such as jumping up on you or your guests? first thing here to do is to understand why your dog is doing what he is doing. this is where, knowing why you want a dog, comes in handy. you don't get a bird if you don't like bird songs, or feathers. you don't get a horse if you don't like to ride, so it only makes sense to understand what it is about a dog that makes you want one. next to understanding that is understanding what a dog is, and why it does what it does. one reason a dog jumps up on people is to lick their faces. 