# Puppy jumping up!



## Ffion (Jun 5, 2020)

Hello! We have a 7 month old vizsla puppy, our very first dog. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride at first, but her behaviour has improved a lot since we first got her at 8 weeks, and she is a delightful pup (as long as she gets enough exercise😂) However, there is one thing with we are having trouble with at the moment - whenever visitors arrive she goes ballistic! This is all right, except for the jumping up. She is a steadily growing puppy and her claws can hurt when she leaps up on people! She has also got into a habit of jumping up onto kitchen counters to look for food. I was wondering if any of you fellow vizsla owners had a similar problem, and what did you do? Thank you!


----------



## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

This is typical behavior with a Vizlsa. It's something you will have to work at everyday.
Don't let her jump on anyone in the household. If she tries to jump up, use your knee and block her, and force her back and away. You're not trying to hurt her at all. No rough stuff! You are just using your knee as a block. Expect to do this for a few months.
With visitors you may need to use a harness, or some type of "gentle leader" to stop her. Once the initial enthusiasm is over she should be less reactive. I use a leash and just step on it with my foot so that they can't get those front feet off the ground. They are also correcting themselves in this manner.
The jumping up on counters is affectionately referred to as "counter surfing". Every time she does it, or even starts to do it, it's a swat to the butt and the "down" command is given. If her nose starts to sniff the counter tops from the floor, it's a correction.
My Vizslas have never been allowed on the furniture, so I've never really had this problem, except when they are nosey youngsters and it takes me a few weeks to stop it.
It's a constant correction for both. No rough stuff. Just firm, constant, consistent, repeatable, corrections. Make sure everyone in the household is applying the same corrections.


----------



## Ffion (Jun 5, 2020)

Gunrr, I will definitely do that. Thank you very much for your prompt advice 😀


----------



## 1stVizsla (Jun 22, 2016)

The jumping up on people is a constant problem for my V in my household also. It came to a head when my 80+ year old mother said she is reluctant to visit and risk scratches, skin tears etc. 

There is only one fool proof method I know and I hope it isn’t perceived of as cruel because it is effective and certainly doesn’t hurt the dog. It is a small Squirt gun. it doesn’t really frighten our V, she just doesn’t like getting a small squirt from it whenever she jumps on someone or the table. She will stay in the room but will stop doing the offending behaviors whenever she sees the squirt gun nearby (or in my 80yo mother’s hand). However, if it isn’t in the room, then ”out of sight out of mind” and she will jump on the visitor if excited. So I’m not sure how much it’s functioning as a training tool as opposed to a reminder.


----------

