Jumpin' Jack

By Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis
Jumpin' Jack is in trouble again: jumping on people, jumping on the furniture, jumping just for the joy of jumping.

Let's get one thing straight: Jumping is a people problem, not a dog problem. Dogs hear our voices, so happy and loving and high above their heads -- and they literally jump toward the sound. They jump for the ball, for the treat, for the Frisbee and for the sound of you, their faithful friend. In essence, they jump for joy. And often, they're encouraged to do so by people who sometimes do/sometimes don't want Jack to jump.

Almost everything people bring home comes with a manual -- everything except the dog. You have to find your own manual, your own training guide. And you have to learn dog-ease. Jack can learn to keep his paws on the ground, but only if you teach him on his terms.

Lesson No. 1 is for all those who love their Jumpin' Jack: We can't have it both ways. We can't have Jack jumping in circles to greet us, and then expect him to remain stoically grounded for the snooty boss or the skittish neighbor. It doesn't work that way -- at least not very well.

If you don't want Jack to jump on the in-laws, you can't let him jump on you. Or the couch. Or the bed. Jack won't get why he can put his paws up on the recliner, but not up on Grandma when she's snoozing in it.

Lesson No. 2: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It's a cliché for a reason. If you offer an alternative behavior every time Jack jumps, you'll prevent a jumping problem, relieving you of having to cure one later.

Basic obedience training is creating a functional lifestyle that includes a dog. Teaching your dog basic commands gives you control. In issuing a command, you are essentially offering your pooch an alternative behavior to the one you'd prefer he cease. So when you say "Sit," Jack stops jumping because now he has to sit. "Stay" is the follow up. From that point on, Jack is too busy staying to jump. You have given Jack a job to do. And dogs love having a job.

If Jack's imprint is already impressed upon your ceiling and walls, it's not too late. But please, no amount of "Off," "Get down" or "Bad dog, Jack" will work. Neither will all the "No jumping, Jacks" nor "No, Jacks" in the world. Remember: Never say "no" in conjunction with your dog's name. And that goes double for "bad dog."

In order to correct Jack when he's in the jumping zone, keep him in sight and on a leash whenever you are inside with him. If the doorbell rings and Jack springs into action, gently but firmly say "no" while issuing a short corrective jerk to the leash. That should be followed by "Sit." Then "Stay." And while he's busy staying, tell him what a good boy he is. "Good boy, Jack! Uncle Matty's proud."

Lesson No. 3: There's just no gettin' around basic obedience training. Jack needs to know some basic commands, and they should be simple to teach. For pointers, check out unclematty.com. And when shopping for that training manual, remember that positive disciplinary methods and reinforcement bring out the positive side of your pup's personality. And the opposite is also true. Create a good, loving dog by being a good, loving dog owner. Love, praise and affection come before and after a job well done.

Woof!