Why it happens
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A face-to-face greeting
Puppies greeting adult dogs lick the corners of their mouths. A person's face is high up, so the dog stretches and jumps to reach it.
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Attention is the reward
When a dog jumps up, the person looks at it, speaks, pushes it away or laughs. To the dog all of that is a response, so next time it jumps even harder.
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Joy and excitement
When you come home from work or visitors arrive, the dog can hardly contain itself. The longer it has been alone and the noisier the greeting, the higher it jumps.
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It was allowed as a puppy
A tiny puppy scrambling onto your lap is lovely to stroke. When it grows up and jumps at visitors with muddy paws, the rule suddenly changes, and the dog does not understand why.
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Uncertainty
Some dogs jump up at people because they feel unsure and are trying to ease the tension. You can tell from ears pressed back, lip licking, a crouched body and a low tail.
What helps
- Attention only on four paws When your dog jumps, calmly turn away and say nothing. When all four paws are on the ground, bend down, praise it and stroke it. Do not knee it or tread on its paws: that frightens it and is still attention.
- Calm greetings When you get home, keep the greeting low-key: put your things down, take your shoes off and greet the dog once it has settled a little. Your calm voice helps the dog calm down too.
- A job instead of jumping Teach your dog to sit or fetch a toy when it greets people. It cannot sit and jump at the same time, and a toy in its mouth gives the excitement somewhere else to go.
- Treats on the floor When a visitor comes in, drop a few treats on the floor. The dog sniffs and picks them up down low instead of jumping at faces, and the first rush of excitement passes.
- One rule for everyone Ask your family and visitors to behave the same way and not to stroke a dog that is jumping. While the dog is learning, keep it on a lead or behind a baby gate when visitors arrive, so it has no chance to jump.
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When it is a question for a vet
Jumping up is not an illness. See a vet if a dog that always jumped up suddenly stops, no longer wants to stand on its hind legs or jump into the car or onto the sofa, limps or yelps when it moves – this can be back or joint pain. The same goes if your dog suddenly starts behaving quite differently towards people.