Pet Puzzle, January 2024

New Year and some new projects! I’m very excited to start a monthly Pet Puzzle column in my local neighborhood newspaper, The Leader, where I answer readers questions about their pets. Do you have a question you’d like me to answer in the column? Let me know in the comments.

Here is a reprint from January.

 “How do you keep a dog from jumping up on you or guests? Mine are obsessive about it. There's two of them and, while not aggressive, they make it impossible to walk through the door!”

This is such a common complaint! While jumping is a normal dog behavior, it can be bothersome and sometimes dangerous. There are many ways to help dogs to be polite with their greetings, but here are two easy suggestions.

Quick fix. Keep some treats by the front door. Before your dog can jump on you or a guest, throw some treats away from the door, to redirect their attention. This will move them away from the entrance and keep them busy while you or a guest comes in. Searching for treats will also calm your dog down a bit and lower their excitement.*

Some tips:

- Toss treats before the dog jumps to avoid rewarding the behavior.

- If you always toss treats in the same area, you will see that your dog will start moving there every time someone comes in. They will have learned that this is a good place to be when the door opens!

Training. This will take some time and practice. Set up practice sessions – first just with you and then with other members of the family or friends. Install a baby gate or put another barrier in place, so your dog can’t jump when you walk in the door. Wait for the initial excitement to subside. Stay neutral and calm, you don’t have to say anything. When your dog has all four paws on the ground, give them some love – having an opportunity to greet you is the reward! Stay behind the gate, so if (when) your dog starts jumping again, you can take a step back. You decide what “calm” means to you, considering your dog’s age and level of excitement. Sitting down may be too much of an ask for a very excited puppy. Allowing him to pace, twirl or run to get his favorite toy will let you achieve a training success faster.

You can combine both methods. Use the quick fix outside practice sessions to reinforce calm behavior during arrivals.

Have a dog that jumps out of happiness? Try these suggestions and let me know how it went! Have a question I can answer next month? Share it in the comments below!

Be kind to yourself, your animals, and each other!

*If you’re a bit of a nerd and want to know how that works, research Jaak Panksepp or the Seeking System