Is your dog an overly excited greeter? Does she LOVE to jump all over you and your guests when you walk through the door?
We have great news! There’s a quick, easy, effective, AND dog-friendly solution to your dog’s jumping problem: the TREAT BOMB!
What’s a Treat Bomb?
- Place a treat jar at your door.
- As you enter, grab a big handful of treats, and as your dog approaches, throw the treats on the ground in front of her, before she jumps (Treat Bomb!).
- You can help by pointing out some of the treats to your dog
- Keep a few extra treats in your hand.
- As your dog finishes the Treat Bomb, pet her calmly and offer a few more treats from your hand, so long as four paws stay on the ground.
Dog Training Hack: Jumping on Guests
It's Training Hack Tuesday! Do you have a Jumpus Maximus in your house who loves to jump all over you and your guests? Try this quick, easy, and effective jumping hack: Treat Bombs! There are lots of ways to teach a dog to greet politely at the door; the Treat Bomb is one of our favorites because it's EASY and FUN for guests of all ages (and for the dog).
Posted by Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC on Tuesday, May 17, 2016
What’s that you say? You think throwing a pile of treats on the ground will make your jumping, overexcited dog MORE excited? That’s a fair thought, but trust us, this works like a charm for about 80% of diehard jumpers. Here’s why:
- You are giving your dog an EASY alternate behavior in which to engage. It’s impossible to jump and eat treats off the ground at the same time.
- Foraging for treats on the ground is great way to decrease a dog’s excitement level (even for those dogs who are really into food). It lets them get into exploratory mode, and it allows us humans to stay calm, relaxed, and quiet, so that we don’t inadvertently add more excitement and arousal to an already exciting situation.
Over time, your dog will start to anticipate the Treat Bomb, and will approach with head low, expecting to forage for treats on the ground. At this point, you can replace the Treat Bomb with a calm greeting and a couple of hand-fed treats.
Happy Training!
*Disclaimer: Treat Bomb is best for single dog households, as the scattered treats can potentially cause conflict if multiple, excited dogs are competing to gather them off the floor. If you’re dealing with a household of multiple jumpers, we suggest contacting a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant near you for help (www.iaabc.org).
