Jumping Up. Part VIII. The Problem With Turning Your Back

Many people advise that when a dog jumps you, you should turn your back.  This might work for some dogs.

But I prefer setting the dog up for success and rewarding success instead of setting the dog up for failure then punishing the failure. Of course that are things that are way worse than turning our backs (kneeing, spritzing, grabbing feet etc..) but there are better methods than turning away (as we discussed in previous posts on this subject.

So what are some problems with turning away

1. It allows the dog to practice the undesireable behavior (best to prevent it before it happens)

2. It doesn't work on some dogs.  I tried it with my Matt-Matt and he would just follow me around as I spun.  So we were basically doing a little dance and I was making him more aroused. Some dogs will continue jumping on the human's back. Might even grab the human's hair.

3. It can be aversive to some dogs.

See this excerpt from Karen Pryori's "Reaching The Animal Mind"
https://kindle.amazon.com/post/U4QHBTPWQF2crNhaEa-s_Q

I am watching a trainer working with a big and bouncy shelter dog. She has been using the clicker for sitting and for standing quietly. Now the dog jumps up on her and tries to lick her face, and she responds by turning her back to him. To her, that is a gentle correction, but the dog cowers as if she’d lashed him with a whip. This social rejection, just when things seemed to have been going so well, is a devastating blow. It can take a long time to undo that loss of traction.

And see this excerpt from Kay Laurence's website
http://www.thenoblehound.ca/approval-seeking-or-attention-seeking-kay-laurence-2/

Can you imagine turning up at a much anticipated event and everyone turns their back on you? Being ignored will either deeply upset you, and at the very least may drive a more demanding need to be noticed

4. Some dogs display over the top greetings because of separation anxiety.  We definately don't want to turn our backs on dogs who are stressed becasue of our absence.

What are some non frustrating ways that you use to keep your dog from jumping on people? Tell us about it in the comments section below

See all posts on jumping up here

Tell us about your jumpy dog in the comments section below.

Email general questions or comments to education@stubbypuddin.com
Replies might be shared on this blog but names will be changed or left out.

To get notified of future posts, click here

Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stubbypuddin or
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stubbypuddin/