Jumping
Shih Tzu Jumping
Overview
It’s not uncommon for dogs to get so excited about something or someone, that they jump up against people. This may be jumping on their owners, on visitors, or even those encountered when outside. This happens without much thought; it’s instant excitement that triggers a dog to jump, and for this reason, training can be a be a bit tricky and needs lots of repetition.
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First, Some Tips to Reduce Jumping Behavior
Before we get into the actual jumping itself and how to deal with that, the following can help reduce jumping:
#1 Enough Exercise. When a dog is holding pent-up energy, it is going to be released eventually and even something like someone entering a room can cause them to let loose and start jumping up. So, help your Shih Tzu release energy in a healthy way throughout the day with two daily walks of at least 20 minutes each and a daily session of fetch or other cardio activity. If you are already doing this, increase walks by 5 to 10 minutes. And if you Shih Tzu seems uninterested in playing fetch, it may be a matter of owner enthusiasm and/or having fun toys to throw.
#2 Tone Down the Surprise.
The goal is to give your Shih Tzu time to process that an interaction is about to happen, rather than having it be a sudden surprise. Quick surprises often trigger quick reactions, like jumping.
If your little guy or gal typically jumps on you when you come home, if there is someone else in the house that can assist, have that person distract your dog with a toy or treat while you are entering. You will then make a noise and remain standing in blocked view. For example, jiggle the doorknob and position yourself so that your Shih Tzu cannot make a beeline for you. You'll want them to have to navigate around furniture to reach you and greet you, expelling energy along the way.
Training Prep
Now that you're making sure your Shih Tzu has avenues for releasing their energy, it's time to prep for some training. There are a few things to have ready in advance:
#1 Your dog should know the ‘Sit’ command.
Understandably, you may think that this won’t matter because if your Shih Tzu gets super-excited, they won't listen to you. However, this is an essential part of training and is necessary to move forward.
#2 Have your dog on leash and harness.
This is for times when you are outside on a walk or inside and are expecting a visitor (that would normally be jumped up on).
#3 Have training treats in a zipped plastic bag and in your pocket for quick, easy access. Be sure that the training treats are small, moist, extra delicious, and not ones that would be given at any rate. If you're looking for a great training treat, Wellness Bites Lamb and Salmon Training Treats is an excellent choice.
How to Train a Shih Tzu to Stop Jumping Up on People
Many training guidelines to stop dogs from jumping involve having a person turn their body to the side so that a dog does not receive their jumping ‘goal’. However, that typically only works with medium and large-sized breeds that can reach close to or up to a person's face when jumping. So, the following is an alternative training method that can work with smaller dogs like the Shih Tzu.
You’ll find that if you and everyone in charge of your dog follow these training guidelines, success can be achieved in several weeks; though, a big part of how long this takes will be dependent on how often you can train your Shih Tzu to stop jumping. And, that depends on how often your puppy or dog is put into a situation that could trigger jumping.
You can enlist the help of a friend who can act as the jumping 'victim', you can wait for opportunities to arise, or you can do a combination of the two.
#1 When a situation presents itself
that would usually cause your Shih Tzu to jump up, stop in place before this happens, and command a ‘Sit’. An example of this is if you are walking down the sidewalk and see another person heading toward you, knowing that he or she will be passing close by. Another common example is when a guest is about to enter your home.
While it's impossible to see every jumping situation in advance, one of your jobs as the trainer is to be on guard and keep an eye out for as many as you can. And, commanding that 'sit' before any jumping occurs.
#2 The moment that your dog obeys the sit, immediately give praise (Good sit!) and a training treat. An important aspect at this point is to keep the leash short once your Shih Tzu is sitting so that any urge to rise cannot be carried out. Since your
Shih Tzu will be wearing a harness, no injury will occur to the neck, and you will not make the leash so taunt that it feels restricting. Keeping this in mind, use your foot to hold a section of the leash so that they stay in place.
#3 In a calm voice,
continue repeating ‘Siiiiittt’ as the jumping ‘victim’ comes closer. If you are using a helper, let them know in advance that the next step is to bend down to say hello to your dog. If this is a situation in which a stranger is passing by, if they wish to greet your dog, let them know that you are training your Shih Tzu to stop jumping up, and ask them to say hello while your little guy or gal is in the sitting position.
#4 As your dog is being greeted
by the person and is in a sitting position, give more praise (Good sit, good dog!) and a second treat.
#5 As the greet is ending, take a step backward while lifting your foot to incrementally giving the leash more and more free length. While you are doing this, if your Shih Tzu tries to lunge forward to jump, make the leash shorter to bring them closer and command another sit. If your Shih Tzu remains calm, give one final praise (Good dog!) and a final treat.
Training Your Shih Tzu to Stop Jumping Up on You
As mentioned, the aspect of turning your body to the side to remove a dog’s jumping goal cannot be applied to toy breeds. So, training steps are a bit different than with larger dogs:
- If you have someone else in the house, you’ll want to have them follow all of the training steps as mentioned earlier, with you playing the role of the jumping ‘victim’.
- If you don't have a helper, such as in the case of living alone with your Shih Tzu or if they jump up on you a lot while no one else is around, allow for a release of initial energy and then command a ‘Sit’ before any interaction, with obedience rewarded.
For jumping during initial ‘greets’, the steps are as so:
#1 Have some training treats
in a zipped sandwich bag near key points, so that you can easily grab these on your way into the house or on the way to your dog first thing in the morning.
#2 Greet your Shih Tzu
while he’s still in their indoor playpen
or other designated area.
#3 Remain there, speaking to your little guy or gal and giving lots of pets until all of the initial rush of excitement has died down.
#4 Once your Shih Tzu seems to be calm, open the door to the pen and command a sit. Reward this with a training treat.
#5 The elements of having the greeting having already taken place
and commanding a ‘Sit’ may be all that’s needed to prevent jumping due to the excitement of seeing you. However, if your dog does start to jump up after this, keep commanding ‘Sits’ as needed.
#6 If your Shih Tzu does not normally stay within a pen
(or gated area), it does make things a lot more difficult; however, implement positive reinforcement training by ordering a ‘Sit’ upon first seeing them, followed by a reward for doing so. Keep rewards near the entrance or in your pocket to have ready for these occasions.
Did you find this to be helpful?
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