How to stop dogs jumping up

At the start of December, I shared three things on social media that I recommend dog owners focus on before Christmas. Things like changes in routine, visitors coming and going, and higher excitement levels in general.

Fast forward to January, and I had an influx of new clients asking about excitable dogs and puppies jumping on visitors, jumping up at the dining table during Christmas dinner, and counter surfing when food was left out (yes, including turkey).

So I thought this would be the perfect topic for the first blog of 2026. Below, I’ll cover why dogs jump up, how to stop dogs jumping up, and what to do when it happens in real life situations.

How to train your dog not to jump up

The first rule of training is management. That means preventing your dog from practising the behaviour you want to stop.

If they keep rehearsing it, it’s much harder to change.

For counters and tables:

• Clear them of anything remotely interesting

• If your dog jumps up and finds nothing, it becomes a non-event

• If you leave a chicken leg on the counter and they jump up, you’ve just taught them that counters are worth checking every single time

Dogs learn very quickly where good things come from.

For people and visitors:

• When visitors arrive, have your dog in another room or behind a gate

• Let things settle before introductions happen

• Avoid greeting visitors while your dog is already overexcited

This kind of management prevents rehearsal, which makes the behaviour less likely to continue in the long term.

Do puppies grow out of jumping up?

Sometimes, but often they don’t.

If a puppy is jumping up and:

• finding food on counters

• getting fuss, attention, or laughter from visitors

then the behaviour is being rewarded. And rewarded behaviours don’t just disappear on their own.

If every time your puppy jumps up they get zero reward (no food, no interaction, no attention), the behaviour can fade. But the best results come when you also actively reward what you want to see instead.

For example:

• Reward your puppy for having all four paws on the floor in the kitchen

• Reward calm behaviour around visitors

• Catch and reinforce the moments they’re making good choices

That way, you’re not just stopping jumping, you’re teaching an alternative.

If you’re working through this with a puppy and want tailored help, you can book my puppy 1-2-1s (in-person or via Zoom) here:https://www.leadandfollowdogtraining.co.uk/121-dog-training

How to stop dog from jumping on people

The most effective way to stop dogs jumping on people is to look at why they’re doing it, and address that directly.

General guidelines that help most dogs:

• No touching, eye contact, or talking while your dog is jumping. Humans often accidentally reward jumping by talking, touching, or pushing the dog away

• Turn away or step back to encourage them to get down without speaking

• Use a lead indoors so you can calmly prevent jumping without grabbing or reacting

• Teach alternative behaviours and cue those instead, such as:

  • sit

  • four paws on the floor

  • going to a bed or place

Consistency matters here. Everyone interacting with your dog needs to respond the same way.

How to stop dog from jumping on you when excited

Until your training is reliable, management is your best friend.

That might look like:

• Putting your dog behind a gate or in another room when visitors arrive

• Waiting until they’re calmer before greeting

• Asking for a previously taught alternative behaviour that’s incompatible with jumping, such as:

  • sit

  • down

  • go to place

If your dog doesn’t yet understand those behaviours, teaching them first will make everything else much easier.

If place training is something you haven’t done yet, you can download my free place training guide here: https://www.leadandfollowdogtraining.co.uk/placetrainingebook

Why does my dog jump and bite me on walks?

This is a really common one, and it’s usually about overwhelm rather than aggression.

Dogs often jump up and bite hands or leads on walks when:

• the environment is too much

• they’ve seen another dog, cyclist, or runner

• they’re struggling to cope emotionally in that moment

The biting is simply the behaviour the brain reaches for when it’s overwhelmed. It doesn’t mean your dog is aggressive.

Things that often help:

• Keep walks shorter

• Choose quieter locations

• Create more distance from known triggers

• Watch for early signs that your dog is struggling and adjust sooner

If this keeps happening, it’s worth chatting with a trainer to identify the cause and put a training plan in place so your dog feels more comfortable on walks.

Dog jumps up at strangers on walks

This is usually linked to overwhelm, excitement, or uncertainty around unfamiliar people.

While you’re working on training your dog to be more neutral around strangers:

• Keep a safer distance

• Avoid situations where they’re rehearsing jumping up

• Focus on calm, controlled exposure rather than forcing interactions

Reducing rehearsal here makes a big difference.

How to stop dog jumping on visitors

Until your training is solid, focus on management and consistency.

Helpful strategies include:

• Putting your dog behind a gate or in another room when visitors arrive

• No touching, eye contact, or talking while your dog is jumping

• Turning away or stepping back without speaking

• Asking for an alternative behaviour that your dog already knows, such as:

  • sit

  • down

  • go to place

If visitors can follow the same rules, progress tends to be much faster.

Why does my dog jump on me and not my husband?

Despite old myths about dominance and respect, this usually comes down to learning history and emotional response.

Common reasons include:

• You might simply be more exciting to your dog

• You may do more talking, smiling, feeding, walking, or playing

• Your responses might accidentally reward jumping, such as:

  • high-pitched voices

  • laughing

  • talking, even to say “stop”

  • pushing them away

Your husband may:

• stay quieter

• move less

• turn away more consistently

Dogs repeat what works, and different reactions create different results.

How to stop dog from jumping on couch

This is easiest to train when the rules are clear and consistent.

First, decide what those rules are:

• Never allowed on the couch (This is clearer and usually easier to train)

• Allowed up with permission (More flexible, but harder to teach consistently)

Training tips:

• Remove the reward. If your dog jumps up, calmly encourage them back down and reward the floor or their bed

• Teach a clear alternative - Place training works really well here

• Prevent rehearsal while you’re training. Management matters just as much as the training itself

And finally

If you’re struggling with over-excitement or jumping up and want tailored support, you can book a 1-2-1 with me (in-person or via Zoom) here: https://www.leadandfollowdogtraining.co.uk/121-dog-training

If your dog finds change, visitors, or busy environments stressful, some owners also find calming support helpful alongside training. You can check out the Adaptil calming plug-in here: https://amzn.to/4a1QBB9