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How To Stop A German Shepherd From Jumping

What Is Special About German Shepherds

Stop Your German Shepherd From Jumping

Dogs are naturally active and some of their special breeds are more active, athletic, and intelligent like German Shepherd.

German Shepherd has an instinct of being active and intelligent. The German shepherd has a high ability to learn and remember things. This is the main reason why the German Shepherds are trained and used by the spying officers and interrogatives during their investigations.

German Shepherds are one of the most loving breeds of dogs. They build strong bonding and affection with their owners and love to play and spend time with them.

How To Prevent Jumping While You Train

While youre teaching your dog an appropriate greeting behavior, you need to manage their behavior so they dont get the chance to practice jumping. For example, if your dog has a strong Go to Your Place cue, you can send your dog to their mat or crate anytime the doorbell rings. Alternatively, you can place a baby gate at your entranceway so your dog cant get to visitors. Putting your dog on leash whenever guests arrive can also help you prevent jumping.

Another management trick is keeping toys and treats at the front door. You can throw the reward away from the doorway to occupy your dogs time while your visitor enters. Or your guest can use the treat or toy to reward your dog for greeting appropriately.

It can be particularly hard to prevent jumping when youre walking your dog. You cant expect strangers to know or abide by your rules. Until your dog understands appropriate greetings with friends and family, avoid greeting strangers. Instead, get your dogs attention with a Watch Me cue or by squeaking a toy and let the stranger walk past. When your dog is ready to try greeting people on the street, be sure to tell people the procedure. Ask them to ignore your dog if your dog doesnt follow the rules. In no time, your dog will understand how to say hello politely whether at your front door or out on the sidewalk.

Block Their View Of Outside Temptations

We all know the phrase the grass is greener on the other side. Well, dogs feel that way too.

And sometimes they can actually see how much better that grass is, or at least how much more interesting it is compared to the yard they spend their days in.

If there are gaps in your fence, or you have a chain link fence, then your German Shepherd might be seeing all kinds of exciting things through it.

Joggers, cats, other dogs, shiny cars, that elusive postman all present your dog with thrilling opportunities. Theyll put all their effort into getting over that barrier thats keeping them from a chase.

Use closed fencing, reed fencing, or plastic sheeting to cover up any gaps. If you have a chain link fence, it may need replacing altogether.

When the dog cant see out, theyre less likely to spot something that compels them to jump.

Also Check: Pros And Cons Of Neutering A German Shepherd

Possible Reasons Your German Shepherd Jumps Up

There are a handful of reasons why your German Shepherd might start jumping that I will mention below.

Excitement

The most probable reason for the jumping is that it is excited. When German Shepherds get excited its common for them to express their excitement by jumping up. They do it because they want to greet you at the face and because their mother would feed them from the face as puppies and they would jump up.

This type of jumping can be stopped with training using the methods in the section below. One method in particular that you should try would be to teach it to stay and sit and then to reward it for doing so. You can watch how its done in the video in the next section.

Attention

German Shepherds were bred to work with their owners doing intensive tasks for hours daily. With that being the case, they need a lot of exercise to be properly stimulated. If they dont get enough exercise then it can encourage hyperactive behavior which can include jumping.

If your German Shepherd isnt getting a lot of exercise at the moment then one of the first things for you to do would be to make sure that it does.

Related post: How to tell if your German Shepherd loves you

Not enough training

Jumping is a habit that German Shepherds pick up when theyre young. Their mothers would feed them from the mouth and they would have to jump up to get it. If the behavior isnt corrected then they will keep that habit.

Fear

Related post: Why is my German Shepherd afraid?

Don’t Give Your Puppy Praise When They Jump

How to Stop A German Shepherd from Jumping Over Fences ...

If you respond to your puppy with kisses and petting every time they jump on you, they’ll think theyre doing what makes you happy. But, ultimately, that positive reaction to their behaviour will lead to continued jumping, and the longer you allow it, the harder it will be to curb.

Instead, respond to your pup’s jumps by reacting unexcitedly. Initially, try stepping forward when your puppy jumps up on you and command them to get off without getting angry. Using the command “off” typically works best when you train your new puppy, as using the command “down” can be confused with “lie down.”

If your dog doesn’t respond to the “off” command and continues to jump, try turning away instead of stepping forward. If you’re able to anticipate their jumps, try turning away from them before, so theyre unable to jump up on you. Once theyve calmed down, command them to sit and provide positive reinforcement once they obey.

Read Also: German Shepherd Skinny

How To Tell When Jumping And Biting Is A Sign Of Aggression

While in most cases your pup jumping up isnt going to be a sign of aggression, its important to spot the signs early.

Afterall, german shepherds are big dogs, and if they do ever attack someone theyre going to do a lot of damage as well as risk being put to sleep.

Positive Body Language

If your German shepherd is happy to see someone before jumping up at them, therell normally be accompanying body language. This can include:

  • Excited Crying.
  • Being Full Of Energy.
  • Dropping Down On Their Front Legs

Weve all seen the tell-tale signs of a happy dog and those are what you should be looking for if your dog is jumping up and biting in a non-threatening way.

Negative Body Language

However, if your dog is showing negative body language before jumping up and biting then you have a problem. Negative body language includes.

Growling: This may be when someone touches them, as someone approaches them, or if your dog starts walking towards them.

Snarling: Similar to growling, if your dog starts to bare their front teeth at someone, before jumping up and biting then its definitely aggressive in nature.

Barking: While dogs can bark when theyre excited, they can also bark when theyre aggressive. Barking of this kind will normally accompany other signs of aggressive behavior.

Pretend Youre In Pain

If your german shepherd is biting a lot when theyre jumping up then this is definitely the method youre going to want to use. In fact, this is a great method to use any time your german shepherd is biting in a playful way.

  • The first thing youre going to need to do is to get your dog to jump up at you again. If they do this on their own great, if not use the same method as before.
  • However, this time when your german shepherd jumps up and bites you, let out a yelp or cry of pain before turning away and not facing them.
  • Its important that you dont give them any attention until theyve calmed down completely.
  • If your german shepherd tries to follow you, keep turning until theyve stopped and calmed down completely.
  • Once theyve calmed down completely, you can then reward them with your attention and treats.

This method works so well as its similar to what their litter would do if they were bitten too hard and they dont want to play anymore. Its a great way for teaching your german shepherd bite inhibition as well.

Remember, to do this every time your german shepherd jumps up and bites to show them that the game will stop being played any time they do that.

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How To Train A German Shepherd To Stop Jumping On Guests

When given proper feedback German Shepherds can be quite obedient dogs, in fact some of the most motivated dogs I have ever met have been GSDs. Regrettably, when they do not have a job and that determination falls into the wrong channels, a German Shepherd can become quite a menace as well. One of the more common annoying behaviors I see with Shepherd clients is jumping. Jumping is a difficult behavior because as a layperson, it can be so obnoxious, but as a trainer it is a tad heartbreaking simply because it is nearly always based in attention seeking.

Why Is My German Shepherd Jumping

Training your German Shepherd to Stop Jumping

As sure as every person is unique, every dog is too. When it comes to jumping, though, most dogs jump for the same reasons.

Work out which of the following common explanations apply in your own case, and you’ll be one step closer to managing the problem.

Attention

If there’s one thing German Shepherds love more than almost anything else, it’s the attention of their owner. This is a breed that bonds fast and bonds hard as soon as that bond is established, they’ll go out of their way to protect, serve, and spend as much time with their human family as possible.

If they feel their owner isn’t lavishing them with quite as much time and attention as they’d like. They’ll do whatever they feel is necessary to grab back the limelight and yep, that includes jumping.

Excitement

German Shepherds have a reputation for being unselfish, hard-working, and stately. The truth is, they’re as prone to getting overexcited as any other breed.

When that excitement kicks in, so does the jumping.

Training

Most German Shepherds start picking up habits like jumping at a young age. If the behavior isn’t corrected in the proper way and at the proper time, those habits will become ingrained.

If you have a young pup who’s already starting to get a little too comfortable on two legs, now’s the time to address it it may seem cute at the moment. But the longer you leave it, the less adorable it’ll become.

Fear

We all know what fear feels like, but not many of us are able to recognize it in our dogs.

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Dont Let Him Look Out Of The Fence

If you use a chain-link fence or have gaps in the fence, you may want to replace the fence with a close fence or fill in any holes in the fence where your shepherd can see out of the yard. Anything he sees outside the fence can tempt him to jump over and chase it, and so eliminating the temptation might be the way out.

Dont Use Physical Punishment

If you have a German Shepherd, its because you wanted him for a pet companion. That means you love your dog and want the best for him. Consequently, you would not want to hurt your dog and you want your German Shepherd to trust you.

If all that is true, then it is easy to indicate that you should never apply physical punishment on your pet, whether that means spanking, kicking, leaving him without food, caging or tying him for days, and other forms of punishment that could bring the dog some form of physical harm. Learn how to show dominance over your German Shepherd here.

These forms of punishment do not achieve any good results. First, dogs do not have the reasoning capacity to associate punishment with their action and are, thus, unlikely to change. Instead, they will develop fear and aggression towards you, which could strain the relationship with your GSD.

Second, from an animal rights perspective, physical punishment is a form of pet abuse that could make you count among the thousands of people who are perpetrators of animal cruelty in the US, inflicting physical pain. To avoid these negative outcomes, seek the help of a professional trainer if you think that your dogs behavior is becoming too much for you to handle.

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Remove Their Escape Aids

Check your yard for anything that may aid your dog at escaping your fencing. Look for objects that could help your dog to scale the fence. Walk the perimeter of your yard to inspect for objects used for escape.

  • Are there any storage boxes, bushes, or trees that may allow your GSD to get a boost in their jump to scale high?
  • Are they sneaking into a corner and using something to help them over?
  • Do you have a shed, chairs or other items near the fence that make escape easier?

Remove or block off any of these escape aids to prevent jumping. These objects only encourage your German Shepherd to use them for scaling the fence. Your dog sees any object as a way to get a boost for their jumping habits.

How To Train Sit For Greetings

How High Can a German Shepherd Jump? Can They Clear the Fence?

Another appropriate greeting behavior is sitting for pets and hellos. Like the training method above, your dog will learn that when their bum is on the floor, attention comes their way, but when they get up, it all stops. The following steps will teach sit for greetings:

  • Tether your dog to a doorknob or piece of furniture.
  • From several feet away, ask your dog to sit. When they do, calmly approach. If they stand up, turn and walk back to your starting point and ask for the sit again. If they stay sitting, go up to them and quietly praise and pet them. If they stay sitting, keep greeting. As soon as they stand up, turn and walk away.
  • As your dog begins to understand they need to sit to get your greeting, you can make your approaches more and more exciting.
  • Once your dog has mastered sit for greetings with you, go back to step one using friends and family members.
  • Remember, the more your dog practices sit, the easier this exercise will be for them. Theres no point in teaching sit for greetings if your dog is still struggling to sit without distractions. Sit should be your dogs way of saying please. Having them sit before going outside, getting their dinner, and so on makes sit for greetings easier to train.

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    Let Other People Help You

    While continued practice can be effective, doing it without involving other people may not be a great idea.

    Let your family members get involved in the training. You dont want your dog to stop jumping on you but continue doing it to anyone else.

    Letting other people help you with your training can allow your dog to keep calm regardless of who they meet.

    How To Stop Your German Shepherd From Jumping Up On You

    Q: How can I stop my German Shepherd from jumping up on me whenever I put my jacket or sweatshirt on? He thinks hes coming with me every time I leave the house. James T.

    A: The possibility of getting out of the house is very exciting for all healthy German Shepherds. Whenever you stand in your doorway, your German Shepherd will get his hopes up wouldnt you? Its no surprise your dog is aroused when you are around your doorway I actually think its a healthy sign.

    Whenever you have a behavior issue, the first step is identifying the cause and the second is using management to prevent the behavior from being practiced while you work on step 3: teaching an alternative behavior that competes with the one you want to lessen. I would suggest a couple of techniques.

  • Use a distraction: Have some treats your dog loves ready in a plastic bag in the fridge so you can get it right before you go to put your jacket on. Give it to your dog when you are about to leave, and the odds are that your German Shepherd will be so enthusiastic about the treat that he notices you getting ready to leave.
  • Practice the wait command: It sounds like your German Shepherd needs to work on impulse- or self-control. Throughout the day, practice waiting to give her a treat or her food or anything else he wants until he sits without you asking.
  • In the case of you at the front door, I suspect your dog wants your attention and for you to take her out to play. Well, now he has a way of asking nicely!

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    Where A German Shepherds Height Comes From

    German Shepherds are protection dogs. For decades, they have been bred for working and herding jobs. In order to meet the physical demands of these jobs, GSDs needed to be bred to be very athletic.

    GSDs are one of the strongest dog breeds there are, which is why theyre a favorite choice for being police dogs or working in narcotics. If theres ever a bad guy jumping a fence, a German Shepherd can chase after them with ease.

    German Shepherds can jump as far as ten feet!

    German Shepherds are big dogs with a bunch of energy. Coupled with their athleticism, its natural for them to want to jump, whether around in the air or on things.

    While a GSD can jump up pretty high in the air, they can jump through the air even farther ! With German Shepherds that are going to live as family pets, its important as the owner to control their jumping behavior early in their puppy years or else theyre going to become crazy rockets when theyre adults.

    BONUS TIPS: Is your German Shepherd a picky eater? In working with our breeder, we found our dog much preferred Royal Canin dog food over the brand we were giving her. They offerpuppy food and adult food that is designed just for the German Shepherd. If you are considering a change of food, I would definitely give this one a try.

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