Episode Overview

Episode Title: Ep 102 Why Ignoring Your Dog’s Jumping Doesn’t Work
Host: Dr. Tom Mitchell
Publication Date: November 12, 2025

Dr. Tom Mitchell unpacks the widespread advice to “just ignore” your dog’s jumping, examining why it often fails and what thoughtful, practical approaches can actually transform your dog’s greeting behaviors. Responding to a listener’s real-life struggle with their energetic 11-month-old Flatcoated Retriever, Ivy, Dr. Tom analyzes the science behind behavioral reinforcement, outlines common pitfalls, and provides step-by-step strategies for turning jumping mayhem into calm, paws-on-the-floor greetings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Question: The Reality of Jumping Issues

[01:40]

• A listener, Ulrike, seeks help for Ivy, an excitable 11-month-old Flatcoated Retriever who can’t resist jumping when meeting people.
• Ulrike tries to have people ignore Ivy, but results are inconsistent and person-dependent.

Notable Quote:

“She is already bigger than all of my dogs, not put together. Just to clarify, I need to get her to be calmer when meeting people.”
— Listener Ulrike (read by Dr. Tom, 02:03)

2. Why 'Ignoring' Often Fails

[03:10]

• Dr. Tom dispels the myth that ignoring jumping will always decrease the behavior, explaining it can even strengthen it if everyone isn’t consistent.
• Intermittent reinforcement (rewarding only sometimes, even unintentionally) makes a behavior more persistent and habitual, not less.

Notable quote:

“If ignoring isn’t happening 1000% of the time, what we’ve accidentally done is put it on an intermittent reward schedule, which can actually increase the performance of the behavior and move it to the habit-forming part of the brain—which is not what we want to do.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (04:13)

• Even without visible rewards, jumping can be intrinsically fun and rewarding for the dog.

Notable quote:

“Behaviors are inherently rewarding without an external reward. And that’s often the case with jumping up. It’s quite fun to explode at a person—even if they don’t, you know, give any attention for it.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (07:13)

3. The Pitfall of Just Focusing on 'Don’t Do This'

[08:25]

• Ignoring only tells the dog what not to do, not what to do. Dogs, especially creative, youthful ones like Ivy, may substitute one unwanted behavior for another.
• Without guidance, if jumping stops, something else (like mouthing) may start.

Notable quote:

“What we’re not doing is… making it clear what behavior we would like instead. That then puts the onus on Ivy to pick a different choice, and... the natural right choice isn’t always, it doesn’t always happen.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (09:10)

4. Shifting to a ‘What Do I Want?’ Mindset

[10:25]

• Instead of “don’t jump,” focus on what you do want, e.g., “all four feet on the floor,” or even “lying down.”
• Be specific about your desired alternative. Don’t just define the negative.

Notable quote:

“A ‘what do I want’ might be, I do want four feet on the floor… If she’s doing the ‘what do I want’, she’s not doing the ‘what don’t I want’.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (11:10)

5. Practicing and Reinforcing the Right Behaviors

[12:00]

• Reward “the what do I want” generously with high-value treats.
• Other people can still ignore Ivy, but you actively reward four paws on the floor.
• Make rewards variable in interval and value (intermittent schedule) once the desired behavior is established to help it become a solid habit.

Notable quote:

“While ever her four feet are on the floor, you are going to be rewarding her with high value food… once she knows four feet on the floor means chicken, what we’re gonna do is move it to a more intermittent reward schedule.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (13:55)

• Start rewarding quickly (every few seconds), then vary times so the dog learns to persist.

Notable quote:

“And you’re working on an average... maybe you’re working on a 4 second average without reward or a 10 second average… you can then start to more infrequently reward. And what that does is, one, it increases performance… but also moves it to the habit-forming part of the brain.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (15:15)

6. Generalizing Success & Avoiding Person-Dependence

[16:20]

• Quickly rewarding ensures Ivy gets consistent information, regardless of who she meets.
• Practicing at a distance that sets the dog up for success reduces error and confusion.

Notable quote:

“Because you’re gonna be working at a distance from that person… but also, more importantly, getting in there with reward as quick as you can when she’s doing the right thing.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (17:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:40 — Listener question: struggles with jumping Flatcoated Retriever
• 03:10 — Why ignoring doesn’t always work; reinforcement explained
• 07:13 — Jumping is inherently fun for many dogs
• 09:10 — The problem with just telling dogs what not to do
• 11:10 — Adopting a “what do I want?” training approach
• 13:55 — Step-by-step: how to reinforce and shape four paws on the floor
• 15:15 — How and why to move to an intermittent reward schedule
• 17:00 — Generalizing behavior, avoiding person-dependent setbacks

Memorable Moments

• Dr. Tom’s playful perspective on young retrievers:

“I know flat coated retrievers, and I know 11-month-old flat coated retrievers, and the natural right choice isn’t always, it doesn’t always happen. And they’re quite creative and they’re quite energetic and high on life. And it sounds like Ivy is like that.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (09:55)

• Practical reassurance:

“So what I would do… you’re going to be so on it in spotting when she’s doing the ‘what do I want’ and getting the rewards in, you’re also going to get rid of the unpredictability. Yeah. It’s not going to be person dependent because you’re going to be working at a distance... getting in there with reward as quick as you can.”
— Dr. Tom Mitchell (17:10)

Actionable Takeaways

• Ignoring jumping doesn’t work unless absolutely everyone is 100% consistent—rarely possible in real life.
• Behaviors can be inherently rewarding for dogs, so “not rewarding” is sometimes not enough.
• Define and teach your dog exactly what you want them to do when greeting people (e.g., standing, lying down, keeping four feet on the floor).
• Immediately reward the right behavior when it occurs. Then, as it becomes habitual, gradually make the rewards less predictable to strengthen the behavior.
• Practice at distances where your dog can succeed, and reward generously and promptly.
• The new goal: shift greeting from chaos to calm, consistent behavior—with both science and fun.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Tom wraps with encouragement to listeners, inviting them to submit more fast-fire questions and leave reviews to help spread effective, compassionate training methods to the wider dog-loving community.