Jump over
To teach your dog “over”, start at ground level: he steps over your leg or a stick laid on the floor, and you say “yes!” the moment all four paws touch down on the other side. Then raise it in tiny stages, never above the point of his elbow, and wait until he has finished growing before a real jump.
Before the first jump
Five boxes to tick before you start, and before you ever raise the obstacle.
0 / 5The method, from the floor to a small hop
You always start on the floor, and you go up one notch at a time.
Stepping over at ground level
Lay a stick flat on the floor, across a narrow passage (a doorway, a corridor) so he cannot go round it; or simply stretch your leg out in front of you, on the floor. If the spot is tiled or bare wood, put a rug over it or choose another narrow passage with some grip. Stand on the side you want him to go, hold the treat right against his nose, and walk across the obstacle with him, until he crosses it properly instead of skirting round it. If he keeps going round, narrow the gap: move the obstacle closer to a wall, or slide a cushion in on each side so the only way through is over the top. A refusal is never a whim: lower the obstacle further and start again.
Mark after the landing
Say your marker word, a short word like “yes!” delivered at exactly the right moment: here, when all four paws have landed on the other side, never mid-crossing, or he learns to brake or to plant himself on the obstacle.
Add the cue, still at ground level
As long as the obstacle stays flat on the floor, this is still stepping over, not jumping: do not look for a run-up, you still walk across with him. Do the same thing again, empty-handed this time (no treat), and say “over” once, just before he steps across. The word announces the obstacle, it does not comment on it; keep the “yes!” for the landing.
Raise it, with something that falls
Wait until you have several clean crossings in a row, with no hesitation and no going round, before you go up. To raise it, lay your stick or a broom handle across two low stacks of books (or two boxes): if he touches it, the lot comes down, and that is exactly what we want. You go up by adding one book on each side, one at a time. Now you no longer cross with him: put him two or three paces from the obstacle, step aside, and guide him over with a hand signal and your voice so that he runs up and jumps. The landing should stay soft and quiet; if it turns heavy or noisy, you have gone too high, take a book away.
A low ceiling: the point of the elbow
Never go above the point of his elbow, roughly half the height of his leg: a landmark you judge by eye, without a tape measure. For a fragile dog (older, a little heavy, long in the back), stay at ground level. Once you reach that ceiling, vary the obstacle (a stick, a broom laid down, your leg) rather than the height, and keep each session to a few crossings: better to stop on a success than to keep going until he tires and botches a landing.
Jumping shows up discomfort very quickly: at the first sign, stop and think pain before you think stubbornness.
Ease off
- A heavy or noisy landing
- New hesitation in front of the obstacle
- He slows down or turns away at the end of the session
Put it on hold
- Stiffness or an awkward gait the next day
- Repeated licking or nibbling at a joint
- He baulks at a movement that was fine yesterday
Off to the vet
- Clear limping, or refusing to put weight on a leg
- Pain when you handle him
- The refusal to jump settles in over the days
Is your dog too young, elderly, arthritic, overweight, or from a flat-faced breed that struggles to breathe on exertion (bulldog, pug)? The living-room mini tunnel (a cardboard box open at both ends, wedged so it cannot roll) gives you the same game with no impact at all: call him through, reward the full crossing, and never push him into it.
Going further
Frequently asked questions
How do you teach a dog to jump?
Start at ground level: he steps over your leg or a stick laid on the floor, and you mark with a “yes!” when all four paws have touched down on the other side. Then you go up in tiny stages, never higher than the point of his elbow for a household trick.
At what age can a dog start jumping?
When his growth plates are closed: later in large breeds than in small ones. Only your vet can tell you where your puppy stands, with an x-ray to back it up. In the meantime, stepping over something at ground level, or a tunnel, is just as much fun without loading the joints.
How high should a dog jump at home?
Low: never higher than the point of his elbow, roughly half his leg, a landmark you judge by eye without a tape measure. For a fragile dog, stay at ground level. Beyond that it is no longer a game but showjumping, which calls for the right ground and proper supervision; to add variety, change the obstacle rather than raise it.
How do I teach my dog the “over” cue?
Once the crossing is smooth with an empty hand, say “over” once, just before he steps across. When you raise the obstacle, put him two or three paces away and let him run up to it, never a standing start right at the obstacle, which would make him heave himself over.
My dog refuses to jump, what should I do?
A refusal is information, not disobedience: the height is probably too much, or the ground is doubtful. Lower the obstacle again and check the surface. A new refusal in a dog who used to jump happily suggests pain: stop and take stock with your vet.
Is jumping bad for a dog's joints?
It is the repeated landing that wears things out, especially on hard ground and before growth is finished. Kept in proportion (a soft surface on both sides, a height at the point of the elbow at most, a few crossings per session and never one after another), a healthy adult copes with it very well. For a puppy, an older dog, an arthritic or overweight dog, or one with fragile joints, better to stay with stepping over at ground level, or with the tunnel.
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