Rottweilers are pure people dogs. If you own a Rottweiler, you already know these dogs have difficulty separating from their people, even for a few minutes!
So it makes sense that your Rottweiler gets so excited to see you that your dog wants to jump on you the moment you appear. The same is often true when you sit down – your Rottie wants to immediately jump up and sit with you.
But what is cute in puppyhood can become challenging when your Rottweiler grows up. In this article, learn how to stop your Rottweiler from jumping on you.
Quick Steps To stop Your Rottweiler from Jumping on You
- Be consistent with training and use clear commands.
- Ignore the jumping behavior by turning your back and avoiding eye contact.
- Teach an alternative behavior like sitting and reward it.
- Use positive reinforcement with treats and praise.
- Practice impulse control exercises and provide mental and physical exercise.
- Manage the environment and seek professional help if needed.
Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are critical in training your Rottweiler to stop jumping.
How to Stop My Rottweiler From Jumping On Me?
Your Rottweiler needs you to clarify what behaviors are acceptable and off-limits.
If your Rottweiler is jumping on you, you have not told your dog that this behavior is not okay.
Firm, consistent, and positive dog training is what you need to stop your Rottweiler from jumping on you. Keep reading to learn precisely what to do to stop this behavior.
Why Does Your Rottweiler Jump On You?
Once you understand why your Rottweiler jumps on you, it becomes a lot easier to stop feeling irritated and take action steps to stop the behavior.
Jumping Is Part of Herding and Guarding Behavior
As we mentioned in the introduction to this article, Rottweilers want to be with their people all the time.
This is normal and natural for herding, guarding, and protecting dog breeds like the Rottweiler, as the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains in their breed overview.
For generations, these dogs have been bred and trained to protect livestock and people. Their instincts drive them to seek you out and stay as close to you as possible.
Jumping Is a Submissive Behavior in Wild Canids
As the Animal Welfare League of Arlington highlights, it is possible that jumping up is a form of submissive greeting for junior members of wild canid packs or groups.
In this case, your Rottweiler’s behavior could be interpreted as another instinctual behavior from the dog’s connection to ancient wild wolves.
It feels natural to your dog, and so they will continue to do it until you train them not to.
Jumping Puppies Are Cute, and You May Have Reinforced This Behavior
Rottweiler puppies are small and cute and fuzzy and adorable.
As the Humane Society points out, a jumping Rottweiler puppy isn’t causing much trouble and will likely be greeted with praise and enthusiasm.
But when your Rottweiler grows up to weigh between 80 and 135 pounds, you no longer think it is cute that your dog is jumping on you or visitors to your house.
Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t realize that size is an issue. You seemed to like it when your dog was little, so they keep doing it.
Steps to Discourage Your Rottweiler From Jumping On You
There is no single right or wrong way to train your dog not to jump. There is just the decision that you don’t want your Rottweiler to jump and the decision about what you want your dog to do instead.
However, even if your Rottweiler is jumping up on everybody, you want to keep the training simple at first. Start by training your dog not to jump on you.
After you feel like your Rottweiler is making progress in not jumping on you, you can slowly add another person and another.
As Preventative Vet points out, you will be training your dog to do two things at once:
- Not jump on you.
- Do something else instead that you prefer.
So the first step is to think about what you want your dog to do instead of jumping on you.
Do you want your dog to sit quietly in place and wait for you to issue a command to come to you for a greeting? Do you want your dog to approach you freely but sit at your feet instead of jumping for a pat?
This also means you will need two commands first – the command to not jump and the command to do the other behavior you prefer.
Tips to Keep Your Rottweiler From Jumping On You
As Vetstreet explains, you may also want to keep these tips tucked away until your Rottweiler has unlearned their old habit of jumping on you and mastered the new behavior.
These tips can help you quickly prevent your Rottweiler from jumping on you or a visit while you are still training your dog not to jump.
1. Quickly Step on Your Rottweiler’s Leash
For this, you must put your foot on the leash so your dog can sit straight but not stand up and not jump.
Of course, only do this if you have enough lower body strength to keep your dog from knocking you over if they try to jump up anyway!
2. Give Your Dog Something to Carry in Their Mouth
If your dog has a toy or a treat in their mouth and it is something they like and doesn’t want to drop, there is a much lower probability of jumping.
This is because most dogs have difficulty jumping while holding something in their jaws.
3. Give Your Rottweiler a Good Exercise Session Before Visitors Arrive
If your Rottweiler is tired from a vigorous session of play or the long run, there is much less chance they will want to muster the energy to jump up all over guests to your home.
This can be an excellent tip for Rottweiler puppies since their energy tends to come in bursts, and they tire out quickly.
Just be sure you don’t over-exercise your puppy before the long leg bone growth plates have closed (your veterinarian can help you with this).
4. Do Not Give Your Rottweiler Any Attention
This tip can be as hard for you as it is for your dog. But the truth is, once your Rottweiler realizes they don’t get your attention when jumping, the behavior is less likely to recur.
After all, your Rottweiler is only jumping because, in the past, this behavior has gotten a desirable reaction from you – your attention. When you withdraw your attention, the jumping is no longer helpful to your dog and is less likely to continue.
Is Your Rottweiler Jumping Due to Anxiety?
As PetMD points out, dogs suffering from anxiety or separation anxiety often jump to get more attention.
Anxiety can arise for a variety of reasons. A rescue Rottie may be anxious due to past relinquishment, neglect, or trauma. A newly re-homed Rottweiler puppy may jump because they are not used to being away from their mother and littermates.
A lonely or bored Rottweiler may jump to have something to do. In this case, even negative attention is still attention, and attention is still better than being alone or restless.
A Rottweiler that isn’t getting enough exercise may jump because they have too much energy and can’t burn it off. And a poorly socialized Rottweiler may jump out of misplaced aggression or friendliness.
For your Rottweiler, these states are just as uncomfortable as loneliness, boredom, aggression, or anxiety might be for you. Luckily, there are many different ways to help an anxious dog calm down and stop jumping.
Anxiety vests can help ease nerves during holiday fireworks, thunderstorms, and loud music. Canine essential oils or flower essences also help some dogs stay calmer when their anxiety triggers.
In some cases, a rescue Rottweiler with a history of neglect or trauma may benefit from a course in prescription canine anti-anxiety medications and behavior modification training.
If you have tried training your Rottweiler not to jump on you and nothing seems to be working, it is possible your dog needs more help to deal with anxiety than basic training can provide.
This is the right time to talk with your veterinarian about other ways to help your Rottweiler stop jumping on you.
Watch a Professional Dog Trainer Teach a Rottweiler Not To Jump
In this short and very helpful YouTube dog training video, you can learn five steps to stop your Rottweiler from jumping up on you.
You don’t need any special training to immediately start using these steps. You can watch the video and start using all five steps to train your Rottweiler not to jump.
