Are you familiar with this situation? When you return home after work, you slowly unlock the door, open it, and then your Aussie starts jumping on you? Animal has not seen his owner all day, wants his attention, so is full of good emotions and jumps. All of this may seem harmless, but a sensitive dog next to small kids or elderly people, can sometimes cause a trouble. Also, if your dog puts in extra effort to get your attention, it means he isn‘t completely happy to be alone, and after all, you want your dog to feel as good as possible.
What Does it Mean When an Australian Shepherd Jumps on You?
Australian Shepherds value people‘s attention and are very attached animals. So every time your young puppy jumps on you, taps your leg with his paws, barks for no reason or brings you a toy if you‘re not even playing with him – this is a sign that your dog want attention. Usually dogs only get the attention of their owners by jumping, so over time, the dog jumps more and more often. If you don‘t like this four-legged friend behavior, then the dog should be taken out for more walks, needs more time to spend with his owner, and more communication. This way the dog will spend quality time with you and will no longer have a motive to demand attention when jumping.
When It Is Not a Problem When Aussie Jumps On You?
Some owners of young dogs do not consider dog jumping a problem. After all, it all depends on the needs and desires of dog owner. If the puppy is small and the owner likes such dog jumping, then the owner will happily react to his actions, thus encouraging the dog to continue jumping. But when a grown-up Australian Shepherd weighing approximately 60 pounds (depends if it‘s male or female) jumps, then dog‘s jumping may no longer please or even be dangerous to the owner. In this case the dog should be trainer not to jump.
What To Do If an Australian Shepherd Keep Jumping on You?
Some group of people would say that owners should ignore the jumping Aussie, wait for him to calm down, stop jumping and only then start talking with him. This often helps, but not always. Especially if you don‘t spend enough time each day with your dog – this is usually the reason for jumping. First of all, dog should spend at least couple hours per day outside. It could be walk, morning run or daily exercises with his owner. In this case, the relationship between the dog and the owner is strengthened, the animal spends his energy, communication with the owner gives the Aussie a lot of good emotions and prevents you from demanding attention from owner only when the dog jumps.
After occupying the dog with the above mentioned activities, the dog‘s jumping skill will not suddenly disappear. You have to teach the dog that when he is on the ground and not jumping on a person, he just then gets attention, food or toys. And when he jumps, he gets ignored. For example, if your dog is jumping on family members, everyone should agree that when the dog jumps, turn away and say no word. And when he calms down, calmly give them some delicacy and praise them.
4 Main Steps to Stop Your Australian Shepherd From Jumping On People:
First, imagine the position of the dog. It is completely not understandable to him that this habit annoys you. He may feel that you are feeling sad, but the animal does not feel that the reason is jumping. Dog‘s like to meet you after some time being alone with a lick on your face as if there were no height differences. The dog‘s desire to show his facor can be so overwhelming that by greeting his belover owner, he jump very high. Therefore, when the dog meets a person, he jumps even higher, cause he is full of emotions and excitement, and in many cases does not listen to the owner‘s commands at all.
What to do?
- Lower the dog‘s excitement.
If you teach your Aussie to stay calmer when he meets another person, the dog will be able to hear your commands. Start by being calm yourself. When you return home, ignore the dog, do not rush to greet the dog immediately, and try to do this ritual after a few minutes when the dog is less excited and calmer.
- Eliminate the habit of jumping to your face.
Dogs don‘t need to lick your face daily. However, if you want to greet him this way, help by bending over, squatting next to him. The dog will no longer need to jump, he will greet you more calmly.
- Turn these habits into calm behaviors.
Try to avoid rude dog behavior, don‘t let him get used to it. Teach him to behave kindly so that your dog understands that feeling happy does not need to be treated brutally. Dog should never forget what are the house rules. When the dog is calm and not jumping on you, bend over and praise him, give him some delicious food and attention.
- Teach and demand the command to „sit“
Train these commands every day. Not just teach, but use it in practice. Praise and encourage him when the dog is behaving properly.
It is sometimes easier to teach a dog how to behave than how not to behave. Instead of shouting on the dog, it is better to give the dog a command and the dog will change the habit to sit or lie down and wait for you. At that time, the dog calms down and is better controlled.
Conclusion
With the help of proper physical and mental activities, it is possible to form a good manners and avoid unwanted behavior – barking, aggression or active jumping on family members. Well trained dog is not only better managed, but also more relaxed, confident and happier. Don‘t forget to spend at least a few minutes every day teaching your dog new exercises and tricks, as this helps your Australian Shepherd to stay youthful, feel happy and needed!