Tips Needed

[catandgrant]

Hi All,

Our beautiful boy Casper is doing so well and getting soooo big! He is great in almost all respects (as much as an 18 week old puppy can be!) but he has started to jumping on the lounge. He first started by putting his paws up but has now realised he can jump all the way up and settle himself there quite easily.

We have no problem with him being in the house but do not want him on the lounge. Ojne place i do not like. Plus we have a nice new seude lounge, his hair shows like you wouldnt believe!!

We constantly say no everytime he tries to get up, we uh uh at other times and we also get down on the floor with him and offer treats when he does get down.

This doesnt seem to be stopping him.

Does anyone have any great tips for keeping a cheeky puppy off the lounge?

casper_4.doc

[poodlefan]

Show him were he is allowed (eg. a basket) and reward him for going there.

Or put a blanket on the lounge.

[Dogsfevr]

You need to have an alternative bed/mat for him to be sent too..

Off or no means very little without a direction to the right spot.

Is he allowed on the bed??

Or put a blanket on the lounge.

Like this

Edited April 15, 2009 by settrlvr

[puggy_puggy]

Yep covers on the lounge that you can take off and wash.

If you don't want him on the lounge then don't let him have access to it when you are not there. When you are there tell him off if he jumps up and direct him to where he is allowed to be.

[Guest Pandii]

You can try lift the couch cushions and sitting them at an angle this will deter him from getting up, then train to sleep else where

or just do the blanket

[lappiemum]

Hi All,

Our beautiful boy Casper is doing so well and getting soooo big! He is great in almost all respects (as much as an 18 week old puppy can be!) but he has started to jumping on the lounge. He first started by putting his paws up but has now realised he can jump all the way up and settle himself there quite easily.

We have no problem with him being in the house but do not want him on the lounge. Ojne place i do not like. Plus we have a nice new seude lounge, his hair shows like you wouldnt believe!!

We constantly say no everytime he tries to get up, we uh uh at other times and we also get down on the floor with him and offer treats when he does get down.

This doesnt seem to be stopping him.

Does anyone have any great tips for keeping a cheeky puppy off the lounge?

Hi Catandgrant-

This is actually very easy to solve. When he jumps on the couch, don't make a fuss and yell at him (that's just excited dog barking to him). Certainly, don't offer treat as an incentive to get off, as he will interpret that as you rewarding his couch jumping in the first place, and may end up jumping on the couch to get you to give him a treat (they're very good at training us humans!!).

What is happening is that (like any puppy) he is challenging your authority, so you need to do what the pack leader would do should a junior pup try to take over the pack leaders resting spot. You sit down on the couch, and spread. You keep spreading out until you take over the entire couch, and there is no room for him. You don't need to make eye contact, you don't need to speak to him (infact, the pack leader would never do that - just ignore and spread!) - all you need to do is take over the entire space.

He will be forced to move off the couch; and will understand that as pack leader, that's your spot. You may have to do this several times before he gets the idea that is YOUR couch, and NOT his.

This method has worked a treat on my two former couch potatos who decided they wanted couch time when they wanted (and not by invitation only!); and the added bonus is that its an easy, non aggressive method but still reinforces the fact that I am pack leader (and has all the responsibilities for food, shelter and saftey), and that they are pack followers (which don't have to worry about these things) - its a benevolant dictatorship, if you like .

Try it - and be persisitant (it can be a battle of stubborness sometimes). Just remember that yelling doesn't help (although growling sometimes does....!) - be calm and assertive, and remember that you are in charge!

[poodlefan]

What is happening is that (like any puppy) he is challenging your authority, so you need to do what the pack leader would do should a junior pup try to take over the pack leaders resting spot.

Or alternately, he finds the couch very comfortable and wants to be close to you.

[WreckitWhippet]

What is happening is that (like any puppy) he is challenging your authority, so you need to do what the pack leader would do should a junior pup try to take over the pack leaders resting spot.

Or alternately, he finds the couch very comfortable and wants to be close to you.

Yep, wanting to be on the bed or on the lounge with you, is not about being dominant or challenging your authority, it's just the best place to curl up next to you.

[poodlefan]

Alpha dogs or wolves do not sit or sleep alone.. they are with their pack.

[catandgrant]

You need to have an alternative bed/mat for him to be sent too..

Off or no means very little without a direction to the right spot.

Is he allowed on the bed??

Or put a blanket on the lounge.

Like this

No he is not allowed on the bed. There are 2 places in the house he is not allowed. One on the bed and the other on the lounge.

I was hoping to avoid the blanket on the lounge if possible. Would like him to realise it is out of bounds. is this a bit too much to expect?

I just think there are some places you have to keep to yourself. This is the place for us to snuggle and have alone time. Does that sound corny?

Think will have to invest in something on the floor. Though he seems to love just lying on the tiles with nothing underneath!

[lappiemum]

I had been assuming that the pup was jumping up on the couch when there was no-one on it.....

They don't need to be ontop of you to be close to you - my boy likes being at my feet when I'm on the couch. BTW, we do invite them up for pack time on the couch, but it has to be invitation only.

[lappiemum]

You need to have an alternative bed/mat for him to be sent too..

Off or no means very little without a direction to the right spot.

Is he allowed on the bed??

Or put a blanket on the lounge.

Like this

No he is not allowed on the bed. There are 2 places in the house he is not allowed. One on the bed and the other on the lounge.

I was hoping to avoid the blanket on the lounge if possible. Would like him to realise it is out of bounds. is this a bit too much to expect?

I just think there are some places you have to keep to yourself. This is the place for us to snuggle and have alone time. Does that sound corny?

Think will have to invest in something on the floor. Though he seems to love just lying on the tiles with nothing underneath!

No, if its out of bounds, then that's the rule. Our two are not allowed to sleep on the bed either, although they are ocassionally invited up for a few minutes when I need to get my OH out of bed on a weekend....LOL.

IMO, if you are happy with your dog on the bed, that's fine - but you need to establish the rules - you get into bed first, establish where you are sleeping and then invite the dog up - never let him/her take over the bed. Its the same with the couch - and if you don't want them on the couch, then that's the rule.

Edited April 15, 2009 by lappiemum

[VJB]

We bought a really good bed for her to have for herself in the lounge room. Then as it was curb side clean up time, we got rid of the lounge she was so interested in. Problem solved. (it was an old lounge and we were planning on throwing it out anyway). There was nothing in this space for a little while, and in that time she came to love her bed so much that now we have a new little lounge she is not as interested. For some reason, she never took notice of the other lounge that we all sat on, it was just this particular lounge.

My OH invites her up sometimes, but as soon as we say "off" she jumps off. Every now and then she goes through periods where she is interested in the new little lounge that was in the same spot as the previous one, and I just put some pots and pans on there so she cant get up. She gets the message real quick.

[catandgrant]

Hi All,

Our beautiful boy Casper is doing so well and getting soooo big! He is great in almost all respects (as much as an 18 week old puppy can be!) but he has started to jumping on the lounge. He first started by putting his paws up but has now realised he can jump all the way up and settle himself there quite easily.

We have no problem with him being in the house but do not want him on the lounge. Ojne place i do not like. Plus we have a nice new seude lounge, his hair shows like you wouldnt believe!!

We constantly say no everytime he tries to get up, we uh uh at other times and we also get down on the floor with him and offer treats when he does get down.

This doesnt seem to be stopping him.

Does anyone have any great tips for keeping a cheeky puppy off the lounge?

Hi Catandgrant-

This is actually very easy to solve. When he jumps on the couch, don't make a fuss and yell at him (that's just excited dog barking to him). Certainly, don't offer treat as an incentive to get off, as he will interpret that as you rewarding his couch jumping in the first place, and may end up jumping on the couch to get you to give him a treat (they're very good at training us humans!!).

What is happening is that (like any puppy) he is challenging your authority, so you need to do what the pack leader would do should a junior pup try to take over the pack leaders resting spot. You sit down on the couch, and spread. You keep spreading out until you take over the entire couch, and there is no room for him. You don't need to make eye contact, you don't need to speak to him (infact, the pack leader would never do that - just ignore and spread!) - all you need to do is take over the entire space.

He will be forced to move off the couch; and will understand that as pack leader, that's your spot. You may have to do this several times before he gets the idea that is YOUR couch, and NOT his.

This method has worked a treat on my two former couch potatos who decided they wanted couch time when they wanted (and not by invitation only!); and the added bonus is that its an easy, non aggressive method but still reinforces the fact that I am pack leader (and has all the responsibilities for food, shelter and saftey), and that they are pack followers (which don't have to worry about these things) - its a benevolant dictatorship, if you like .

Try it - and be persisitant (it can be a battle of stubborness sometimes). Just remember that yelling doesn't help (although growling sometimes does....!) - be calm and assertive, and remember that you are in charge!

This is fantastic advice! I know when we are sitting spread out more than usual he doesnt try as hard to jump up. Its normally when we get up to go do something he tries to jump up. I guess its just being consistent.

I know he just want to be with us and thats lovely but we spend plenty of other time with him. This is our human time!

Thanks again for the great advice. Will try this out tonight!

[Vizsla Nut]

Zac used to do this.

We invested in a really snuggly bed for him and did the 'get off' and pushed him off the couch technique...

Also, during the night we found he was 'sneaking' onto the couch and sleeping there! We put alfoil on the couch (when we went to bed) and he hated the sound and feel so he wouldn't jump up anymore.

We also figured out he was cold and added a blanket to his bed and how he's toasty warm and loves his bed more than any other place! (Except in our laps of course!)

[Dogsfevr]

MO, if you are happy with your dog on the bed, that's fine - but you need to establish the rules - you get into bed first, establish where you are sleeping and then invite the dog up - never let him/her take over the bed. Its the same with the couch - and if you don't want them on the couch, then that's the rule.

You must be very busy for bed & couch activities in your house.

Our house it makes no difference who gets on first all that matters is the dog listens.

Cat it can be done & many do but even though your dog lies on the tiles you need to offer an alternative so that you can train your pup .

Saying argh or no doesnt mean alot as it will hear it all the time.

But when its no & on your mat/bed & reward pup will soon learn that the couch is a no no & his bed is for him.

It will require alot of patience & time & effort.Also use the mat bed as a reward system for special treats & daily activities,.

You will also find at present the pup doesnt want the comfy lounge just to be part of the pair off you sitting there .

In our house snuggle time is for the dogs on the lounge & but when we have had enough there told to move our go elsewhere & they happily do,although we do have a 9 seater so its easy peasy.

[megan_]

You need to have an alternative bed/mat for him to be sent too..

Off or no means very little without a direction to the right spot.

Is he allowed on the bed??

Or put a blanket on the lounge.

Like this

No he is not allowed on the bed. There are 2 places in the house he is not allowed. One on the bed and the other on the lounge.

I was hoping to avoid the blanket on the lounge if possible. Would like him to realise it is out of bounds. is this a bit too much to expect?

I just think there are some places you have to keep to yourself. This is the place for us to snuggle and have alone time. Does that sound corny?

Think will have to invest in something on the floor. Though he seems to love just lying on the tiles with nothing underneath!

It isn't too much to expect - makes it easier when you're visiting someone too! Give hima snug spot to cuddle up to - not ina thoroughfare.

[catandgrant]

Wow, it just keeps getting worse. He has now taken to jumping up when we are not there and then when we go to put him down he is starting to growl and attempt to bite us!

I really don't know what to do when he does this. I don't want to keep at him when he is like this as clearly i dont want to get bitten but at the moment is he ruling the roost!

Doing my head in. I just want my lounge back

[Gretel]

Wow, it just keeps getting worse. He has now taken to jumping up when we are not there and then when we go to put him down he is starting to growl and attempt to bite us!

I really don't know what to do when he does this. I don't want to keep at him when he is like this as clearly i dont want to get bitten but at the moment is he ruling the roost!

Doing my head in. I just want my lounge back

First thing I would do is keep a lead on him. That way you can grab the lead and pull him down without getting close enough to get bitten. This needs to be stopped straight away.

[huski]

Daisy did that when she was a puppy too, Catandgrant. We didn't mind her being on the lounge but then she started growling at us when we moved her or told her to get off.

Instead of confronting her (which made her behaviour worse) we taught her the 'off' command. I started by luring her off the lounge with a treat and giving her big rewards for being on the floor/in her crate. It took no time at all and now if she is on the lounge, we can move her without any growling, and she responds immediately to the off command.