Manners & obedience
How to teach a dog to greet people politely
Jumping on people is rarely rudeness. Many dogs jump because it has always worked: faces are up high, and a leap gets a laugh, a push or a squeal, which all count as attention. Polite greeting flips that deal. Calm paws earn the hello, and a jump makes the hello disappear. Here is how to set it up at home with the people you already know.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
The guest protocol
Steps to start with tonight's visitors.
Begin with management, before any guest walks in. Put the dog on a leash held by an adult, or behind a baby gate, so the first rush at the door cannot happen. Pick one helpful adult to play guest. Have them ring, enter and stand still while you ask for a sit. The moment the bottom lands, mark it and let the guest offer a quiet hello at chest height, not a big excited greeting.
If the paws come up, the guest simply turns and steps back, and you calmly reset the sit. No shoving the dog down, no knee to the chest, no scolding. Keep each greeting short and boring, then walk the dog a few steps away and repeat. Common mistakes: letting some visitors allow jumping, greeting the dog the instant you walk in from work, and reaching over the head of a dog who is already wound up.
- Leash or gate before the door
- One calm adult as guest
- Hello only while paws stay down
- Jump makes the guest step back
Proofing and help
Making the sit hold when greetings get exciting.
Proof one variable at a time. Distance: practise greetings at the door, then in the driveway, then on the sidewalk. Duration: ask the dog to hold the sit for a two-word hello, then a short chat, then a full minute while you talk. Distraction: add a guest carrying bags, a guest who is giggling, a guest in a big winter coat. Children stay out of the practice; they greet only once the dog is reliable and an adult holds the leash.
Coaching helps when a dog spins, mouths hands, or cannot settle at all with visitors present. Private Training is $150 plus GST for a one-hour session and leaves you with a written plan customized to your home. Puppy Fundamentals and On-Leash Foundations both build sit, stay and place, the skills a calm greeting rests on. If a dog growls, hides or lunges at guests, that may be more than a manners question, and a professional assessment is the right next step.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
how do i stop my dog jumping on guests
Prevent the jump first with a leash or gate, then reward a sit with the greeting itself. When the paws come up, the guest steps back and attention pauses until the sit returns.
should i knee my dog when it jumps up
We do not recommend it. Kneeing or pushing can feel like rough play to some dogs and can hurt others, and it teaches nothing about what to do instead.
what if my guests let the dog jump
Ask them to help for the first few minutes, or keep the dog on leash so you control the greeting. Every visitor who allows jumping keeps the old habit alive, so a friendly script at the door is worth it.
my dog only jumps on me when i come home
Many dogs jump hardest on their own people because homecomings are the biggest moment of the day. Walk in quietly, ignore the jumping, and greet only once all four paws are back on the floor.
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Calmer hellos at your door
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