Why Does My Puppy Jump Up and How Can I Stop It?

Does your puppy jump up on people? Learn why it happens and how to stop it with reward-based training. Join our classes in Cottingley!

Jumping up is one of the most common challenges for puppy owners. While it may seem cute at first, it’s not so cute as your puppy grows bigger—especially when they’re covered in mud! Understanding why puppies jump up and using reward-based training to manage the behaviour will help to set your dog up for success.

At my puppy training classes in Cottingley, serving Shipley, Baildon, Bingley, and Bradford, we teach a structured greeting protocol to help owners prevent jumping up in real-life situations. This is also included in my adolescent and adult beginners’ class, ensuring that dogs of all ages learn how to greet people politely in public.

Why Do Puppies Jump Up?

Puppies are not being ‘naughty’ when they jump up—they’re simply displaying natural behaviour. Some common reasons include:

Seeking attention – Research shows that dogs are highly social animals and will repeat behaviours that have previously resulted in human interaction, even if the response is not always positive.
Excitement and greeting behaviour – Many dogs naturally get excited when they see people and may jump up as part of an enthusiastic greeting. Your puppy is just being happy and exhibiting natural behaviour.
Learned behaviour – If jumping up has previously resulted in attention, stroking, or excitement, the puppy will continue to do it.
Frustration or overstimulation – Puppies with higher arousal levels tend to exhibit more impulsive behaviours, including jumping up.

Why Ignoring Jumping Up Doesn’t Always Work

A common piece of advice is to “turn away and ignore the puppy.” While this may work for some, it often fails because:

Some puppies become more persistent, trying harder to gain attention.
Ignoring doesn’t teach the puppy what to do instead - it only removes the unwanted behaviour.
If jumping up has already been reinforced, the puppy may find ignoring confusing.

Instead of ignoring, we need to teach an alternative behaviour that is just as rewarding as jumping up.

How to Stop a Puppy from Jumping Up

1. Reward Four Paws on the Floor

The key to stopping jumping up is rewarding paws staying in contact with the ground behaviour before the puppy jumps.

✔️ Keep a handful of treats ready when greeting your puppy.
✔️ Before they jump, drop a treat to the floor - this will help them learn to look towards the floor rather than rising up to meet an expected treat from your hands.
✔️ Over time, they will learn that keeping their paws on the floor leads to rewards.

2. Teach an Alternative Greeting Behaviour

Instead of jumping, puppies can learn to sit for attention.

✔️ When your puppy approaches, ask for a sit.
✔️ As soon as they sit, mark them.
✔️ Toss a treat a little away from you (a reset treat).
✔️ As they return, ask for a sit.
✔️ After a few repetitions, do not ask for a sit, instead wait for a couple of seconds to see if they anticipate the sit cue. If they do, mark and reward away from you as before.
✔️ If they don’t sit after a couple of seconds, re-cue them and repeat the exercise a few times before trying again.

3. Manage Greetings to Reduce Overexcitement

Jumping up is often triggered by excitement, so managing greetings can help:

✔️ Keep greetings low-key – Avoid high-pitched voices and excessive fussing when entering the home.
✔️ Use a barrier if needed – A baby gate allows your puppy to see you but prevents them jumping up on you.
✔️ Give them something to do – Scatter a few treats on the floor when arriving home to redirect excitement.
✔️ Scenario training – Practice for the scenario of returning home.

ℹ️ Don't ignore your puppy when you return home—that's not necessary. Just keep the greeting to a low-key acknowledgement.

4. The Greeting Protocol – Taught in My Puppy & Beginners’ Classes

At my puppy training class and beginners’ class for adolescent and adult dogs, I teach a structured greeting protocol to help owners manage real-life interactions.

This includes:

✔️ Learning to assess whether your puppy is ready to proceed with a greeting.
✔️ Managing the greeting
✔️ Ending the greeting

By learning this in a controlled environment, owners feel confident managing greetings in the real world, whether at the park, in town, or when visitors come to the house.

5. Be Consistent – Every Interaction Matters

If some family members allow jumping while others don’t, your puppy will struggle to learn what’s expected. Ensure that:

✔️ Everyone follows the same rules – No exceptions, even if your puppy is a small breed or very young.
✔️ Guests know what to do – learn to manage your guests and give clear instructions.
✔️ Jumping up is never accidentally reinforced – Even a quick pat or laugh can maintain the behaviour.

What If My Puppy Still Jumps Up?

If jumping persists, consider:

Is your puppy getting enough mental and physical exercise? Overexcited puppies are more likely to jump up.
Are rewards being delivered quickly enough? Timing is key - reward the moment your puppy does the right thing.
Does the jumping only happen in certain situations? Some puppies only jump on certain people or when they’re overtired.

For structured support, my puppy training classes in Cottingley, serving Shipley, Baildon, Bingley, and Bradford are designed to help owners teach their puppies polite greetings from the start. For older dogs who have already developed the habit, my beginners’ class for adolescent and adult dogs provides training to reshape the behaviour.

Final Thoughts

Jumping up is a natural puppy behaviour, but it’s also one that can be easily managed with the right approach. By rewarding calm greetings, managing excitement levels, and ensuring consistency, your puppy will soon learn that keeping four paws on the ground is the best way to get attention.

💡 Want help teaching your puppy or older dog polite greetings?
Join my puppy training class or beginners’ class for adolescent & adult dogs in Cottingley, serving Shipley, Bingley, Baildon, and Bradford. Book your class https://www.focusdogbehaviour.....

Categories: : adolescent dog training, adult dog training, puppy training