Do you have a dog that likes to jump on you or everyone? Yes, literally everyone. Not only can it be a little embarrassing, but it can also be a hazard when it comes to a large dog like GSDs – they can knock someone off unintentionally.
Jumping is a behavior that is usually a result of excitement and inadequate training in dogs. Excitement management, leash training, rewarding, and reinforcement will stop your dog from jumping on people over time.
Mind you, your GSD will not outgrow jumping or any other unwanted behavior if not properly trained to. But the good news is that they are certainly smart enough to learn the right behavior – and probably much quicker than other breeds.
| Key Takeaways Here are some of the most important takeaways to training your GSD to not jump. 1. Be calm every time you walked in the door. 2. Use a leash to prevent them from jumping. (Watch the video below to learn exactly how.) 3. Keep treats handy to reward your dog for not jumping. 4. Dismiss bad behavior by ignoring your dog and calmly stepping away. |
Why Do German Shepherds Jump on People?
GSDs are high-energy breeds. This can often translate to the excitement, especially when meeting people.
This is what causes them to jump. Simply put, they are excited to see you.
Jumping on greeting is not only a GSD trait, but all dogs that are energetic and generally happy will jump on you, your family, and your friends until they are trained not to.
How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping on People Within Minutes?
Watch this video from McCann Dog Training where instructor Carol teaches you how to do it differently:
Is your GSD food-driven or play-driven?
This might not seem to be a very important question when it comes to your GSD jumping on you, but it is.
A play-driven GSD is much more likely to jump whenever they are overly excited. On the other hand, you will usually find your GSD jumps on you or someone else whenever there is food involved if they are food-driven.
Figuring out which category your GSD falls in will help determine how you can fix the behavior.
Important things to remember when training GSDs
Before you start implementing any training with a GSD, it is important to understand a few things about the breed that you might not already be familiar with. Here are four good tips to remember for any training:
- They can very sensitive. If you are overly harsh, you could hurt their feelings which will slow down learning hugely.
- They are reward-driven. Food, praise, and play are all good ways to reward your GSD when they complete the task correctly. This will help reinforce good behavior.
- Stay patient. Any training can take some patience while your dog is learning, but luckily GSDs are incredibly intelligent so they should grasp it quickly.
- Be consistent. Consistency is hugely important. You need to keep up the training to cement good behavior. Otherwise, your GSD could go right back to jumping up.
And at the end of the day, good training is only made up of two simple steps:
- The first is introducing and teaching the dog the desired behavior. In this case, it is teaching an excited GSD not to jump on you or anyone else. It is just like teaching them any other trick like sitting or staying.
- The second part of training is reinforcing that “trick” until it becomes an extension of their behavior. This is done through consistency and repetition.
5 Ridiculously Simple Ways to Stop a Dog from Jumping on Anyone
There are only a few steps you need to remember when it comes to training a dog not to jump up on people, but they all do serve an important purpose.
#1 Managing Excitement
Jumping is a result of an excited dog, so managing this excitement is a great way to prevent this excited behavior from coming up.
Ways to Manage Excitement:
When you are coming home, try cracking the door open and waiting until your GSD has noticeably calmed down before entering. If they do not jump, reward them.
If a guest is entering your home, let them enter while you have your GSD either on a leash or in a separate room. Again, wait until their excitement has died down, then allow them to slowly approach your guests. If they do not jump, reward them.
This is best done by ensuring your guests enter in a calm way that doesn’t cause your GSD to get overly stimulated.
#2 Implement a Leash for Greetings
A leash can work wonders to stop the jumping. It is an excellent tool to keep excitement levels down and have a good amount of control over your GSD during greetings.
As shown in the video above, the easiest way to do it is to step on the leash to limit the freedom for your dog to jump up.
Jumping usually occurs when your GSD is right up next to the person they want to jump on. Having a leash on your dog lets you have full control when you want to guide him away from someone. If they seem to get too close to someone, you can always pull them back way before the jumping occurs. Make sense?
#3 Reward and Reinforce Good Behavior
The first and most important step to any training is reinforcing the good behavior you’re trying to instill in the best way possible.
There are a few different ways to reinforce good behavior depending on your GSD, but a good treat is an incredibly powerful tool usually.
Use Positive Reinforcement Tools:
- Treats. You’ll find your GSD will typically react very well to treats. This is especially true if your GSD likes to jump up whenever it’s meal time.
- Positive affirmation. The simple act of petting your GSD after they’ve successfully completed a trick or task can be a great way to reinforce behavior as they are very loving dogs.
- Clickers. This might seem like an amazing reward to us, but once your GSD associates a click with a job well done, they will love it.
#4 Use Treats As a Distraction
Treats can be just as useful when used as a tool as when they are used to reward a GSD.
If your GSD is food-driven, they will likely become fixated on a treat in your hand if you present it. They also know that this will likely be given to them if they complete a behavior associated with treats.
How to Use Treats as a Distraction?
Keep a treat or two on your person when your GSD is likely to jump on someone. This is usually when you or a guest enters your home.
Before your GSD even has the chance to jump, show the treat in a calm manner. Their attention should be so locked in on the treat that it overrides their desire to jump up in excitement.
#5 Make It Clear That Jumping is Not Allowed
If you find your GSD likes to jump even when playing, you can also try to reinforce when they are allowed to jump. Dogs are very contextual animals, meaning they can adopt different behaviors depending on the environments they’re in.
Making a clear distinction between play and normal behavior can help them tell when it is okay to jump.
Teaching them the “jump” command can teach them that it is only acceptable to jump when cued by your voice or a certain toy. They will learn that this is the only time they can jump.
What Not to Do When Training Your Dog Not to Jump?
Not that you are armed with 5 easy steps to control the jumping. All you have to do is to put them into practice and allow some time for your dog to learn the correct behavior.
Nevertheless, there are things you might want to avoid doing when training your GSD not to jump on people. These can slow progress by reinforcing the wrong behavior or upsetting your GSD as they can be quite a sensitive breed.
- Use negative reinforcement. If your GSD does jump while training, simply ignore them and step away from them. Simply being ignored by their loved ones will send a clear message without hurting their feelings.
- Reward too quickly. It is crucial to wait until your GSD has demonstrated full control and kept all paws on the floor before you reward them.
Do German Shepherds Grow Out of Jumping on People?
We’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” While this isn’t entirely true, there is merit to it.
If you let your GSD get away with jumping and other bad behavior as a puppy or adolescent, they most likely will continue displaying that behavior. That is why it’s so important to implement training from a young age and reinforce the desired behavior early.
And while they may not grow out of jumping, they will grow in size, making it more dangerous for them to jump on people.
Over to You
Teaching your GSD not to jump is just as simple as teaching them any other commands.
Some dogs learn faster than others. With the right methods, you will expect to see the difference very quickly. All you need is patience and consistency. Good luck.
