Keeping Paws on the Ground: Strategies to Stop Your Dog from Jumping

Hello, fellow dog parents!

Today, let's tackle a common behaviour concern that many dog owners face: jumping. Whether it's greeting guests, getting too excited during playtime, or trying to reach for a tasty treat on the counter, jumping can be a challenging behaviour to address. But fear not, as we have effective strategies to help your dog keep their paws on the ground and maintain calmness in various situations.

Teaching Calmness

One of the keys to curbing jumping behaviour is teaching your dog to be calm and composed.

Active rest involves helping your dog take the thinking out of their day! Creating a space where your dog doesn’t have to make any choices they just sleep, and get good quality sleep in a quiet, cozy space where they feel safe and relaxed.These activities help channel your dog's energy in a positive way and encourage a calm state of mind.

Passive calming activities, on the other hand, involve creating a calm space where your dog can have access to snuffle mats, scattered food, scent work looking for food in a food toy, a filled toppl/kong, ect. This promotes a calm space for your dog to have some mental stimulation but in a calm way, promoting relaxed loose body language while interacting with you.

Consistently reinforcing calm behaviour through active rest and passive activities helps your dog learn to remain relaxed in various situations.

Gated Communities

Another effective strategy is to create gated communities within your home to prevent your dog from practicing jumping behaviours, especially at doors or when guests arrive. By controlling your dog's access to certain areas, you can minimize opportunities for them to engage in unwanted behaviours.

For example, use baby gates or barriers to restrict access to the front door or areas where guests typically enter. This gives you more control over greetings and allows you to redirect your dog's attention to positive behaviours, such as a lick mat or long lasting chew.

Teaching a Strong Boundary

Teaching your dog to have a strong boundary (or designated place) can also be beneficial in managing jumping. This can be a designated mat or bed where your dog learns to go and happily stay there till released. The key is to make this place highly rewarding and valuable for your dog.

Remember to reward the boundary itself, not just the dog. Use treats and praise to reinforce the positive association with the designated area. This helps your dog understand that staying in that place is rewarding and encourages them to choose that behaviour over jumping or wandering.

Bonus Game: Four on the Floor

Now, for a fun and engaging game to reinforce keeping paws on the ground, let's play "Four on the Floor." This game focuses on rewarding your dog for maintaining calmness and staying grounded.

Start by dropping rewards on the floor away from tempting areas like counters or doorways. Reward your dog for choosing to investigate the floor rather than jumping or exploring other areas. Gradually increase the difficulty by scattering treats on the floor while gently petting your dog to simulate distractions.

You can also play this game on leash with another person nearby. Reward your dog for staying calm and focused on the floor while gradually introducing distractions like tossing treats towards the person or making noises. This helps your dog understand that staying calm and grounded leads to positive rewards and attention.

Consistency is key in reinforcing these strategies and games. Practice them regularly in various settings to help your dog develop strong habits and replace jumping behaviors with more desirable alternatives.

With patience, positive reinforcement, and a bit of creativity, you can successfully keep your dog's paws on the ground and enjoy peaceful interactions together.

Interested in a mini course designed to help you and your dog stop jumping in 10 days? Follow the link for more info Stop Jumping mini course.

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