Last Updated: 10/11/2025
How to Stop Your Dog Jumping Up: A Vet's 4 Step Guide
Is your dog's enthusiastic jumping causing chaos? It's a common problem, but very trainable. Follow our expert vet's 4-step guide to stop your dog from jumping up on you and your visitors. Learn how to manage greetings and reward calm behaviour.
Author: Dr Maree Monaghan BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 5 minutes - short read
A dog jumping up to greet you is often just their way of saying, "You're home! I'm so happy to see you!" While the intention is sweet, the reality can be messy, chaotic, and even risky if you have small children or frail visitors. It’s one of the most common complaints vets hear from frustrated pet parents.
If you're tired of being a human launch-pad every time you walk in the door, or find yourself apologising to guests, you're not alone. The great news is that with patience and consistency, you can change this behaviour. Follow our vet's four-step plan to transform those enthusiastic jumps into calm, four-on-the-floor greetings.
Step 1: Make homecomings calm, not chaotic
Your dog is going to be super excited when you get home regardless of how long you've been away. It's tempting to greet them with just as much enthusiasm, however, this will only make your dog think it's ok to jump all over you and bark. Pushing them off and/or yelling won't work as this will reinforce the behaviour by giving them what they want - attention.
When you arrive home, the best thing to do is:
- Ignore your dog - don't make eye contact and walk calmly into the house without speaking
- If your dog jumps on you, turn your back on them, fold your arms over your chest and wait until they settle down and are sitting or lying calmly
- Once they are calm, you can speak to them and pat them
Step 2: Train the 'four on the floor' rule
This is an excellent routine to teach your dog as it not only helps with jumping up, but also teaches impulse control when going through gates, doors etc. You will need another person to help you.
How to teach 'four on the floor
- Put your dog on their lead and ask them to sit or lie down.
- Get your helper to walk towards your dog.
- Before the helper gets to your dog, put some treats on the floor for them.
- While your dog is eating the treats and is still sitting or lying down, have the helper greet and pat them.
- Your helper should back away if your dog stops sitting or lying down and also before your dog has finished eating the treats.
- When your dog is able to keep all four paws on the ground while being approached and greeted by your helper, let them greet your helper before you give them the first treat.
- Once your dog understands the rules, you can give fewer treats each time until you can use being greeted as the only reward.
Step 3: Ask for an incompatible behaviour (like 'sit')
A mutually exclusive behaviour is one in which your dog can't physically jump - eg. they are sitting or lying down. This is extremely useful for teaching your dog how to greet people appropriately when you are out walking or when people come to your home.
- Start by attaching your dog's lead to something they can't pull away from.
- Walk a few metres away from your dog then ask them to sit or lie down.
- When they do, start approaching them.
- If they get up, walk away and ask for the sit or lie down again.
- Once they can stay sitting or lying down, you can go up to them and quietly greet them and pat them.
- As your dog gets better at this exercise, you can make your greetings more enthusiastic.
Step 4: Put jumping on command (and 'off'!)
Teaching your dog to jump on command may sound like a strange way to stop them from jumping on you, however, this can be an excellent way to guard against your dog becoming confused. In some family situations, there will be people who love having the dog jump up on them for hugs and pats and will continue to let the dog do this regardless of what other family members are trying to achieve.
The easiest way to solve this conflict is to teach your dog to jump on command only.
- Decide on a word like "Up" or "Jump"
- Use this word with a hand signal such as patting your chest.
- It is essential to also train a way to stop this behaviour with a different word such as "Stop" or "Enough".
FAQs
Stopping a dog from jumping takes patience and, most importantly, consistency from everyone in the household. By ignoring the unwanted behaviour and consistently rewarding calm, polite greetings (with all four paws firmly on the floor!), you can successfully change this frustrating habit into a positive interaction for both you and your dog.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue 11 Nov 2025
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Maree Monaghan BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Maree graduated from the University of Queensland in 1990 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and has worked in a wide variety of practices around Australia and in Papua New Guinea. She has cared for all creatures great and small and has a particular interest in senior pets and horse nutrition
