Keeping Puppy Off The Couch

[pomchi]

Our lil four month old pup has finally grown enough to jump onto the couch, we do let her on the couch occasionally but only when she is calm and we get her to sit, which wasnt a problem before because she couldn't jump up, now we find she is constantly jumping up, even if we say a stern no and take her off the couch - two seconds later she is jumping up again, any ideas?

[poodlefan]

Why don't you want her on the couch?

You need to be consistent.. either she's allowed on, allowed on if asked or not at all.

Which option do you wish to take?

[W Sibs]

You know.. my trainer and I were having a discussion about this on the weekend. As a general rule, if you don't want your pup to go on your furniture.. you should not let them up for any reason for a year (throughout puppyhood and teenage period). Once the pup knows the couch is off limit, they won't go on there and that's when you can start inviting them up on the couch. But as a default, they know they aren't allow on there.

Saying that, my 2 are allow on furniture at home but they always get off when I tell them too. Sometimes they don't want to, but they still do (but very very very slowly )

Sometimes puppies needs reminder to use their manners.

Sounds like she doesn't take you seriously? You have to follow through... like a stern no, pick her up and put her on the ground.. and that's it, isn't going to really teach her anything.

Try telling her to get off by gently leading her off the couch (i wouldn't pick her up.. you can lure her with a treat or toy), make her sit down and once she relax... then give her a toy or treat, so she can be happy hanging out on the floor.

[megan_]

Give her a nice place to sit off the couch too - direct her there and praise.

[p_stampy]

I agree with being consistant. My dog is allowed up on the couch, this is what it turns into.

[Nushie]

I would suggest to just be patient and if she jumps on, tell her to get off straight away. Once on the floor give her something to play with, have a toy that she likes and play with that with her. Then once she is happy playing on her own. Go back to just sitting quietly.

My guy is allowed on the lounge whenever he likes, but we have taught him 'down' to get off. He jumps down and originally he would just turn around and jump back up. But if we took a minute or two to play with a toy with him (while still sitting on the lounge ourselves) he would eventually get distracted with that and then happily chew and not try and get back up.

It might take some time, but it will get there. Now we just tell him 'down' and put a toy in front of him and he lays at our feet.

Even though we dont have a problem with him being on the lounge all the time, we thought it important to teach him that he cannot alway be up there. So now when visitors come over and we tell him down, he doesnt make a fuss and just sits on the floor quietly.

But it does take time. We have been doing this since he was big enough to jump on the lounge (around 10-12 weeks) he is now 20 weeks and he has only been really consistance with it for the past 2 weeks.

[Nahla + Teddy's Mum]

Hiya,

Our 2 pups are allowed to jump up on the couch when ever they like but if we are eating or we have people over, when they jump up we pick them up place them on the floor with a stern"stay down" .Took them a couple of days to get it without using treats ( we dont like using them too much as we had a couple of upset tummy's 1 day!) We have a paw print mat that they can lay on when not allowed on the couch if they wish and they usually just find some of their toys and play. Once were done they usually stay on their mat or come sit at our feet and wait for "come up" then curl back to sleep!

[pomchi]

thanks guys

she is allowed up most of the time its only when we are eating that we make her stay on the floor, we will keep trying to get her to jump off and give her a toy or treat and hope she gets it

[Red Fox]

Do you have a crate?

Rather than just teaching her to get off the couch on command you may also want to try teaching her to go to her crate on command.

Solves a lot of problems and is a fail safe option for keeping her safe and out of the way when you are eating, when visitors come, etc.

You could otherwise try teaching her to go to a mat/bed on command. A little harder (as she will have to stay there on her own accord) but do-able.

I think it makes it a lot easier for the dog if they have somewhere to go rather than just a vague "get down". It's going to be confusing for her if she is allowed up most times then all of a sudden she's not, but a "mat" or "crate" command is pretty clear and lets her know where she is supposed to be instead

[PoppyDog]

We taught our puppy to "ask" to be invited up on the couch.

We, like you, didn't want her just jumping all over it any time she felt like it so we would ask her to sit, pat the couch twice and say "up".

It took a LOT of patience and repitition for her to finally get it but now at 8 months she will mostly "ask" before jumping up.

[Red Fox]

I agree with being consistant. My dog is allowed up on the couch, this is what it turns into.

Nah, thats just a Ridgie thing.

You know what happens when you let them into the bed too right? *Shudders and glances to the left at sleeping, PJ wearing, Ridgie currently taking up most of the covers*

[Nahla + Teddy's Mum]

I agree with the mat thing! We have 1 in the kitchen so we dont tumble over them all the time and 1 in the family area for when we are eating and they have to stay on the floor. A simple " on your mat" then a sit and stay with a treat usually does the job! They just want to be with us so as long as they can see us they are fine! Then they get rewarded with a cuddle on the couch if they were good puppies and usually fall asleep under a sleeping bag together!

[p_stampy]

Nah, thats just a Ridgie thing.

You know what happens when you let them into the bed too right? *Shudders and glances to the left at sleeping, PJ wearing, Ridgie currently taking up most of the covers*

HAHA

Yeh, i know about being under the covers. Jade isn't a huge fan of putting clothes on. Probably because they're mine.

[p_stampy]

double post

Edited August 5, 2010 by p_stampy

[pomchi]

I agree with the mat thing! We have 1 in the kitchen so we dont tumble over them all the time and 1 in the family area for when we are eating and they have to stay on the floor. A simple " on your mat" then a sit and stay with a treat usually does the job! They just want to be with us so as long as they can see us they are fine! Then they get rewarded with a cuddle on the couch if they were good puppies and usually fall asleep under a sleeping bag together!

we have placed a mat next to the couch and are trying to get her to go there..... I think its going to take a bit of work but I think it will be worth it to eat dinner without a lil puppys head on my plate

[Nahla + Teddy's Mum]

I agree with the mat thing! We have 1 in the kitchen so we dont tumble over them all the time and 1 in the family area for when we are eating and they have to stay on the floor. A simple " on your mat" then a sit and stay with a treat usually does the job! They just want to be with us so as long as they can see us they are fine! Then they get rewarded with a cuddle on the couch if they were good puppies and usually fall asleep under a sleeping bag together!

we have placed a mat next to the couch and are trying to get her to go there..... I think its going to take a bit of work but I think it will be worth it to eat dinner without a lil puppys head on my plate

Yes it took us about 3 nights to master it! We can now make them stay there and walk around the whole house and come back to treat them if they are still there! oftern we see a little furry head pop around the corner to make sure we come back!! Eating dinner in peace is so much better!!

[BMAK]

hi guys, i know people who have a dog that sleeps inside and at night she is allowed on the lounge to sleep but only when her sheet is on other wise during the day a mat is allowcated for her to lie on and not the carpet.

target training is great teaching the dog to get on his mat or bed is an ideal way to have a stress free time

while watching tv/eating at the dinner table/ in the kitchen.

your dog should deffinatley know if he is or isnt allowed on the lounge other wise he just doesnt understand that he is sometimes but isnt other times get him is own lounge in a sense a soft bed next to the lounge you can still pat him that way.

teach him that the bed means pats and affection and the lounge is a no go zone, it doenst have to be verbal if you find him on the lounge when you didnt say he could then walk straight up to him grab his collar (no need to speak just do) just re- direct him to his bed then pat him consistancy is your key

but target training is a fun exercise for him to learn a mat placed near the kitchen he can still see you and hear but isnt in your way and you dont have to constantly tell him to bugger off haha, if he gets off his matt grab him and place him back on his matt, he will learn even if it takes 20 times