Dog Jumping On Guests?!

Jumping Up? Teach Calm Greetings with Play

Let’s be real — a dog launching themselves at guests might be cute at 10 pounds… but not at 60. Whether it’s excitement, attention-seeking, or uncertainty, jumping up is one of the most common—and fixable—behavior issues we see.

But here’s the kicker:

🛑 Correcting jumping doesn’t stop the desire.
✅ Rewiring the greeting through play and clarity? That’s how you create lasting change.

Here’s how we do it the Revolutionary Dog Training way:

🔁 1. Understand the WHY Behind the Jump

Dogs jump for a few core reasons:

• Excitement and energy overflow

• Lack of practiced alternative

• Greeting pattern that’s been (accidentally) reinforced

• Nervousness disguised as “happy energy”

The jump is the symptom. The root issue is emotional regulation.

🧠 2. Build Greeting Rules Through Play Windows

Start by creating clear windows of when interaction is open vs. closed—just like in structured fetch or tug:

• “Ready?” = Game or greeting begins

• “Done” = Game or greeting ends

• “Let’s Go” = Transition cue back into movement

This rhythm gives your dog a predictable pattern to follow—instead of jumping into the unknown.

🐾 3. Practice Play → Calm Transitions

Here’s a simple drill to use:

1. Play tug or fetch briefly

2. Cue “Out” → Mark → Pause

3. Invite your dog to “Say hi” to a person calmly (on leash if needed)

4. If they stay grounded = reward!

5. If they jump = mark it with a leash interrupt → reset → try again

By tethering greeting access to behavior, your dog starts to learn:
👉 Calm = connection
👉 Jumping = game pause

🧩 4. Teach an Alternative Behavior They Love

Rather than shouting “Off!” a hundred times… teach what to do:

• Go to Place → get the guest approach as the reward

• Sit/stay → get the petting

• Hold eye contact → get the invite

Your dog isn’t trying to misbehave. They’re just doing what’s worked before.
So give them a new game—and reward it like crazy.

🎯 5. Make Guests Part of the Training Game

Dogs generalize poorly. So if they only practice with you, the progress stalls.

Have friends or family play the part:

• Practice the game rules with them ahead of time

• Keep your dog on leash for structure

• Coach the human: no reward unless calm paws stay down

Your guests don’t need to train your dog—they just need to not undo your work.

🧠 Final Thought: Jumping Is a Communication Breakdown

The goal isn’t just “no more jumping.”
It’s creating a greeting pattern that:
✅ Feels safe
✅ Feels fun
✅ Reinforces emotional balance

That’s what real lifestyle training is about.

🚀 Want More?

Jumping is just one piece of the puzzle. If you’re ready to build a dog that flows with your life—not against it—come join us inside the RDT Lifestyle Community.

You’ll get:

• 💥 Play-based greeting protocols

• 💥 Weekly live Q&As

• 💥 Full access to our Tug + Fetch Library

• 💥 Real coaching from real dog people

👇 Click here to learn more
[Join the RDT Lifestyle Community → https://revolutionaryk9.life/community-info]