I know it’s a personal preference but we really dont want our dog on the sofa. She is 11 weeks and can’t quite get up onto it yet but it won’t be long. I’ve read through the site and the forums but can’t quite find what I’m looking for. She will hurtle herself towards the sofa and launch up, sometimes with teeth. She also trys to get on the other furniture, side table, tv cabinet etc. I would like to nip this in the bud but not quite sure how to prevent it. Any advice would be welcome. Other training using a clicker (sit, down, touch, paw, beginning of stay and food manners) is going well. Thanks in advance
Hi JazzyB, Our puppy (now 14 weeks) has been attempting to jump on furniture (and kitchen cabinets/counters) for a few weeks now. This week he finally made it onto the couch, and I know we are just less than a month from his little nose reaching the countertops. I find myself asking him for an alternate behavior that would cause him to have all 4 feet on the ground...so I will tell him "off" and then ask for a "sit" or "down" (meaning lay down) with a "yes" and treat. It seems to be working so far and he will sit when asked. If I'm not sure he will comply I distract him with a "find it" which is his cue to go find a treat or two I have tossed on the floor (not sure if I'm indirectly rewarding the jumping by doing so but seems to get his mind off the jumping). If he is starting to get overstimulated and continues to jump up, I will use his leash to guide him off the couch (for now he wears a harness and leash around the house most of the time to help redirect, but especially introductions to new rooms). When he is in the family room, I try to "reward calm" and set him up for success. I know he loves a bully stick so I will save that for a special treat to have in his dog bed while we sit on the couch and watch TV or read. Or if I can get a down in his dog bed and reward him with intermittent treats I will do that. And because the family room is a "new" room to him, he tends to get a little overstimulated in there, so I try to keep the time he spends in there short and positive, minimizing any chances he has to practice "bad" behavior. I don't know if I'm doing all the right things here...this is our first puppy and we are learning as we go. Would love suggestions from others as well!
Thanks so much for reply, I’m sorry I totally missed it! Yeh it’s not getting any better here, she’s just learned to get up completely. It’s driving me insane. I’ll try what you suggest. Unfortunately the rest of the family are not helping by shouting her to get down every time she does it.. she thinks it’s a great game and probably by now believed that down means up
Puppies should be wearing a puppy house line attached to their harness any time they are out of the crate. If they attempt to jump on the sofa, you just take hold of the house line and restrain them and provide something interesting for them to do on the floor. Be warned that the only way to prevent a dog from getting on the furniture is to 100% supervise the dog when they have access to the furniture and redirecting the dog to alternative activities. Over and over and over again. For months. You will also naturally want to hang out with the dog when watching TV etc - because that's why people get dogs. So you will end up sitting on the floor to be with the dog. When you reach the point that the entire family is sitting on the floor to be with the dog and the sofa is going unused by everyone and you are starting to wonder why you have a sofa, you might decide to allow the dog on the sofa... and just put some throws on it.
