Teaching your dog tricksPart of · Teaching your dog tricks

Teach your dog to jump over: the "hup" trick

Q: What jump height for a dog at home?

The height of the dog's hock , at most. That is the ceiling for a living-room trick: beyond it, this is no longer play but showjumping, which calls for suitable ground and setup. To keep things varied, change the obstacle rather than raising the height.

6 min read

To teach your dog "hup", start at ground level: he steps over a leg or a stick lying flat, and you mark once all four paws are back on the ground. Then raise it in tiny increments, cap it at the height of his hock, and wait until he has finished growing before any real jump.

Before the first jump

Four boxes to tick before you raise anything.

0 / 4

The method, from the ground to a little hop

Always start from the ground and go up just one notch at a time.

Stepping over at ground level

A stick or a leg flat on the ground. Guide your dog over it with a treat at his nose, at a walk, from one side to the other, until you get a clean crossing that no longer goes around the obstacle.

Mark after the landing

Say your marker word ("yes!") once all four paws have landed on the other side, never mid-crossing, otherwise he learns to brake or to perch on the bar.

Add the cue

Repeat the gesture with an empty hand, then "hup", said just once right before take-off. Give him two or three strides of run-up, never a standing start pressed up against the obstacle.

Ten centimetres, no more

Raise it very slightly. The landing must stay soft and quiet: a dog who lands heavily is already jumping too high for his level.

Cap it at the height of the hock

That is the final height for a living-room trick. After that, vary the obstacle (a stick, a broom laid down, your leg) rather than the height, and count 3 to 5 crossings per session at most.

Jumping is an excellent detector of discomfort: at the slightest sign, stop and think pain before "being fussy".

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 a stiff gait the next day
Repeated licking or nibbling of a joint
He balks at a movement that was fine yesterday

Off to the vet

Clear lameness or refusal to bear weight on a leg
Pain when you handle him
The refusal to jump takes hold over the days

Too young, overweight or fragile in the joints? The living-room mini-tunnel (a cardboard box open at both ends, wedged so it does not roll) does the same playful job with no impact at all: you call him through, you reward the complete crossing, and you never push him into it.

AVSAB — Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (2021)
Krontveit et al. — Risk factors for hip dysplasia and the role of exercise during growth, American Journal of Veterinary Research (2012)
WSAVA Global Pain Council — Guidelines for the Recognition, Assessment and Treatment of Pain (2022)

To go further

guideCatch it mid-airA reward you can deliver from a distance, four paws on the ground, with no impact.Read the guide parcoursTeaching your dog tricksThe complete course, from the fundamentals to combinations.View the path

Frequently asked questions

How do you teach a dog to jump?

Start at ground level: he steps over a leg or a stick lying flat, and you mark with a "yes!" once all four paws are back on the ground on the other side. Then you go up in increments of a few centimetres, never higher than his hock for a home trick.

At what age can a dog start jumping?

Once his growth plates have closed: around 12 months, and 18 to 24 months for large breeds (veterinary consensus). Before that, avoid the impact of repeated jumps and work on stepping over at ground level or the tunnel, which are just as much fun without loading the joints.

What jump height for a dog at home?

The height of the dog's hock, at most. That is the ceiling for a living-room trick: beyond it, this is no longer play but showjumping, which calls for suitable ground and setup. To keep things varied, change the obstacle rather than raising the height.

How do I teach my dog the "hup" cue?

Once the crossing is smooth with an empty hand, say "hup" just once right before take-off: the word announces the obstacle, it does not comment on it. Give him two or three strides of run-up, never a start pressed up against the obstacle that would make him jump by force.

My dog refuses to jump, what should I do?

A refusal is information, not disobedience: the height is probably too ambitious or the ground is dubious. 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 the vet.

Is jumping dangerous for a dog's joints?

It is the repeated landing that wears things down, especially on hard ground and before growth is finished. Well measured out (soft ground on both sides, height at the hock, 3 to 5 jumps per session), a healthy adult is at no risk. For a puppy, an overweight or fragile dog, stick to stepping over at ground level or the tunnel.

Loading your progress…