How to Train a Labrador Retriever to Not Jump

It is easy to see why Labrador Retrievers are popular companions. Their lovable and loyal nature means that they are the dog of choice for guide dogs and are often used as police dogs and search and rescue dogs. However, due to their fondness for humans, it is common for young Labrador Retrievers to be over excited when they are around people and to jump up.

This is far from ideal if you are having visitors in your home and your Lab greets them by jumping up on them. When out on walks, it is important that your dog does not jump up on strangers, as they may not like dogs or being assaulted with muddy paws. This is rude and unacceptable behavior from your dog and you must teach him how to show respect to humans.  

Dogs usually jump up because they want to get your attention and be near your face. To do this they must jump,  as they are not as tall as us. During the training period, you must be sure to crouch or kneel down to greet your dog at their eye level. It is also a good idea to let any visitors to your home know as well, as they could undo all of your hard work by encouraging your dog to jump up at them.
Teaching your Labrador Retriever not to jump up should take anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks. Labs are intelligent dogs and usually pick up new skills quickly. However, it will be easier to carry out training if he is a puppy. Teaching your dog not to jump up if he is an older will be more difficult as you may have to undo years’ worth of bad habits.

In order to carry out this training, you will need to arm yourself with a positive attitude and lot of patience. Although the training won’t be hard to carry out, it will take a while for your Labrador Retriever to realize that jumping up will not get him the attention that he wants. You must be persistent and make sure that you follow the same rules in any environment. You will also need to get your hands on some tasty treats to reward him for good behavior. 

Now you are all set to begin the training!