Dogs and children can be best of friends, but they do occasionally have to work out some problems in their relationship. Dogs that jump on others as a form of greeting or play can push a child over, scaring or potentially injuring her. Teaching your dog not to jump on children requires effort from both you and the child. Fortunately, as long as everyone involved with the dog is on board with the training program, your pup will quickly learn that he needs to keep all four feet on the ground if he wants to have fun.
Tip #1 - Ignore your dog when he jumps on you and instruct others to do the same. Turn slightly to the side when he jumps, so you aren't face to face with him, don't pet him, push him or step away. Eventually he will get tired of standing on his back legs. During this training period, restrict his access to smaller children who cannot help with the training process, otherwise he will learn that while he can't jump on most people, he can jump on little children.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
Tip #2 - Crouch down to greet him. When all four legs are on the floor, stoop down and pet him. As he makes progress, and doesn't try to initiate every meeting with a jump, your goal is to greet him initially on his level.
Tip # 3 - Widen his circle of friends. Your dog may greet some people he knows in a perfectly mannerly way, yet still want to jump on children, strangers or others. Now that he knows what you expect, you can add a little discipline to the mix. Until he reliably doesn't jump in greeting, make sure he has a leash on around people. If he goes to jump, a firm tug and the "sit" command should remind him of his manners.
By Stephanie Dube Dwilson
About the Author
With features published by media such as Business Week and Fox News, Stephanie Dube Dwilson is an accomplished writer with a law degree and a master's in science and technology journalism. She has written for law firms, public relations and marketing agencies, science and technology websites, and business magazines.