There are so many bad habits that start in puppy hood and very quickly become a major problem once your pup matures into an adult dog. Nearly every dog owner has faced the scenario when welcoming visitors to the house and then the very next minute, the guests are frantically trying to fight off the over friendly family dog.
Jumping up out of control is one of the most common problems facing dog owners today. What started as a playful greeting by a cute little bouncing puppy is no longer a joke particularly if you happen to own one of the larger breeds.
The good news is that this tendency to jump up is quite easy to stop; the bad news is it takes a little while and demands some patience on your side. The very first step you must make with starting this stage of training is to stop your dog jumping up at you. Without realising what has happened, you as the loving owner probably enjoys this kind of attention from your dog, when you return home. Your dog however, cannot distinguish between jumping up and greeting you, to jumping on anybody else who visits your house or indeed stops to chat in the park.
Jumping up like a kangaroo is not misbehaving or classed as disobedient, it is purely a bad habit. As anyone knows trying to break a bad habit takes willpower and perseverance, so be prepared to keep reinforcing this training for a little while.
The best way to start is to simply recognise the sign that your dog is going to jump. Initially you have two options, if it is safe to take a step backwards do so, this will leave the dog in midair. Immediately tell him to "sit" and praise him when he does.
Stepping backwards can be dangerous for you and not always an option, so starting with the anticipation that he is going to jump raise your knee. You must act quickly since you can only bring your knee up as he is about to jump, leaving it too late could cause contact with your pet and you do not want to harm him in any way.
The real secret to breaking this habit is recognising the signs that he is about to propel himself upwards and as he starts to move into the jump position you can control him with the command "sit". This may involve you having to return to the basic training which I hope he mastered well.
When visitors arrive to your house and before you open the door, place your dog in the "sit" position, obviously you cannot expect your guests to start stepping backwards or raising their knees! Simply hold a handful of treats and watch your dog like a hawk, if there is the slightest movement that makes you think he will jump, give him a command, and then praise him.
Overtime and with patience he will learn the lessons and your friends and family will be impressed by your well trained dog.
Lucy May works from home as a freelance writer and regularly contributes to various online sites, including blogs and websites concerning dogs and puppies. For more information on training your dog please take a look at: http://k9schooltime.blogspot.com/