How to Teach Your Dog Not to Jump Up

Do you have an overly excited dog that loves to greet everyone by jumping up? This behavior is actually very common—and many dog owners don’t address it, even though most would prefer their dogs didn’t act this way.

It’s incredibly important that you respond the right way and avoid just scolding your dog. There are many situations where this unwanted behavior can show up, such as:

• When your dog jumps on guests or on you when you come home
• When meeting people on a walk
• When your dog jumps on you with a toy or in other situations

In every case, the dog is either seeking attention or has developed a bad habit—often starting back in puppyhood. The dog believes jumping will get them closer to what they want: your attention or your guests’ attention.

To change this behavior, your dog needs to learn that jumping up causes the thing they want to go away—or at least not get closer. That understanding, combined with training, is the only way to truly teach your dog not to jump. We’ll cover how to train this in just a bit.

Pro tip: If your dog is already showing alternative behaviors—like sitting calmly and wagging its tail when you get home—reward that behavior immediately. Reinforcing the right behavior is just as important.

Step-by-Step Training: How to Teach Your Dog Not to Jump

This training takes time, so be patient and go at a calm, steady pace. It’s better to train more often in shorter sessions than to exhaust your dog. You can even practice some of this training outside the home—for example, by walking toward your assistant instead.

Before starting, your dog should reliably know how to “sit” and “down” on command. If they don’t, start there. You’ll need a solid foundation to move forward.

Step 1: Set the Scene

Once your dog knows sit/down commands, you’re ready to begin. Get a friend or assistant to help. Keep your dog on a leash and sit down calmly somewhere in the house. Have your assistant ring or knock on the door.

If your dog gets excited and starts barking or rushing to the door, take a moment to calmly get their attention and have them sit or lie down. Reward them when they do.

Then calmly walk to the door, continuing to use the sit/down commands if needed. Praise and reward every correct step your dog takes. When you reach the door:

• Have your assistant come inside but ignore the dog completely
• If your dog stays seated or lying down, praise and reward again

Next, while your dog stays calm, your assistant can sit next to the dog and gently pet them. If the dog gets up or jumps, ignore the behavior and start over. Keep the training positive and free from negativity—avoid using words like “No” or other corrections. Your dog is still learning, and mistakes are part of the process.

Optional Tip for Overly Excitable Dogs

If your dog is particularly intense, you can step on the leash while they’re sitting or lying down. That way, if they try to jump, they can’t get far—and they’ll realize that staying grounded works better. Always reward and praise when they stay down.

This training may take time, but using a positive, consistent approach will greatly increase your chances of success.

What You Should NEVER Do

Never use punishment-based methods like kneeing the dog in the chest, stepping on their paws, or shouting. These actions won’t create a safe, trusting bond with your dog. In fact, they can harm your relationship and make the behavior worse.

Remember: you chose your dog—your dog probably didn’t choose you—and they just want to say hi because they’re happy to see you. Punishing them for that can cause confusion and fear.

Alternative Training for Common Scenarios

Jumping happens in all kinds of situations, so here are specific ways to handle them in real life:

When Guests Come Over

• Let your guests know the plan ahead of time
• Keep your dog on a leash when you open the door
• Allow your dog to see the guests but not reach them
• Ask your dog to sit, and have your guests approach calmly
• If your dog stands up, guests should stop and wait
• Once the dog is sitting again, guests can move closer
• Repeat until your dog stays calm when they reach you
• Always praise and reward when the behavior is correct

When Your Dog Jumps on Strangers During Walks

You can politely ask a stranger to help for 5 minutes.

• Ask them to stand still and say you’re walking calmly toward them
• If your dog starts pulling, jumping, or barking, pause and back up
• Wait a moment, then try again
• Repeat until your dog can greet them calmly with all four paws on the ground
• Praise and reward immediately when your dog does it right

This can also be practiced with friends, but sometimes training with strangers is necessary.

When Your Dog Jumps on You After You Come Home

• Open the door just a crack. If your dog is overly excited, close it again.
• Wait 20–30 seconds and try again.
• Keep repeating until your dog is calm and doesn’t jump when you enter.
• If you make it inside and your dog jumps, leave again and restart.
• Only reward and greet your dog when they remain calm with four paws on the floor.

When Your Dog Jumps to Get Your Attention

• Simply turn your back without saying a word
• Don’t push the dog away—it could be interpreted as play
• Stand still, and if the dog continues, walk away
• When your dog is calm again, return and try once more
• Always reward calm behavior
• Never scold or inflict pain—this damages the trust between you and your dog

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.