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Ah, Thanksgiving in Orlando. That beautiful time of year when the air drops just enough degrees to justify a light hoodie, Publix releases pies like they’re limited-edition sneakers, and every relative you haven’t seen since 2019 magically shows up—with expectations.
And while you’re busy basting the turkey and pretending your family doesn’t argue about cranberry sauce every year, your dog is plotting something far more chaotic: launching themselves into the mashed potatoes like a canine cruise missile.
Let’s talk about it.
Thanksgiving should be about connection, gratitude, and maybe a little harmless gluttony.
What it should not include is your dog using Grandma as a parkour wall.
Because nothing says "Happy Holidays" like your cousin’s toddler getting bulldozed by a Labrador who thinks guests are just delivery systems for pets and snacks.
If you’ve got a jumper—and Orlando, let’s be honest, you do—this is your official pre-holiday wake-up call.
Let’s be fair to your pup. They’re not trying to ruin Thanksgiving. They just have... priorities.
Visitors? Food smells? Laughter? A giant roasted bird in the middle of the table?? That’s like the canine version of Disney World—and we live in Orlando, so that says something.
Jumping up worked before. Someone squealed. Someone patted them. Someone said, “Aw, so excited!”
Your dog filed that under “successful behaviors” and doubled down.
Here’s the thing: if you sometimes let them jump—like when you come home from work—and sometimes scold them—like when they leap onto Aunt Linda holding the yams—you’re sending mixed signals.
Your dog’s not being rebellious. They’re confused. Like most of us watching holiday family drama unfold.
Let’s cut the cuteness for a second.
Jumping can:
Knock over small kids (or small adults, if we’re honest)
Scrape legs with claws
Damage clothing (Yes, Susan. Your dry-clean-only blouse is at risk.)
Trigger bigger behavior issues like boundary-pushing and dominant habits
Also, you just know someone’s going to say, “Well, my dog never does that.”
Don’t let your Thanksgiving turn into a judgmental episode of The Dog Whisperer: Passive Aggressive Edition.
Let’s stop the leap-fest before it starts. Here’s how to train your dog to stay grounded—literally and behaviorally—before Turkey Day hits.
Every single time your dog approaches someone? Ask for a sit.
You see paws go up? Immediately redirect.
The secret is consistency. If you only reward them when they sit, they’ll learn: “Oh… sitting gets me praise. Jumping gets me ignored. Okay, fine. I’ll sit.”
Do this 100 times a week. Yes, seriously.
Your dog finally stayed seated when someone walked in the door? Amazing. Treat them like they just won The Great British Bark-Off.
Pet them. Praise them. Give a treat. Calm = jackpot.
Over time, calm behavior becomes their default setting.
Jumping? That becomes a thing of the past. Like Blockbuster.
This one’s hard. But powerful.
If your dog jumps?
No eye contact.
No voice.
No physical touch.
Turn your back and pretend they’re not even there. Emotionally ghost them like a bad Tinder date.
They want attention? Make them earn it. Calmness gets connection. Chaos gets... silence.
Don’t wait until the doorbell rings on Thanksgiving to test your dog’s behavior. Practice in advance.
Invite friends over. Simulate the chaos. Ring the doorbell 10 times a day if you have to.
Reward calm. Ignore excitement. Rinse and repeat until your dog treats guests like they’re furniture—nice, but not worth climbing.
If you know your dog gets overwhelmed during the first 20 minutes of holiday gatherings, leash them up.
Let them observe. Keep them in a sit near you. Let them earn more freedom as they prove they can handle it.
Think of it like a doggy probation system. One wrong jump and boom—back to the leash.
Fair but firm.
You could try to YouTube your way through it.
You could listen to conflicting advice from relatives who "grew up with dogs."
You could wing it and hope your dog suddenly discovers self-control at 3 PM on Thanksgiving Day.
Or... you could call us.
At Sit Happens Orlando, we bring the calm, the tools, and the experience to transform your dog’s behavior before the cranberry sauce hits the table.
🐾 One-on-one, in-home dog training
🐾 Behavioral training for jumping, barking, and chaos
🐾 Obedience training that actually works—at home, in real-life situations
🐾 Holiday-proofing your dog’s manners so they don’t embarrass you in front of family
We've helped:
A Goldendoodle stop launching itself at guests like a cinnamon-scented missile
A Great Dane learn to greet people without knocking over wine glasses and fragile egos
A Chihuahua who thought he was 6'2" finally realize not everything requires a standing ovation
Your dog? We can help them too.
If you want:
✅ Fewer apologies
✅ Fewer ripped sweaters
✅ And way fewer “Oh my gosh, he’s just excited!” moments
Then let’s get to work—before the doorbell rings and your dog starts auditioning for Cirque du Soleil: Backyard Edition.
Because no one should spend Thanksgiving holding their dog back from tackling Grandma.
Let’s keep your guests standing and your dog grounded.
Thanksgiving is about family, food, and being thankful.
Let’s add “my dog didn’t jump on the table” to that list.
Train now. Laugh later.
And most importantly—save the pumpkin pie.
