Jumping on Guests: Teaching a Polite Hello

Why dogs jump

Face-to-face greeting is natural dog behavior, and it works — jumped-on humans look, talk, touch. Every 'down!' with eye contact still pays the behavior. The fix is making four-on-the-floor the only version that earns attention.

The core protocol

Greet calmly and low-key yourself (excited homecomings train excited greetings). If paws leave the floor, attention leaves the room — turn away silently or step back out the door. The instant four paws land, greet warmly. Dogs run the numbers fast when the rules are perfectly consistent.

Train an incompatible job

A dog sitting on a greeting mat can't jump: rehearse 'go to mat, sit, get greeted' with a boring family member, then easy guests, building to exciting ones. Leash management at the door prevents rehearsal with guests who 'don't mind — I love dogs' (they're the ones who untrain it).

Set guests up

Brief visitors before the door opens: ignore until four paws and a sit, then reward with the hello. For determined greeters, scatter treats on the floor as guests enter — a foraging nose can't be an airborne one. Weeks of consistency, and the launch pad retires.