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Giant Breeds: How do I stop my pup from jumping up?

Jumping up to greet you is pretty typical puppy behaviour. Puppies jump up to express excitement, and to get closer to your face so they can give you a slobbering kiss - it's how they greet their mothers. This is all very funny and cute in for a pup, but it's not so cute in a dog that weighs some 50 kilograms or more!

It's natural to smile, laugh and speak happily to your pet when they greet you so enthusiastically, but your attention works as a reward for your pup. Your pet needs to learn that they have nothing to gain by jumping up on you, so rather than reprimand your eager puppy, give them something else to do, something positive so that you can reward them.

Give your pup an alternative way to greet you. Have some treats ready in your pocket when you come home, and when the pup jumps up on you, gently place their paws back on the ground, and reward with treats, praise and attention. If the pup continues to jump up on you, repeat the process. You may need to do this a few times, and it will take consistent training. Avoid doing anything that over-excites the pup, and try to keep comings and goings from the home as low-key as possible.

Once your pup has mastered this lesson, work on getting your pet to go into a sit/stay on your return home. Use plenty of praise and treats for good behaviours, while ignoring the undesirable ones. Get visitors to follow the same routine. It may help to have the dog on a lead when visitors arrive. Make sure the whole family is following the same training pattern, and that your pup's not getting mixed messages.

Obedience or Canine Good Citizen training will be beneficial for your giant. A jumping giant can accidentally hurt a person, especially a child, so start off on the right paw.