🐾 Paws on the Floor: How to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on Guests (Gently!)

There’s nothing quite like the joyful greeting of a dog when you walk through the door. That wagging tail! Those wiggles! And then… the paws hitting your chest, the scratches on your legs, and the embarrassed apologies to your guests. 😅

If your dog turns into a pogo stick when company arrives, you’re not alone. Jumping is a natural, excited behavior for dogs—they’re trying to get closer to our faces to say hello! But it can be overwhelming, dangerous for children or elderly guests, and hard on clothes.

The good news? You can teach your dog a more polite way to greet people without yelling, kneeing, or using harsh methods. It’s all about teaching them what to do instead of just punishing what not to do.

Why Do Dogs Jump?

• Attention: Even negative attention (“Get down!”) can be rewarding.

• Excitement: Your guest is the most interesting thing that’s happened all day!

• Greeting: It’s a dog’s way of getting face-to-face.

Punishment can create fear or anxiety. Our goal is to build calm, polite habits.

Your 4-Step Plan for Polite Greetings

Step 1: Manage the Situation

Before you can train, you need to prevent rehearsal of the bad habit.

• Use a Leash: Keep your dog on a leash when guests arrive. Step on the leash so they only have enough slack to sit or stand, but not jump.

• Baby Gates/Pen: Give your dog a designated spot away from the front door until they are calm.

Step 2: Teach an Incompatible Behavior

The key is to give your dog a job that makes jumping impossible. The best job? Sitting.

• Practice Without Guests: Teach a solid “Sit” and reward it heavily. Practice at the door without any distractions.

• The “Say Please” Protocol: Your dog learns that sitting makes good things happen. Sitting = the door opens, they get a treat, they get petted.

Step 3: Practice with “Decoy Guests”

Enlist a friend or family member to help you practice.

1. Guest Outside: Have your dog on a leash or behind a gate.

2. Doorbell/Knock: The second the sound happens, ask your dog for a "Sit." Reward!

3. Guest Enters: The guest should be boring and ignore your dog completely if the dog is jumping or excited. No eye contact, no talking, no touching.

4. The Magic Moment: The second your dog’s bottom hits the floor (even for a second!), the guest can calmly reward with a treat or gentle petting under the chin (not on the head, which can encourage jumping up).

Pro Tip: Ask your guests to comply with your training! A simple, “We’re teaching Fido to sit for greetings, could you ignore him until he’s calm?” works wonders.

Step 4: Reward the “Four on the Floor”

If your dog manages to stay standing calmly without jumping, reward that too! The goal is any behavior that isn’t jumping.

What NOT to Do

• Don’t Knee Your Dog: This can injure them and damage trust.

• Don’t Yell “Get Down!”: This is still attention and can amp them up more.

• Don’t Inadvertently Reward: Turning away is good, but petting while saying “get down” is confusing—your dog only feels the petting.

Patience is Everything

Changing a habitual behavior takes time, especially if your dog has been practicing jumping for years. Celebrate small wins! If your dog jumps only three times instead of ten, that’s progress.

At Keira’s Doghouse, we believe in training with kindness and consistency. A well-trained dog is a confident dog, and a confident dog is a happy member of the family.

#DogTraining #PositiveReinforcement #JumpingDog #DogMomLife #KeirasDoghouse #PolitePuppy