Siberian Huskies are loving, energetic dogs who have an unparalleled zest for life. And this excess energy often manifests in an annoying, yet sometimes painful, behavior that Huskies are known for, which is jumping on people. This behavior may be cute while they’re still pups, but an adult Siberian Husky launching itself at you can be frightening at best and lead to injury at worst.
Here are 6 steps to stop a Siberian Husky from jumping:
- Identify jumping triggers.
- Ignore the jump.
- Keep their feet on the floor.
- Reward good behavior.
- Show them love.
- Repeat the process.
In this article, I’ll lay out a step-by-step review of how to get your Husky to stop jumping on you or any guests who happen to come over.
1. Identify Jumping Triggers
To control this jumpy behavior, you must first identify what causes your Husky to get excited enough to jump in the first place. If you can identify these triggers, you can either avoid the behavior or stop it immediately when it starts.
Here are some of their triggers:
- Some dogs jump on a new human entering the household in an attempt to interact with and identify the stranger.
- Huskies are incredibly excited when their owners return from work or a trip to the grocery store and will fling themselves heedlessly as a warm welcome.
- It might be when you’re holding their favorite treat or dangling that pair of socks they love stealing so much.
- Your Husky may jump at the mention of the word “walk” as they come to associate the word with the adventure that comes after.
Figuring out what causes your dog to jump is crucial to initiate the training process.
Instead of waiting for your dog to jump and then employing techniques to curb this behavior, you want to proactively cause them to jump and learn to control it before things get out of hand.
2. Ignore the Jump
Huskies are highly social dogs and crave attention regularly, and they jump to ensure that you acknowledge their presence and respond positively. The most effective way to prevent them from jumping is to ignore them when they jump, which will act as a deterrent.
You can turn around and show your back to your Husky as it jumps, or sidestep out of the way so they miss entirely.
Alternatively, you can cross your arms over your chest and avoid responding in any way when your dog pounces on you. It’s crucial to remember never to push or shove a Husky or yell at them when they jump up for two main reasons.
Let’s look at these two reasons:
- Huskies reconcile or apologize by licking each others’ snouts. If they sense you’re distressed, they’ll attempt to “say sorry” by getting to your face and giving it a few licks. This attempt at apology will cause them to jump more fervently.
- Huskies are the rough-and-tumble sort, who love a bit of bodily shoving from their owners. By pushing them away, you’ll only excite them further and cause them to jump more. Additionally, you’re reinforcing the fact that jumping elicits a positive response, which in this case, is their owner’s attention.
The best way to prevent this behavior and send the right message is to ignore their attempts to jump on you. By doing so, you’ll firmly communicate that jumping isn’t a behavior with a positive outcome.
However, you also want to keep their spirits up, especially if they feel you’re mad at them. Try getting down on their level and put your face near theirs. Let them lick your face, and then stand up. Your dog might be willing to stay on the floor then.
3. Keep Their Feet on the Floor
Ignoring your Husky’s frequent leaps is vital to ensure that they understand jumping is unwanted behavior. Of course, your dog won’t be able to tell the difference between good and bad behavior, but it’s your response that will communicate which behaviors are worth repeating.
Huskies are sociable dogs who adore interaction with their human companions. They’ll find being ignored unpleasant and even unbearable.
They’ll work to avoid this unpleasant stimulus, and as you continue to ignore your dog, it’ll eventually settle down, putting all four paws on the floor.
If you find it difficult to ignore your Husky for too long, you can help them by using a treat to lower them to the floor. To do this, take your dog’s favorite snack and bring it down to the ground level, so your dog drops its snout to the ground and stays down. My dogs loved the bacon flavored dog treats from Train-Me! (link directs you to Amazon.com)
You can reinforce this behavior by adding a command like “off,” “sit,” or “down,” so your dog begins to associate sitting with these commands.
4. Reward Good Behavior
When you train your Husky to stop jumping, it’s imperative to break the link between jumping and the positive outcome that comes from it. To a Husky, being shoved or given attention somehow will reinforce the idea that jumping is a desirable behavior as they’re getting a positive response from it (positive to them).
The first three steps give you the tools to help your Husky disassociate jumping with a positive outcome. By ignoring your Husky and ensuring their four paws are on the floor, you communicate that jumping is a behavior that won’t be rewarded.
But simply ignoring your dog isn’t enough. In fact, without any additional motivation, your Husky is sure to return to its prancing ways every time it sees you.
The most effective way to curb jumping and prevent your Husky from repeating this behavior is to instill a healthy habit and reward them for displaying this new behavior. In this case, you want to teach your Husky that staying calm and sitting down when you arrive is desirable behavior.
So when you’re training your Husky to stay calm, wait till they’ve finished jumping and finally settled down. If your dog begins jumping when you interact with them, hold your ground again till they’ve calmed down and all paws are on the floor.
When your Husky displays this behavior, reward them with their favorite treat and a firm, loving pat on the head. Another popular treat my dogs love are the salmon flavored Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Wild Bits (available on Amazon.com).
This display of affection, along with a treat, will teach them two things.
- Jumping doesn’t lead to a reward.
- Good things happen when they don’t jump, leading to a positive outcome, which is your attention and a treat.
5. Show Them Love
Another great way to reinforce good behavior is to sit down on the floor next to your Husky when they stop jumping. Conversely, you can also lie down on top of your Husky when they’re resting on the floor.
Your unbridled affection when they’re calm will teach them that jumping is an ineffective way to gain your attention. In fact, not jumping and staying still will ensure they get more of your time.
Regular displays of affection coupled with treats will help reinforce this good behavior.
6. Repeat the Process
Let everyone in the household know about the training you’re putting your Husky through, and let them know what to do every time your dog jumps.
You also want to keep guests informed about what to do when your Husky pounces, so the jumpy behavior is met with the same resistance every time. The training won’t work if you ignore your dog while the rest of the household shoves them away when they jump.
With an environment that consistently disdains jumpiness and rewards calm and relaxed behavior, your dog will prefer to stay grounded to get the attention they desire.
The most effective way to require your Husky’s brain is to tempt them to jump and repeat steps 2 to 5.
You can dangle their favorite toy or leave the house and walk back in, so they begin jumping. Ignore them as much as possible when they jump and reward them when they settle down.
Repeating this pattern over a few weeks will firmly instill the proper composure in your dog, and they are less likely to continue jumping.
You also might want to watch this Youtube video that shows you how to keep your dog from jumping:
How To Get a Husky To Stop Jumping
Siberian Huskies are highly sociable dogs and were initially bred to live in a pack, which helped keep them warm in the cold winters of the frozen Arctic and Alaskan plains.
It also fulfilled their need for emotional connection and affection.
In a pack, frequently pouncing on each other in a display of affection is typical Husky behavior. However, a prancing and jumpy Husky can be pretty troublesome at home. And your dog can potentially frighten guests who come over.
It’s essential to rein in this behavior, so you can enjoy the company of a calm and loving canine companion.
A Possible Alternative
Instead of allowing your dog to jump and ignoring them, an alternative training method would be to use a leash to control their behavior.
Instead of letting the dog jump, you step on the leash to restrict their movement in this method. When your Husky tries to jump, they won’t be able to and will come to associate being around you with staying still or sitting down.
Once you’ve got a foot on the leash, your dog will stay grounded.
Here, wait a while for them to relax before pulling out their favorite toy and dangling it in the air. Your dog may attempt to jump and get to the toy once more, but the leash will restrict them.
As they sit back again, you want to give them a treat or a pat on the head accompanied by a “good boy.” Just like the previous method, your dog will, over time, begin to associate staying still with a positive outcome, which is your affection and its favorite treat.
If all else fails, try giving Brain Training For Dogs a try. This is an at home training service offered by Adrienne Farricelli, a CPDT-KA certified dog trainer with over 10 years experience. She has also trained military and police dogs. At the time of this writing, the program was less than $50, which is a steal. You will be amazed at the training program and the progress you will make with your pup.
FAQs
Is It Essential To Teach a Siberian Husky To Stop Jumping?
Given the size of an adult Husky, it is essential to teach a Siberian Husky at an early age to stop jumping on people. A running leap from an adult Husky can send you off your feet and could cause serious injury to a child or an elderly person.
The problem isn’t the jumpy behavior itself, but your dog’s inability to follow a command.
Husky puppies are adorable prancing furballs, but adult Huskies are, on average, 50cm – 60cm (19.7 – 23.6 inches) long and weigh roughly 60 lbs (27.3 kg).
So to prevent any undesirable consequences and ensure your dog is a pleasure to be around, it’s best to curb their jumping behavior at the earliest.
At What Age Can You Start Training a Husky?
You can start training a Husky at 4 months of age. While it’s possible to train a Siberian Husky at any age, it’s more challenging to instill new behaviors as they get older. Instead, it’s best to start behavioral training when your dog is still a puppy.
Huskies are fiercely intelligent, and you can start training them as early as 4-5 months old.
My Husky Whines While Jumping. Is That Normal Behavior?
Huskies are highly vocal and whining, crying, or howling is usually a plea for attention. Your dog may be worried when you ignore their jumps and try to communicate with you in various ways.
It’s natural for your dog to cry or whine when you ignore their jumping. Continue the training process and reward them with treats and affection when they stop jumping. Your Husky will stop whining soon enough.
Is It Easier To Train Male or Female Huskies?
Male and female Huskies are equally amenable to training and can be equally stubborn. The gender of your Siberian Husky doesn’t play a significant role in behavioral training. The time to instill a new habit will differ based on your Husky’s temperament and level of intelligence.
Male Huskies follow the pack mentality and will try to assert themselves as the Alpha dog in the household. It’s important to teach your dog that you’re the Alpha of the pack by walking into a room before them or eating your meals before feeding them.
This training will give male Huskies the right idea of the hierarchy at home, and they’re more likely to follow the training process.