Easy Tips for Teaching a Dog to Stop Jumping on People

In this Omaha dog training session, we worked with two clever dogs. Bert is a 6-month-old German Shorthaired Pointer and Gus is a 2-year-old Brittany Spaniel. We shared tips with their guardians about teaching a dog to stop jumping on people when they come over.

Tips for Teaching a Dog to Stop Jumping on People

Knowing that Bert liked to jump up, I called ahead and had the guardian put him on a leash so I could show them an easy way to train a dog to stop jumping up on people. You can watch me demonstrate this easy training technique to stop dog jumping below.

The technique we demonstrated in the video above focuses on helping a dog learn to calm down when excited, especially during interactions with guests.

Stopping a dog from jumping up is all about helping the dog practice the behavior you want them to offer and ignoring or stepping away when they do something else.

Instead of giving direct commands, guardians should use body language. They can turn away or show disinterest. This helps encourage the dog to settle.

The process requires patience and consistency, as the dog learns to control their excitement. The method focuses on guiding the dog’s actions instead of correcting them. The aim is to encourage calm behavior in different situations.

When do German Shorthaired Pointers Calm Down?

German Shorthaired Pointers are a very active breed. They can take up to three years to fully grow up. Even as they age, they often stay more energetic than you might expect.

While some may believe they “settle down” as they get older, GSPs can still exhibit puppy-like behavior well into adulthood. In their early years, especially as puppies, they can be stubborn. They may also have trouble focusing. Around six months, 12 months, and 18 months, they go through fear stages.

As they age, they may gradually become more manageable, but they rarely calm down entirely until they’re older.

To help them stay calm, give them plenty of exercise. GSPs are an active breed. They can tire themselves out with regular physical activity. However, exercise alone isn’t enough—structure and consistency are key.

Establishing a daily routine and engaging them in mental stimulation can prevent boredom and help them focus. Additionally, training should be done using positive reinforcement, rewarding them for good behavior.

Since GSPs can lose interest fast, keep training sessions short and fun. This helps them stay focused and learn better.

Easy Ways to Train a Dog to Stop Jumping

After discussing how to stop dog jumping, the guardians brought out Gus. We then sat down to discuss their daily routine.

I discovered that the dogs were under exercised, but that would be the case with just about anyone with this pair, especially Bert. He is the definition of a high-energy dog. They also didn’t have any rules and were able to tell the humans when to pay (pet) them.

I suggested some ways to help him use his extra energy. They could start an exercise journal for a month. Then, I focused on a few bad habits the humans were showing. Once we wrapped that up, I knew I needed to connect the dots as there were things the humans were doing that were confusing the dogs.

Anything a dog is doing when you pet them is what you are rewarding. Dog parents should pay attention to this. These guardians often petted their dogs when the dogs climbed on them, jumped up, or nudged for attention.

I showed the guardians how to practice petting with a purpose. This method will not encourage bad behaviors. Instead, it will motivate the dogs to do good things to get the humans’ attention.

To help the guardians remember all the positive dog training tips we covered in this in home dog training session, we shot a roadmap to success video.