Jumping-on-People

Puppies usually jump on people because of their affiliate need for contact with the most biologically significant part of human body - that is the face. It probably has it roots in early development as witnessed in the neonatal pup jumping towards the face of the mother in an attempt to elicit food-regurgitation. In addition, if a dog is large enough, or if the owner bends to the level of the dog, the dog will lick a person's face as a further gesture of affiliation which, again, is a normal canine greeting response. Hence, it is easy to understand why some puppies choose to jump on people; nevertheless, this does not make the behavior justifiable - particularly when it is directed towards strangers or children.

Some remedies are listed below:

• From the beginning, every time your dog approaches a family member or visitor, it should be commanded to sit. All family members need to be consistent in this regard.
• Jumping on people should not be allowed at any time. When you dog does not jump on people in the appropriate circumstances, he/she should ways be rewardedfor not jumping.
• Avoid invertently rewarding the jumping behavior. Even verbal or physical discipline can actually reinforce this misbehavior if it is not done with sufficient intensity.
• Train your dog to consistently exhibit an acceptable responsewhen greeting people. Usually commanding a dog to sit sufficies. Encourage and reward the desired response. It is very important to reward acceptable behavior (i.e. non-jumping) specifically in the context in which jumping on people usually happens.
• Find an appropriate "correction", such as shaker can, and use as needed to "correct" the dog immediately when it jumps. Alternatively, grab and hold the front paws when the dog jumps and immediately release when your dog shows discomfort. It is not necessary to squeez. As a last resort, use a prong collar to immediately "correct" your dog whenever it jumps on people.
• If your dog seems incorrigible, you may need to set up contrived training sessions:
  Ask a friend to knock or ring the bell. Open the door for the person to enter; When your dog jumps up, immediately "correct". If your dog does not jump, command it to sit and reward with a delicious treat.
• Other option including turning your back on the dog, kneeing the dog in the chest, lowering your body to the level of the dog, using a Gentle Leader head collar (the leash is attached underneath the chin which make it pratical to pull the dog's head and body downwards). The success of these techniques, like the others mentioned above, varies from dog-to dog.
• Emphasis needs to be placed on recognizing the context in which jumping occurs, realizingthat the habit can be changed only if the owner focuses principally on the reward of non-jumping behavior in the specified contexts.