How do I stop my dog from jumping on guests?

The world is made of two people – the dog lovers and the non-dog lovers. It is always the latter who pose a problem whenever they visit a dog lover’s home. Some squeal and shout when your pet leaps up to greet them. Others rudely ask you to lock them away. So, what can you do to stop your excited dog from enthusiastically greeting your house guests?

The famous dog whisperer, Cesar Millan, feels that dogs jump on people to state that they are the pack leader and are in charge of you. Here is what you need to do to curb this hyper dog behaviour problem:

• Firmly establish the fact that you are the pack leader – When a dog is uncertain of their pack leader they will instinctively try to fill the role which unfortunately leads to undesirable results. Nervous and agitated handling never works. So, a good pack leader will control their pet calmly and assertively.
• Do not overly show affection to your pet as soon as you come home – Excitedly greeting members of your family when you come home works well only for humans and not for dogs. The nicest thing you can do for your dog is to treat them like a dog and communicate in a way they understand that you are excited to be back with them. A gentle pat and a few treats will definitely be well received.
• Correct the jumping behaviour problem in your dog – A dog’s natural mother is the ultimate pack leader and will not tolerate bad behaviour in her pup. If she does not like what they are doing she will stop it by moving the pup out of the way calmly and assertively. Hence, the puppy will learn from its mistake and the mother’s strong leadership skills balances the pup’s submissive role in the group.
• When you have house guests, ask your pet to sit patiently – Once your pet respects you as their pack leader they will automatically follow your commands. So, remember to always be confident, calm and assertive while handling your pet. When you have guests dropping by at your place ask them to sit quietly and reward them when they do so.
• Leadership is a long-term commitment – You cannot be strict one moment and lenient at the next. Leadership is lifelong. Any inconsistencies will always lead to anxiety in your pet and will encourage a hyper dog behaviour. Keep in mind that animal pack leaders never give up their role so you must do the same!

You can always contact a behaviourist or a trainer for further professional guidance.