Jumping Up
Many owners become frustrated with dogs when they behave in a way that seems anti-social.
Dogs that constantly jump up on their owners or visitors can cause serious injury if they cause the person to become unbalanced and fall and this behaviour can frighten people who are not used to dogs, especially large dogs such as greyhounds.
Why do dogs like to jump up on people?
Jumping up to greet people is thought to originate from the puppy behaviour of jumping up to greet adult dogs. The puppies jump up to lick the corners of the adult dog’s mouth which triggers a regurgitation of food which the puppies can then eat. Licking at the faces of other dogs often continues into later life as a form of submissive greeting. Because our faces are well off the ground, jumping up at a human is the dog’s way of trying to get closer to our face.
This behaviour may seem very cute in a tiny puppy, but it loses its appeal when the dog is a hefty 40kg adult, or when the dog has muddy paws from being outside. Jumping up on people is also a problem if the dog catches the person off balance, as it could potentially lead to a fall.
Unfortunately we often encourage and reinforce this behaviour over time. When puppies are small and cute, or when dogs are new to a household we often let them jump up on us and reach down and give them a pat or cuddle. They simply assume this is an acceptable way to greet humans after all they get lots of attention and interaction when they do jump up. This can occur with adult dogs too, especially those that are excited. The greeting behaviour of jumping up is reinforced with pats and attention.
Some people try to push the dog down with their hands, or end up yelling and making a lot of noise to try to stop this behaviour. The problem with these two options is the dog may see it as a game – I jump up and you push me down –lots of fun! They still have your 100% attention, and you are still interacting with them so they are getting reinforced for a behaviour that you really don’t want.
So how can we coach a polite greeting that does not involve the dog jumping up?
Dogs cannot be expected to understand how we would like them to greet us, so it is up to us to show them what we want. For most people, their preferred greeting is for the dog to sit in front of them. We need to make it very clear to the dog that he will get no attention unless he is sitting. Because some greyhounds find sit very difficult to master – the other alternative is ‘four feet on the floor’ – a ‘stand’.
You need to look at this as a training exercise – you will need to set up some greetings, so that you can coach and train the correct response. It is probably not a good idea to start trying to train this when you first come home from work, as your dog will be too excited. Instead, work on greeting the dog when he is a little more settled.
Start with one person holding the dog on the leash. Have a second person approach the dog and greet it, they can say ‘Hello, Spot’ as if they were meeting the dog. If the dog goes to jump at them, the person that is approaching the dog quickly turns their back and walks a few steps away. The person holding the leash does nothing – no jerking or pulling – they do not need to even say anything. They are simply there to stop the dog from following the ‘visitor’ as they walk off.
This greeting is repeated as many times as needed. The person approaches, and if the dog jumps up, the person turns their back and walks away. Eventually the dog will offer a sit or just stand there, and this is the moment that the ‘visitor’ can quickly reward the dog with a treat, and a pat and cuddle.
You will need to practise this regularly (a few times each day is a great way to start), but the more that you do it the quicker the dog will offer the four on the floor response or a sit. By turning their back on the dog the dog does not get any attention, not even any eye contact, and the fact that the person walks away, also provides a consequence for the dog – you jump up, I will leave.
Once your greyhound is showing some improvement, you will then have to practise this with a variety of people, all of whom do the same thing. Ask friends and family to help you. You will also have to practise the greeting behaviour in different locations – on your walks, outside the shops, and anywhere else your dog may greet people. If everyone that the dog greets does the same thing, your dog will soon understand that there are never any pats or attention unless all four feet are on the ground.
If your dog does greet someone politely with out being ‘set up’ to do so, you can also reward the dog yourself. Just make sure you remember to carry some treats the dog really likes. If you see someone about to greet the dog, you can then either give them a treat and ask the person to give the dog the treat when he does the right thing, or you can reward the dog yourself.
At home you can also practise at doorways as this is another place where many people have a lot of problems with the dog jumping up on them. If your dog jumps up on you as you go out into the backyard, or as you come through the gate, practise the same routine here. Open the gate or door, if the dog goes to jump up, walk away and shut the gate behind you. Then open it again, shut it, open it, shut it, until the dog offers ‘four on the floor’ or a sit. Then you can quickly reward the dog with a treat and go and give him all the cuddles and pats he wants.
If your dog is really over the top when you first come home, sometimes they need to settle a little before they can muster the emotional control to be able to achieve a polite greeting. In this case, do not go and greet your dog for the first 10 minutes or so after you come home. You can just ignore him and go about unpacking your things. When he seems to settle a little, then go out and work on your greeting behaviour. For dogs who like to play, another option is to keep a few toys or ball near the gate or back door, and immediately throw one as you come through into the yard. The dog will learn to expect the toy, and will focus on chasing after it rather than ‘mugging’ you.
What if I want my dog to jump up and greet me?
This is fine, as long as YOU ask the dog to jump up on cue, and don’t reward attempts to jump up by the dog at other times with pats and attention.
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Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.
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Grace
Inny
Cliffy
Micky ARP
Micky is a handsome and affectionate greyhound with a calm and gentle nature. This sweet boy loves spending time with his people, seeking eye contact and wanting to please. While he can be relaxed and quiet, Micky does have a puppyish side and likes to stretch his legs with zoomies. He also loves treats and has shown interest in bird watching and believes that backyard zoomies are more fun with a bird nearby. He is looking for a home with a secure backyard. He would suit being an only dog or he may be suitable to live with medium or large canine companions. Micky may also be suitable to live with children aged 5 and over.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Uganda ARP
Are you looking for a quiet and sweet girl? Uganda might be the one for you! She can be a little shy when she first meets you but doesn’t take long to warm up. She is quiet and really wants to please her owners. She may suit living with children in their teens but would prefer to find a home with a canine companion of any size.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Pedro ARP
Pedro is a friendly, outgoing and confident greyhound with a big personality and an even bigger heart. Affectionate and personable, he loves spending time with his people and is always happy to make new friends. One of Pedro’s favourite things in the world is a good butt scratch, and he'll happily lean in for more when he finds the perfect spot! With his easy-going nature, Pedro may suit a home either as an only dog or with a medium to large canine companion. He could also thrive in a family with respectful children aged 10 years and over who are keen to share plenty of love, attention and cuddles with this charming boy.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
King ARP
Kingis a handsome, friendly and incredibly personable greyhound whose goofy, larger-than-life personality is guaranteed to keep his family smiling. This tall, affectionate boy loves being part of the action and has a playful, puppyish side that shines through in his hilarious zoomies and quirky antics. While King can be a little anxious at times, he always tries his best and gains confidence with patient support from the people he loves. Full of character, charm and plenty of goofy moments, King may suit a home with or without a medium or large canine companion and could do well with respectful children aged 10 years and over who will appreciate his fun-loving spirit and kind heart.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Bruno ARP
Bruno is a handsome greyhound with a gentle soul and a heart full of affection. Quiet, polite, and incredibly sweet, he enjoys spending time with his people and wins friends wherever he goes with his calm, personable nature. Bruno is confident in many situations, but like many greyhounds, he can occasionally be a little unsure and looks to his trusted humans for reassurance and support.
Friendly and easy-going, Bruno may happily settle into a home as an only dog where he can soak up all the attention, or he may enjoy living alongside another dog of any size. His kind and gentle temperament also makes him a lovely companion for families with children aged 5 years and older. If you're looking for a loyal, affectionate friend with plenty of charm, Bruno could be the perfect match.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Flashy
Mary ARP
Mary is an absolute sweetheart and the beauty to match! This gorgeous girl is friendly, outgoing and full of enthusiasm. She loves being around people, is incredibly affectionate and has a fun, puppyish nature that shines through. Mary is playful, boisterous and very excitable. She can be quite jumpy when she’s happy, often greeting people with a LOT of enthusiasm. She will need a home with a secure backyard where she can burn off some energy. Mary may besuited to live as an only dog or may be suitable to live with medium or large dogs. She also may be suitable to live with a family that have older children aged 15+. Due to her energetic nature, she is not suitable to live with elderly people or dogs. With the right home, Mary’s fun-loving personality will make her a wonderful and entertaining companion.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.