A dog handler named a way to wean a dog from jumping on guests.

Many dog owners are faced with a situation where a pet violently greets guests, trying to jump on them. This behavior is often perceived as disobedience, but in fact it is related to the animal's natural desire for communication. Irina Sharypova, founder of the Gentle Cynologist team and a guest expert of the Triol brand, told Izvestia on July 1 about why dogs jump on people and what methods really help to correct this habit.

According to the expert, jumping is an attempt to establish contact. The man is too tall for a dog, so it tends to get closer to his face. This behavior is especially common in puppies that actively explore the world around them and seek attention from people.

"Many owners unwittingly perpetuate an undesirable habit themselves. If, after jumping, a person starts laughing, talking to a pet, or playfully pushing it away, the dog perceives this as a successful interaction. As a result, this way of greeting becomes habitual," Sharypova said.

Attempts to abruptly stop behavior with the help of shouts or punishments do not help either. For a social animal, even a negative reaction remains a form of attention, which means that the goal is achieved. For the same reason, experts do not recommend giving the command to "sit" after the jump.

"A pet learns the whole chain — to jump, to hear a command, to sit down, to receive a reward. As a result, the jump may begin to be perceived by the dog as part of a scenario leading to encouragement," the expert explained.

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Another common mistake is inconsistency in parenting. If at least one of the family members or guests sometimes encourages an emotional greeting, the behavior is reinforced even more. According to the dog handler, that is why it is important to warn everyone who comes to the house in advance so that they do not react to the dog jumping.

Behavior correction is based on another principle: jumping should stop bringing the desired result to the pet, and calm behavior, on the contrary, should become as profitable as possible. At the moment of the jump, it is recommended to completely ignore the dog.: Don't look at her, don't talk to her, and don't touch her. As soon as all four paws are on the floor, the pet should be immediately praised and encouraged with treats, toys or attention.

According to the expert, the reward should be really valuable for a particular dog. The more precisely it coincides in time with the correct action, the faster the animal understands which behavior brings the desired result. At the same time, the main work should take place not at the time of the arrival of the guests, but in advance. The specialist advises you to practice calm greeting regularly with different people and in different situations. It is also useful for some dogs to meet guests on the street first to reduce the level of arousal before entering the house.

According to the dog handler, the consistency of all family members and regular training make it possible to gradually replace emotional jumps with a calm greeting, without resorting to punishments and harsh parenting methods.

Oksana Yershova, a zoopsychologist at SUPERPET, a manufacturer of natural diets, told on June 25 how to wean a cat off the table. According to her, if the pet likes to be at the top, she needs to be offered alternative high points. For this purpose, scratching post complexes with several levels, wall shelves for cats or a tall cabinet are suitable, which the animal can climb on a special pole.