Dog jump on people
Many pet owners ask themselves that same question: why does my dog jump on people? A dog that has the habit of jumping over every person they meet is not appropriate for social interaction with humans. Not only is it an inappropriate behavior but it tends to scare people who are not even comfortable around dogs.
So, why does my dog jump on people?
There are a number of reasons for this behavior. One of them is simply an overjoyed dog that feels happy to see you, the mailman, your neighbors, your visitors and wants to show them this affection.
When your dog was a puppy, you noticed that he would jump over bigger dogs. This is to be able to sniff their noses. It is a normal greeting ritual for puppies. As they grow, they also grow out of it as they no longer need to jump to reach out to other noses.
If a dog jumps over a person, he is probably trying to reach this person’s face to sniff it or lick it. You can think of it as a way of saying, ‘Hi, nice to meet you, let me lick your face.‘ Unfortunately, most people pet or reward the dog when he does this, enforcing the dog behavior.
Your dog does not know that he is scaring the ‘victim’, scratching their leg, or soiling their shoes. On the opposite side, if you or the person he jumped over yells and pushes him off, he might believe that you are playing. He will most probably come back for another push from you and he got himself a new playing buddy.
What to do
At this point, you probably already figured that one way to go is not to reward unwanted behavior. That is correct. You should not pet or reward a dog that has engaged in such behavior. The actions that you need to take to prevent your dog from jumping on other people have to do with ignoring and distracting him.
The first thing that needs to be done is to make sure that the dog is not rewarded for the unwanted behavior. You can also try using a dog leash whenever you see he is about to jump on someone. This will help him understand that his behavior is not desired.
Another way is to try to keep your dog from jumping by distracting him with something else, like a toy, his food or a treat. If you are still wondering, “why does my dog jump on people?” you will find a way to remove this unwanted behavior.
In Dogalize, we want you to become the best master for your dog. This is why we have collected tons of information and resources for you take a look at. Make sure you follow us as we are constantly updating our services.