No more jumping Maya!
A video of Maya’s behavior before and after we trained together (less than 2 minutes). Thank you to my client, Shreya, for permission to use these video clips, and to Aris Brent-Simmons (https://arisbrentsimmons.com/) for the lovely image of me working with Shreya and Maya in the last frame!
Maya is a German Shepherd Dog/Plott Hound mix who would jump on people when they entered her home or as they approached while she was out on a walk. At the time I worked with her, Maya was about 3 years old and 60 pounds strong. Her mom wanted to change this behavior, which was hard to manage, and at times embarrassing and frustrating around guests and strangers.
Excited and people-loving pups need help learning that they still get to meet people as long as they behave appropriately. Here’s the basics of my training plan for Maya that pup parents can follow.
Leash your pup up and tether her to something heavy and strong that won’t let her reach your guests. It’s best to have some neighbors or friends who will be willing to help you and your pup practice polite greetings as they enter your home as guests.
When guests enter, have them take one step forward only when your pup has all four on the floor - this can be standing, sitting, or in a down.
As long as she has all four on the floor, they can continue to get closer. If and when she jumps up, ask them to stop. When she has all four on the floor again, they can continue to walk towards her.
When they are close enough to pet her, have them kneel down at her level and then pet her so she doesn’t feel the need to jump up to get closer to them.
If she jumps up, they stand up and take a step back away from her reach.
If she’s able to control her impulse to jump up on your guest, you can untether /unleash her and throw some treats on the ground that she loves to keep her nose down (she can’t jump up when she’s searching for and eating cookies!). This helps reinforce her for not jumping on your guest now that she is physically free to move about the cabin, and keeps her busy on the floor.
Again, if she jumps up when she is free, tell the guest to go outside. This is a very clear message that jumping is not acceptable.
How long it will take to train your pup to not jump on guests when they come into your home will vary depending on various factors including but not limited to: how excited your pup gets with greeting guests; the effectiveness of your set up to manage her from jumping; how well your practice guests can follow instructions (!); and your overall level of skill and consistency with training.
If you still need help or want my professional support from the get-go, book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call with me!
