignore him completely. Keep still and keep your hands in pockets or folded. If he continues, put him in ‘timeout’ for a few minutes without saying a word. It’s a good idea to have a lead on him whilst doing this exercise, you have more control that way. He will probably test you for quite a few ‘timeouts’ but keep at it. Once he calms down and stops jumping, you can reward him but don’t fuss him too much. Reward, then walk off and do something else.
He must learn to do everything in his life, on your terms. He must also learn not to depend on you too much. This will alleviate the possibility of separation anxiety which many dogs suffer from because of their early improper upbringing. Don’t let your puppy follow you everywhere. Don’t let him in the loo or the shower. This is a good time to separate him from you for a short while. Leave him for short periods without saying a word and return the same way. He will soon learn that you always return. I don’t advocate leaving an adult dog alone for more than 4 hours. If you work, employ a dog walker or sitter to come and see your dog or take him for a walk.
There is no need to use physical punishment. You must strive to be the leader of your household. I will be doing more posts in the future on this subject.
Dogs jumping on people is NOT a bad habit, it’s just a cute, playful behavior. Teaching your dog not to jump on people is like telling someone not to be happy to greet you. You definitely should NOT teach your dog to stop jumping on people.
Hi there Beckett, I must admit I was rather surprised with your comment. You are the first person who has suggested dogs should be allowed to jump up, despite the dangers and unfortunate accidents this behaviour can cause. It is a normal habit with dogs within a pack, but unacceptable for a dog living with humans, in my mind for obvious reasons.
Dogs need boundaries and limitations to live in harmony with us humans. They are a joy to have as one of the family, but this particular behaviour can cause a plethora of problems, many of which are dangerous to both the dog and the human. It is a behaviour that is top of the list when I am approached for advice on how to deal with an unwanted behaviour. Below are some of the reasons I have dealt with regarding the problems caused by jumping up:
1. One family was distraught because their puppy, which had grown into a heavy and boisterous ‘teenager’ had knocked Grandma over and caused her injury. They were having trouble training him to keep ‘off’ to no avail. They were even thinking of rehoming him, which was upsetting to the whole family, including Grandma!
2. Another little dog was getting a bad name when out walking in the park, because she insisted on jumping up on every person that passed by. Most were OK with this behaviour but some were very annoyed at having muddy paws on their trousers and those with bare legs were getting scratched and/or torn tights; the owner was getting some stick because of it. This led the owner avoiding people when out walking, (not good for the dog) and she kept her dog permanently on the lead. Not ideal for a dog that needs to run around and play with other dogs and be socialised.
3. Another lovely dog was allowed to jump on his owners, despite being a heavyweight Husky. They obviously tolerated this behaviour, but when visitors came round, they were not too keen having this large, albeit friendly dog, sitting on their lap and refusing to get off. The owners decided they needed to stop him jumping on their laps, unless of course, he was invited. Most visitors, especially children, were not keen on having the large heavy dog sitting on them, unsurprisingly!
Going by your comment, I think your romantic notion of dogs, could be tainting your reasoning as to what is acceptable behaviour in a dog. When they’re puppies, jumping up is normal and many think it’s cute. However, once the pup grows and becomes an adult, this behaviour can turn into something more serious. I get the feeling that you may think that dogs get upset by your insisting they get ‘down’ or stay ‘off’.
Dogs are not like human children and don’t take offence. I would suggest you learn a little more about dogs and how they think. A book on dog behaviour and how dogs’ minds work could be of benefit to you and help you understand dogs and what their body language, movements and actions really mean. There are many such publications on the internet. You obviously love dogs and may enjoy doing a dog behaviourist course. This could even lead to you becoming a dog behaviourist in the future!