How to Calm a Dog Down and Stop Jumping Up on People

In this Omaha dog training session we helped 3 year-old Shih Tzu, Wally. Wally’s family wanted to learn how to calm a dog down and stop him from getting over excited and jumping on guests who visit.

Easy Ways to Stop a Dog From Jumping

Wally gets very excited when people visit his home. I called ahead to give some tips. This way, the guardians can use my method to stop any dog from jumping on guests when they are excited.

When a puppy is excited, especially when someone arrives, they often jump up on guests. This is their way of claiming them. Instead of micromanaging their actions with commands, the goal should be to teach your pup good manners.

One effective way to do this is by creating a bit of space between you and the dog. Stepping on the leash or gently holding it can help keep the dog from getting too close. This gives the excited dog time to calm down.

As your canine’s excitement lowers, you can slowly turn toward them and engage when their energy is calm enough. This signals that calm behavior is being rewarded. It’s a gradual process where you slowly get closer to the pup, but only as their energy becomes more controlled.

The key is to wait for the right moment—engaging with your furry friend only once their energy has settled. Dogs may show they want attention by raising a paw or moving closer. This can mean they are calm or asking for attention.

The most important thing is to let the pup learn to calm down on their own. Instead of getting frustrated or always telling your dog what to do, create a space for them to learn on their own.

This method helps the dog understand that they don’t need to jump or be overly excited to receive attention. Over time, they will start to calm down when guests arrive. This will make the process easier for everyone.

Easy Tips for How to Calm a Dog Down

The great thing about this secret to stop a dog from jumping up on people is it allows your furry friend to learn that jumping is not desired on their own. As a dog behaviorist, I have seen many people micromanage their dogs. They tell them what to do for everything.

While this can work, it takes a lot of effort. You need to watch the dog closely. You must correct or disagree with it immediately each time.

Guardians can call or text each other when heading home. This way, they can act like a guest. It helps them practice this exercise to stop a dog from jumping.

If they do this for a week or two and invite friends and neighbors to join, Wally should stop jumping on people. He will eventually learn to calm himself down.

The rest of the session focused on changing the leader-follower dynamic. This helps the pup see and respect humans as authority figures. Once this is the case, he will listen to them faster and stop engaging in some of his other unwanted behaviors.

One of the things I showed the guardians is something I call the leadership exercise. It’s a variation of a leave-it exercise. It helps people practice clear body language with their furry friends.

I also stressed how important it is to pet and reward Wally for good behaviors. Many people often forget to do this. It’s great to reach out and pet your pup for no reason. However, petting with a purpose can help communicate the behavior you want from your canine companion.

The same applies to passive training. This means petting your dog when they show any good behavior. This includes sitting, coming, or laying down on its own.

The more we recognize and reward desired behaviors, the more the dog will offer them as a way of pleasing us. After spending a few hours with Wally, it’s clear he is all about making his people happy.

I wrapped things up by sharing a few tips about introducing dogs to baby for the first time and recapping many of the dog behavior tips I shared with Wally’s family during this in-home dog training session. Check out Wally’s roadmap to success video below.