Jumping Up

Training & Behaviour
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.

Meet our dogs ready for adoption

All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

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0 Years Old

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Bobby

3 years old

Bobby is a lovely young man, just look at his beautiful light-coloured eyes, they seem to stare into your soul. Bobby is a social, friendly and affectionate boy who is keen to move into his furever home. He may suit living with or without a canine pal of similar size and children aged 10years and older.

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Nikki ARP

5 years old

Meet sweet Nikki, this little lady is incredibly sweet and would love nothing less than all your attention. She is a fairly quiet girl, who would likely slip straight into your home. Nikki may be OK as an only dog or she may like to live with medium/large dog. She may also like to live with children aged 5 years and older.
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Toby

4 years old

Toby knows how to use his ear antenna's very well to listen out for any treat packets being opened! Toby is a quiet, gentle and sensitive boy that loves having his butt scratched and will show you by throwing his legs around in joy as you do it. Toby can be a little gusto on the lead at times but this will settle as he gets into a regular walking routine with his new family. We think Toby may suit a home without another dog but if there is another doggo he would prefer that they are also quiet, calm and respectful of him as he can find them a bit too much and scary at times. We also think he may suit children 10+ and maybe even a home with a cat! Make sure to "ear" mark Toby as your favourite and give GAP a call!
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Viper

4 years old

Meet Viper, the stealthy greyhound with a cool and mysterious vibe! This quiet and laidback boy is a friendly and personable companion who'll slither his way into your affections. Viper's got a chill demeanour and a relaxed nature that'll make him a great addition to any family. Viper may be suited to a home with kids aged 10+ who can appreciate his calm nature. He's looking for a household where he's the only dog or with a calm and respectful dog that won't ruffle his feathers. In a perfect strike of luck, Viper might even live harmoniously with a cat! If you're ready for a low-key but loving companion, Viper might be the perfect fit. Strike while the iron is hot and get to know this cool canine!
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Savvy

3 years old

Meet the sweet Savvy! She is a little bit of an introvert who likes the quiet life, however once she feels comfortable and her true colours shine through, she is puppyish and playful and loves to do zoomies. She wants nothing more than to please her people and will have you in fits of laughter too! Savvy may suit living with or without a canine friend of any size, she may even be OK to live with a feline friend! Due to her submissive nature, we feel she will do best in a quiet home with children 10 years and older and will likely do best in a home with a backyard.
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Javin

5 years old

Meet Javin, the charming and charismatic greyhound who's ready to steal the show! This handsome and social boy is an affectionate and boisterous bundle of energy, always looking for his next playmate. Javin loves people and loves to play, but he's still working on his manners - a little patience and training will go a long way with this eager-to-please pup. Javin may be suited to a home with kids aged 10+ who can keep up with his energetic antics and appreciate his playful personality. He's looking for a household where he's the only dog or with a robust canine companion that can match his energy levels. A backyard is a must for Javin, where he can run around and play to his heart's content. No old or frail dogs or people, please - this guy's got a lot of enthusiasm to share! If you're ready for a lively and loving companion, Javin might be the perfect fit!
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Tommy

3 years old

Meet Tommy! Tommy's favourite thing in the whole wide world is treats! He is an independent chap until it comes to treats then he won't leave you alone. We think he will be likely be easily trained due to his food motivation. Tommy may suit living with or without a robust canine pal of similar size and children aged 10 years and older. We believe that Tommy wouldn't be suited to live in an apartment. Tommy is blind in the Left eye. This requires no treatment or medication and is suspected to be from an old injury.
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Jett

4 years old

This boy is ready to Jett his way into your heart and onto your couch! Sweet Jett is an incredibly friendly and outgoing boy with a puppy like nature and loves nothing more than a cuddle and play! Due to his excitement towards life Jett would be best in a home with a family who is experienced with large breed dogs! He may suit a home with another medium or large canine companion who likes to play as much as he does. He may be best suited to a home with children 10+ who can also keep up with him!
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Arlo

4 years old

Power up those ears Arlo and listen in for your new family! One way to describe Arlo is he is a bit "quirky". You think you've met most personalities of greyhound then you meet Arlo and find more things to love about the breed! Arlo is a sleek, shiny boy that is friendly and outgoing, quiet but also will get up and burst out in dance all of a sudden! He has a knack for getting his coat off and will most willingly show you how he does it and expect you to clap and cheer when he succeeds. He tends not to really care about other dogs around him but has spent time doing some socialising at GAP with the Behaviour Team so he understands how to when he does want to say hi. Arlo is a secret cuddle bug and whilst he tends to act like he is totally fine chillin by himself, he does love to have a good cuddle and scratch and be told what a good boy he is. Arlo does has a low-grade heart murmur which doesn't require medication or affect his day-to-day life. We think he may suit living with children 10+ and another medium or larger dog that doesn't need to Arlo to be their "bestie".
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Dreamy

4 years old

Wow! Are we dreaming or is this not the sweetest face you have ever seen? She will have you on cloud 9 with her charm, affectionate personality and stunning looks. Dreamy is just a small girl with a BIG personality. She is vibrant, enthusiastic, goofy and full of love. Not only will she turn heads but she will melt hearts. Dreamy has spent sometime with our Behaviour team to learn about other breeds and how to interact with them appropriately. She passed this with flying colours and is now ready to take on the world! We think she may suit living with children 15+ and another medium or larger male companion.
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