Jumping on couch

[Caitlin888]

Hi, 

 

We would really prefer that are 6 month old puppy wasn't allowed on our couch. Since we got him he always used to put his paws on the edge of the couch if we were sitting on it, because he was too small to actually jump onto the couch. I think he has always known he wasn't allowed on the couch and he would only ever try and jump onto the couch if we were sitting on it. But over the past few days I have been in the kitchen or sitting at my desk and turned around to find him lying down on the couch. He is now doing when we aren't even on the couch. We have been teaching him what is wrong and right and he seems to have gotten the hang of everything else but this. Everytime he jumps on the couch I pick him up and put him outside. But nothing seems to be working and it is getting really annoying. Any tips? 

[Roova]

Dogs don't know the difference between right and wrong, only what they can do and what you won't let them lol.  They don't generalise well and anything they do shouldn't be taken personally, its just behaviour.

 

I would be suggesting three things.  Make sure he has a comfortable bed he can stretch out on if that's what he likes about the couch, block access if you have to when you can't supervise him and treat\praise him heavily for using his own bed.   The easiest way to change behaviour you don't like is to decide what you want to see instead and reward this. So if that's him being on his own bed when you have couch time that would be a perfect opportunity for a stuffed Kong or chew treat on his bed etc.  (Hopefully his bed is right near you as being close is probably another attractant for him).

 

Once he realises being on his bed gets him way more pleasant stuff than being on the couch you can gradually lessen the praise to times when you walk past him on his bed, give him a scritch or treat and tell him he's a good boy.  Generally behaviour which is rewarded is repeated.   Good luck!

Edited May 28, 2017 by Roova

[Caitlin888]

Hi Roova,

 

Thanks for the reply. Our puppy only has access to one room in the house, which is the living room. This is where we spend most of our time so it works out well as there is generally always someone in that rooom. He does have a mat and a bed he just seems to go on the couch and lie down. Next time we are on the couch I will try and bring his bed over and reward him for lying in it. 

[DogsAndTheMob]

One of my dogs started climbing onto the couch while we were asleep. We disrupted the pattern of behaviour by putting plastic blanket boxes on there when we couldn't supervise him.

[KobiD]

 

Once he realises being on his bed gets him way more pleasant stuff than being on the couch you can gradually lessen the praise to times when you walk past him on his bed, give him a scritch or treat and tell him he's a good boy.  Generally behaviour which is rewarded is repeated.   Good luck!

 

If you haven't already, train a cue to have him remove himself from the couch. Reward heavily while training.. and then focus on rewarding the desired alternate behaviours (laying on the floor/own bed). Be consistent!

[Caitlin888]

Thanks for the idea DogsAndTheMOb unfortunately our couch is too big to put plastic boxes all over it.

 

KobiD, He does know the que 'off' but we don't really want him on the couch in the first place. We will definitely start rewarding him for desired behaviors and see if that works. 

[KobiD]

I understand. While you give the cue off, he'll be thinking 'OK! I'm off.. what now?? I really like it up there!"

If you reward and encourage an alternate behaviour it should allow him to make the choice which pays better dividends. 

[Caitlin888]

OK, Should we punish him for jumping on the couch, e,g putting him outside or in his crate. Or would it be better to pick him up and place him on his mat or bed, so he understands where he is meant to be. 

[KobiD]

I'm no expert on the matter... far from it, and it depends on the methods you have been using to train. 

 

It may be a case that you use the crate while you can't supervise. The crate shouldn't really be place of punishment, but a secure place where he can relax and not get into mischief.

 

If you haven't trained an 'on your mat/bed' cue you could start working on that. A quick search will turn up methods of how to do that. Then control the training sessions where you can catch him before he jumps up on the couch. If he looks like he wants to jump up, cue on your mat and then reward heavily. If he does manage to get up, cue off and mark and reward the moment the paws hit the floor. Then back to on the mat.. Mark and reward or give a kong to build the duration, or play a little game if he likes to play.

 

Start with short sessions and build up the duration.
 

This morning we ate breakfast outside with our 7 month old puppy. She was tied off to a post, but close enough that she could get her paws up on the back of a chair. We simply sat eating breakfast as a family ignoring her behaviour but still watching out of the corner of my eye. The moment she stopped mark and reward. Then we waited again. She sat down. Mark and reward. Kept eating.. then she laid down. Mark and reward. By just watching and allowing her to be she was making choices. She'd sit. Then lay again. Laying down she'd get marked and rewarded. Then we'd build the duration. Still laying down... mark and reward (positioning the treat where she didn't have to get up). By the time breakfast was done she was happily laying on the ground, by her own choice, because that was what worked for her. A good session done. In time I won't feed her while we eat.. but it will take time to work up to that duration, and she'll understand that if she waits until everyone has finished she'll get a treat. 

[Caitlin888]

Thanks KobiD we will definitely try and reward him for good behaviour more such as lying on his bed instead of our couch.

[juice]

Place train him.

when my dogs come in from outside i open the door and they go straight to their crates because they get a reward, they then get rewarded for staying there, i also have beds in the lounge room and they get rewarded for being on them. 

Basically take him by the collar and say " place" as you put him on the bed you want him to be on, reward as soon as he is on it, ( to start with you may need to tie him to something to stop him getting off), then just keep randomly rewarding as you go past.

They learn very fast where they get a reward from , i have never had any trouble with them getting on a couch . basically instead of tackling what you dont want him doing direct him to what you do want.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Repetition and reward is how to train a puppy, not "punish".  Juice's advice is excellent.

 

 

 

[Dogsfevr]

On 28/05/2017 at 6:56 PM, Caitlin888 said:

OK, Should we punish him for jumping on the couch, e,g putting him outside or in his crate. Or would it be better to pick him up and place him on his mat or bed, so he understands where he is meant to be. 

 Think you need to take a step back ,In your posts you often say he knows right and wrong but the fact is he doesn't unless you have taught the desired behaviour .

You say if pup jumps up you place him outside so ask yourself what is that teaching the dog .

Outside is not a punishment tool outside is a pleasurable place but if you keep putting it outside because you feel the pup should now better it is teaching it no skills or right and wrong .

 

Your pup isn't a mind reader ,it's at an age of exploring,gaining enjoyment from things it can do as it gets bigger but it has no idea that the couch is a no go zone .

What it does now is it's humans sit up there and being a companion animal wishes to chill with them so you need to make the alternatives just as pleasurable .

 

IF you don't reward the good behaviour pup will become confused and challenging ,now is a crucial time for setting up for success.

 

 

Where do you brush your puppy 

[persephone]

Yes  Outdoors AND his crate should be happy places , places to rest , or play ...

[Kajirin]

I have to retrain the boys not to go on couches when my brother is due to come over to stay.  He doesn't like having them on the couches [it's only for a week or so over Christmas and I only see him once a year, so I compromise].

They know the word 'don't' means business and not to do something.  So if they go anywhere near the couch in retraining mode, they get a firm don't.  If by chance they have slunk on to the couch a firm off is said.  When they get off or walk away, lots of happy verbal praise.  Only takes them about a week to know the couches are off limits, even if I'm not in the room.  I do put their floor mats right near the couches so they have an option to lay nearby.  

I swear the boys know, as they don't go near the couches when Brother is here [I'm sure they've learnt over time to associate his being here with no couches].  As soon as he's left to go back home [seeing his suitcase], they plonk themselves back on the couches once he's off to the airport.