Episode #225 The Jump Sit Treat Theory

Have you ever noticed your dog jumping on you, then quickly told them to sit and rewarded them with a treat? You might be inadvertently teaching them that jumping is the first step in getting what they want.

On the Puppy Training Podcast, dog trainer and therapist Amanda Crosland introduces us to the jump-sit-treat theory—a fascinating insight into how dogs learn patterns and how we often accidentally reinforce the very behaviors we're trying to eliminate. Dogs don't analyze our intentions; they simply recognize cause and effect. When jumping consistently leads to interaction followed by rewards, the jumping behavior becomes cemented as part of their successful strategy.

The solution lies in becoming proactive rather than reactive trainers. By anticipating situations where your dog might display unwanted behaviors and preemptively redirecting them, you can break these cycles. Amanda draws compelling parallels between these canine learning patterns and similar cycles in human behavior—like how we procrastinate, panic, succeed, and then repeat the pattern because the reward reinforced the entire sequence.

Perhaps most importantly, Amanda reminds us that dogs are emotional mirrors, reflecting our energy and states back to us. "If we're anxious, they get anxious. If we're calm, they settle into calm." This insight shifts the training focus from simple obedience to a deeper understanding of emotional regulation and mindfulness from both ends of the leash.

Ready to break unwanted behavior cycles with your dog? Subscribe to the Puppy Training Podcast for more insights, and visit BAXTER and Bella online for additional training resources to help you build the relationship you want with your canine companion.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Jump-Sit-Treat Theory
• 1:30 Understanding Pattern Learning in Dogs
• 3:50 Breaking Patterns Through Proactive Training
• 4:30 Human Parallels to Dog Behavior
• 6:30 Being Mindful and Proactive Trainers
• 7:30 Episode Wrap-Up and Call to Action

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Today we're going to talk about the jump sit treat theory. If you don't know what that is, hang on, we're going to teach you all about it. I think you're going to like this one. Welcome to the Puppy Training Podcast. I'm Amy Jensen, founder of Baxter Bella, the online puppy school. Here we are all about helping you create the best possible experience raising a puppy, from training tips to practical tricks, all aimed at fostering a happy, well-behaved dog who truly feels like part of the family. So if you are ready to enjoy the journey and strengthen the bond with your dog, let's get started.

Speaker 1: 0:41

Hello everybody, welcome to the show today. I'm so glad you're here. I hope you're doing well. I hope you're enjoying life. I hope you are finding fun in training your dog. I know training sometimes can be monotonous, it can be frustrating, but it can also be rewarding, so hopefully you're having a good time Now. Here's a tip for today. This is that jump sit treat theory. Sometimes our dogs get into a pattern that we don't love and we want to change it, recognizing that dogs learn by patterns and that they're really good at finding patterns. Sometimes it works to our advantage, other times it doesn't. So today on the podcast, I have my trainer, amanda Crosland, here. She's going to teach us all about this theory, what it is, what it means and if you see similar patterns forming in your dog's development, how to change it. All right, you guys enjoy.

Speaker 2: 1:30

My name is Amanda, I am a professional dog trainer and a therapist, and today I want to talk about something I call the jump-sit-treat theory. Let me ask you this has your dog ever jumped on you and, instead of reacting with frustration, you told them to sit and then rewarded them with a treat? Does this sound familiar? What if I told you that by doing that, you might actually be teaching your dog to jump or bite, or bark, or lunge more, or lunge more? Here's how it works. Your dog jumps on you, you notice. You ask them for a sit. They sit. You give them a treat. In your mind you rewarded the sit, but in the dog's mind the jump started the whole chain of events. So now your dog learns jump, sit, treat. Jumping becomes part of the process. It's not an unwanted behavior anymore, it's a required step in the routine. And here's the key Dogs are masters of patterns.

Speaker 2: 2:36

They thrive on routines and sequences. They aren't analyzing your tone or logic the way a human would. They're thinking in terms of cause and effect. If jumping consistently leads to a sit cue and then a treat, then jumping is a necessary first move. Let's say, your dog jumps when you come home. You're tired, so you pet them quickly to calm them down, or you ask for a sit and toss a cookie. In both cases, the dog just learned when I jump, I get attention or snacks. Perfect, I'll do that again. Even negative attention can reinforce a behavior. If you push the dog off or yell no and then ask them to sit, that interaction still feels engaging to them. They got your energy. That matters to a social animal like a dog. To break the pattern, we have to shift our response. Ignore the jump, wait for calm, reward only the absence of the jump or, even better, proactively cue a sit before they jump.

Speaker 2: 3:46

Teaching your dog to replace an impulsive behavior with a thoughtful one takes consistency and timing. It's not just about obedience. It's about reshaping their entire understanding of what behavior gets them what they want. And a dog will always do what works. So if jumping works, they will do it. If sitting works, they will do it. Be proactive and think ahead of your dog. Get one step ahead of them, proactively, jump in and ask for the behavior you want when you anticipate an undesirable behavior coming around the corner.

Speaker 2: 4:29

Now let's bring this into the human world, because I'm a therapist. I see this all the time. We go through our own versions of jump sit treat. Let's say you procrastinate on a big project, you panic, then finally focus, pull an all-nighter and you get it all done. Your boss praises your work. Guess what your brain just learned panic, work, reward. Now panic becomes part of your process. Or maybe you snap at your partner I see this one a lot. Then you have this heartfelt talk, you reconnect, you forgive, you say sorry and you feel close again. The argument got you the connection. Now your nervous system believes react, repair, reward.

Speaker 2: 5:16

We teach ourselves emotional patterns the same way we teach dogs behavioral patterns. We react first and fix later. The truth is, you guys this is key If we want to change our dog's behavior, we have to start with our own. Dogs are emotional mirrors. They feel our energy. If we're anxious, they get anxious. If we're calm, they settle into calm. So if your dog is jumping, barking, biting, lunging, it's not just about obedience, it's about impulse control, theirs and ours. We can't expect our dogs to regulate their emotions if we can't regulate our own.

Speaker 2: 5:57

Start noticing your own triggers. When do you go into jump mode? What makes you reactive? Practicing calm, intentional responses teaches both you and your dog new ways of being. So here's your takeaway Next time your dog jumps, take a breath, pause, ask yourself what am I rewarding right now? Am I reinforcing a habit I actually want? And then ask the same thing to yourself Are you jumping emotionally only to reward the recovery? When we become mindful and less reactive, we become better dog handlers and more emotionally grounded humans. And remember dog training isn't just about reacting to misbehavior, it's about being proactive. We teach this so much at Baxter and Bella. If your dog tends to bark at the door, lunge on a leash or get mouthy with excitement, start thinking ahead. What triggers those behaviors? What can you do before the impulse kicks in? Can you redirect, interrupt early or teach an alternative behavior? Being proactive means preparing your dog for success, not just correcting failure. It means managing the environment, reading their body language and staying one step ahead of the behavior you want to avoid. So remember to train your dog.

Speaker 1: 7:25

Start by training yourself. Thanks for tuning in to the Puppy Training Podcast. I hope today's tips help you feel more confident and excited about raising your dog. Remember, with a little patience and consistency, you can create a loving bond and a well-behaved pup who's a joy to have in your family. If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with fellow puppy parents. For more resources, visit Baxter and Bella online. Until next time, happy training.