Why does my dog jump on me while walking? …If you’re asking yourself this exact question, then you’re not the only one.
Let’s face it, there’s a time and a place for your dog to attempt to break the all-time high jump record. And unfortunately, walking isn’t one of them.
It’s frustrating, annoying, and sometimes, it can even be downright dangerous. Especially if you own a larger than normal breed.
This is a behavior that can get very old and very quickly. And what’s worse, it’s not something your dog is just going to stop cold turkey unless you put measures in place to address it.
Fortunately, no problem is impossible to manage. The trick, however, is to get first teach your dog how to stay calm and in control of their emotions.
This is why before you do anything else, I’d highly recommend grabbing a free copy of “My Everyday Dog Training Tools” from Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer. (see link below)
Designed to help keep your dog’s emotions in check. This short (but very using guide) will show you how to quickly and effectively stop your dog’s obsessive jumping by using a few simple calming exercises.
Better still, these exercises take minutes to implement, so they’re great if you don’t want to waste hours training your dog.
Here’s the link to take a look: Click Here To Grab Your Free Copy Of My Everyday Dog Training Tools And Discover How To Finally Put A Stop To Your Dogs Obsessive Jumping… Even If You’ve Tried & Failed Before!
Jumping is a behavior that is quite common among dogs.
If done in the right places and during the right moments, it can be innocent enough. It’s only when the behavior is overdone that it starts to become annoying or risky at times.
So in today’s blog post, we’re going to cover everything from the triggers to the solutions for unwanted jumping behavior in dogs.
Let’s dive in!
Why does my dog jump on me while walking?
There are different theories that try to explain why dogs jump. The most common among them are the assumptions that your dog is trying to assert their dominance.
The only problem with this claim is that other than the lack of proof to back it up, it also doesn’t make much sense.
Instead, take a few minutes to consider the following… Do any sound familiar?
1. Seeking attention
One of the most common reasons why dogs jump on their owners while walking is to simply get some attention.
Amazingly, dogs are so good at getting attention this way as it’s an easy way to take advantage of our weaknesses.
Basically, whenever your dog jumps up on you, it’s almost obvious that you will give them some attention. Whether positively or negatively, it doesn’t really matter in your dog’s eyes.
You may think that actions such as pushing your dog or scolding them are not the opposite of giving attention.
The reality, however, is that even though this is in many ways negative attention. It’s still a form of attention that can turn into more persistent behavior in the future if you allow it to continue.
2. Attempting to play
There are times when your dog can jump or even bite on you to initiate play. When this happens, it is usually not the result of aggressive behavior.
It’s usually just a result of your dog having a lot of pent energy that they want to release.
They could simply be trying to get you to play fetch with them or even free them from the leash so that they can run.
Even though this behavior is not always negative, it still has the potential to cause injury or damage. Especially if you own a huge dog with sharp claws.
3. Anxiety
There are various triggers that can make your dog anxious. Noisy and crowded places, to name a few.
If your dog is not comfortable being in such places or around other dogs, there’s a high likelihood they could suddenly become anxious.
In this instance, your dog might decide to jump to communicate that the situation is too much for them.
Related Post: How To Calm A Dog With Separation Anxiety In 3 Simple Steps
4. Overexcitement
If your dog is highly excited, it will get instigated to jump playfully.
There are lots of different situations that could get your dog overly excited. And can range from something as simple as wanting to chase a car or another animal.
You need to remember that all dogs will react differently when they are overstimulated.
Some will start moving around enthusiastically, others will play with their toys, and some will, you guessed it, get obsessively jumpy.
As an owner, you need to understand that some dogs are more energetic compared to others and might need a way and a place to spend their abundant energy.
And if they are not happy with whatever activity they’re involved in, they communicate that problem by jumping up.
Related Post: How To Calm An Overexcited Dog – Instant Calming Techniques
5. A friendly greeting
Dog’s engage and greet each other face to face.
In some cases, you might even see dogs licking each other in the face and can try to do the same with people.
This is a natural form of communication for dogs. The problem, however, is that humans are much much taller than our furry friends.
So if they do feel the urge to say hello (either to you or a fellow human), the obvious course of action is to jump up and do it face to face.
6. You are encouraging the behavior
Dogs are masters at getting the response they desire. Anything from calmly persuading your dog to scolding can unintentionally reinforce a specific behavior or reaction.
For instance, something as simple as petting them or scratching them behind the ears also encourages them to adopt a certain behavior as a way of getting what they want.
Keep in mind that dogs are good at taking advantage of situations that benefit them. They’ll test your boundaries for as long as you let them get away with it.
How To Stop Your Dog Jumping Up While Walking
Stopping a specific habit in dogs is not always easy.
Most of the time, it takes a lot of patience and persistence to get your dog to give up the habit. So you’ll need to take your time to familiarize yourself with some of the best practices.
That said, here are the best ways to bring this unwanted habit to a stop.
1. Establish the cause
Before addressing the problem, you need to find out what the trigger is.
This is easier said than done but trust me when I say that a lot easier to address the habit if you can figure out why it’s happening in the first place.
So take the time to study any specific times, locations, or even specific behavioral traits that accompany the jumping habit.
Basically, pay attention to what’s different when the dog decides to jump on you.
For instance…
- Do they jump up when they see another dog, human, or even a passing car?
- Do they jump when you get near a specific location like the park or when you’re leaving the house?
Really take time to consider all of the options here, as it can save you a lot of hassle and frustration further down the line.
2. Reward good behavior
Once you have established the reason behind your dog’s tendency to jump, it’s important to focus on getting rid of the habit in a positive manner.
This can be done by encouraging your dog to adopt a non-jumping behavior through the use of rewards.
While giving your dog treats and praising them for keeping all their four paws on the ground, be sure to do so in a low-key manner.
That’s in consideration that showing them too much attention and excitement can trigger another round of jumping.
3. Calm them down before heading out for a walk
If your dog is excited or stressed, make sure they’re calm before heading out.
You can choose to exercise them shortly before heading out to remove any pent-up energy, or better still, apply the calming techniques taught inside My Everyday Dog Training Tools
4. Use distractions
It can take some time to reinforce the undesirable behavior. In the meantime, a temporary solution is simply to distract your dogs in situations where they’re prone to jumping.
Even something as easy as giving them something to hold in their mouth can make all the difference by taking their focus away from the problem at hand.
5. Ignore the jumping
One of the most effective ways to train your dog not to jump when you don’t want them to is to avoid showing any interest in what they are doing.
This is especially effective for attention-seeking behavior.
Avoid eye contact, touching, or even making a sound. You could even take this one step further by using the turnaround method.
For this to work effectively, all you’ll be doing is turning your back and walking in the opposite direction.
Not only is this good for stopping unwanted jumping, but it also establishes you as the pack leader by getting your dog to choose to follow you.
It might sound obvious, but pack leadership is vital for eliminating ANY unwanted behavior long term. It’s also something that’s discussed in great detail inside My Everyday Dog Training Tools
Once your dog is calm, you can go back to being normal.
However, if they start jumping again, simply rinse and repeat the process until it has the desired effect.
Eventually, they will realize that jumping on you is not the answer to their attention needs or anything else that can be causing the habit.
Wrapping Things Up
It can be innocent enough when your dog jumps on you only when you expect and want them to.
However, more often than not, you’ll want to do everything you can to discourage the behavior. For your sanity, if nothing else.
But with the tips outlined above, you should be well on your way to discouraging your dog’s unwanted jumping sooner rather than later.
Keep in mind that patience and persistence will always help you win.
And in cases where you might not have the time to train Fido, you can always seek the assistance of a dog training professional or check out My Everyday Dog Training Tools for best results.
