It starts off cute.

Your tiny puppy runs towards you, tail wagging, and pops up on your legs. Everyone laughs. It feels affectionate.

Fast forward a few months and that same behaviour isn’t so adorable. Muddy paws on school uniforms. Scratches on arms. Visitors being bowled over. Kids getting knocked backwards.

Jumping up is one of the most common complaints we hear from new puppy owners on the Sunshine Coast. The good news is it’s also one of the easiest behaviours to fix — when you approach it properly from the start.

Why puppies jump up

Puppies jump for one simple reason: it works.

They jump, and they get attention. Eye contact. Talking. Touch. Even being pushed away can feel like interaction.

Dogs are naturally drawn to faces. Jumping gets them closer to yours.

The problem isn’t the puppy being “naughty.” The problem is that jumping has been rewarded, even unintentionally.

The most important rule

Attention drives behaviour.

If jumping earns attention, it will continue.

If jumping makes attention disappear, it fades.

That’s the foundation.

What to do instead

When your puppy jumps:

• Say nothing.
• Make no eye contact.
• Turn your body away.
• Fold your arms if needed.

The moment four paws are on the floor, calmly acknowledge them. You can bend down, praise quietly, or give gentle attention.

Timing matters. The reward must come when the paws are on the ground — not while they’re mid-air.

Most puppies test this a few times. Stay consistent. They learn quickly.

Teach the alternative behaviour

Simply stopping jumping isn’t enough. You need to show your puppy what to do instead.

We teach puppies to:

• Sit for greetings
• Stand calmly for attention
• Offer eye contact

If you ask for a sit before greeting, and only greet when they’re sitting, you’re giving them a clear rule. Sit equals attention. Jumping equals nothing.

Clarity builds good habits.

What about visitors?

This is where many owners struggle.

Your puppy might be improving with you, but then guests arrive and undo the work in seconds by squealing, bending down, and encouraging excitement.

Management helps here:

• Put the puppy on lead when guests arrive.
• Brief visitors beforehand.
• Ask for a sit before allowing interaction.
• If jumping starts, remove attention immediately.

Consistency from everyone in the household is what creates lasting change.

Don’t push them down

Pushing your puppy away, kneeing them, or grabbing their paws often turns into a game. Some puppies become more excited. Others become frustrated.

We want calm, predictable responses — not escalating interaction.

Build calm from the start

Jumping is often linked to over-excitement. Teaching your puppy how to settle, how to pause, and how to manage arousal levels makes greeting behaviour much easier.

This is something we work on extensively in our Puppy School at Paws Claws & Tails.

We don’t just correct jumping. We help you understand why it’s happening and show you how to build calm behaviour properly.

The earlier you start, the easier it is

Like biting, jumping is much easier to prevent than to undo once it’s been practised for months.

If your puppy is already rehearsing the behaviour daily, don’t panic. With consistent guidance, it changes quickly.

If you’re on the Sunshine Coast and you want practical help with real-life issues like jumping, mouthing, settling and calm greetings, our Puppy School classes are designed exactly for that.

You’ll learn how to handle greetings confidently, how to manage visitors, and how to build polite behaviour that lasts.

You can find out more about our structured Puppy School here:
https://pawsclawstails.com.au/puppy-school-sunshine-coast/

Jumping up doesn’t have to become a long-term problem. With the right approach early on, your puppy can learn that keeping four paws on the floor is what truly gets your attention.