Training a dog on how not to jump at visitors?

My family has three huge dogs - a labrador, a golden retriever, and a husky. The golden retriever, named Keebler, is quite lazy and very relaxed, and doesn't have a problem with visitors at all. But the other two - the lab named Violet, and the husky named Pepper - tend to get super excited (or nervous, I'm not sure) around visitors and bark and jump at them. It's really concerning, especially since they still do that with frequent visitors who they should recognize already at this point. The only people they are calm around are the permanent members of the household. Everyone else, I think they view as threats.

Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with them? Much appreciated, thank you.

 

Our dog jumped on people until he was about 3 years old. He didn't quit until he was old enough to calm down all around. We tried everything and time is what did it eventually.

 

My uncle's dog used to have the same problem and seemed to reserve this behaviour for me albeit in a friendly manner. So, I got some insight on how to deal with the issue. I dissuaded him by using a frond or leafy twig and then waving it on its face to deter it. The dog viewed this is a threat without classifying me as being hostile. A threat can be as potent as the actual deterrent action which is not recommended in pets since it involves inflicting pain.

 

I have a similar problem with my husky. She will practically knock over visitors to the house with her enthusiasm. She doesn't seem to see them as a threat, she just gets very excited.

Remnant, your idea sounds like something I could definitely try. It may be a kind of distraction too more than anything. She may find it annoying in the same way that a human would if someone fluffed a feather duster in your face. I am going to get something to try this next time.

 

I am having this issue with my 2 year-old dog too. If someone knocks on the door, or ring the bell, he will bark on top of his lung and running around frantically! He will jump and twirl around visitors in excitement, but he only does this most often with my teenager and his friends.

I got to the point of just putting him in the kennel when someone is at the door. I won't let him out until he calm down, and it seems to work for now.

 

I have wondered if putting her in the kennel would help. But I've been afraid she might just subdue her self until she is released again. But if it seems to work for your dog, I guess it's worth a try. Anything is worth trying at this point as dealing with the jumping and bouncing is exhausting for me and sometimes even scary for visitors.

 

@MarshDog I can totally relate to what you're saying, the fear, the exhaustion of trying to control the dog. He stomped his nails on my foot, leaving 3 small holes which bled, so I had to do something.

After I put him in the kennel, opened the door and let visitors in, I left him in there for a while with visitors around. His kennel is in the main area so he sees what is going on, know their smell, and when he is calmer, I let him out. He sniffed them and he just wanted them to pet him.

 

Our oldest dog Tisoy has that habit of jumping on people. But his favorite in jumping is our laundry woman who comes here twice a week. Tisoy would be jumping on her but not to antagonize but only for a mischievous gesture. Tisoy is already 9 years old so I guess we cannot correct that anymore. Our younger dogs are 4 years old and we try to arrest their bad habits. Barbie, our only female dog, has the propensity to bark upon hearing voices of children or the sound of a cat. I think we are quite successful in restraining her by using a choker chain.

 

@IcyBC That's good to know that keeping your dog in the kennel for a while did seem to work. I am going to try that.

We have also thought about trying to put up a baby gate across the dining room doorway so that she can see/hear what is going on and have more space to run around, but I'm not sure it would keep her from jumping over. She minds the gate we have at the top of the stairs, even though she could jump over it--I'm not sure she realized she can. But the enticement of 'fresh meat' (ie visitors) might be too much for her with a gate downstairs. Still, maybe it's worth a shot.

 

I think using a kennel in most cases is a bad idea. I think it should be a very rare and last resort.