Hi, Bella is now 4 months old and responds well to trainining using treats. The only thing we are having problems with is jumping on the settee or chair and refusing to get off, even for treats. Tonight she was having a mad half hour and jumped on the settee. I tried to get her off when she started to try and bite me. I say bite rather than heavy mouth because her whole demeanour changed and she seemed to become aggressive. I must admit I left on the settee and she jumped down when she was ready. She is now looking a little sorry for herself and laying quietly on the floor. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Much as she is only a baby , she needs to learn that there is acceptable and not acceptable behaviour , so you must be firm but fair , not easy I know , especially when they try it on , which is what she is doing . If you don't want her on your furniture , then calmly but firmly put her down, quietly , every time she tries to get up , even is she growls or bites, it really is the only way if she wont come down for treats . Then, once down , give her a treat and tell her she is a good girl , they only remember the last action performed when they are little , so it will soon twig with her that she is being treated, praised and fussed for not being on the furniture All training is about repetition and consistency , just stick at it
Have a read of this article: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/training-your-labrador-not-to-touch-or-climb-on-things/ Hope the article helps The key is to act before she gets on the furniture, and to train an alternative. As she's no longer a tiny puppy and is resisting the idea of getting off the couch try to avoid physically lifting her down once she's up. She will just up the ante with evasion tactics or protests. The article suggests having a line or lead on the dog in the house so you can use this to stop an impending approach to the couch. You might find it helpful to block off the furniture while you're not home (eg if you have foot stools or poufs try putting them on the couch). I know that's probably not the 'look' you're after for the room though... Or just shut her out of that room.
As well as the good advice above I found the easiest way ever to keep Oban off things. I was given a door draft stopper that has a head that looks like a moose with really big teeth. Oban is a confident dog, very sure of himself, but he was afraid of this thing. I think it was the teeth and eyes. Easy remedy, Toofy Moosey on the chair he liked at the time and he stayed off it.
Thanks for the advice. I have tried putting things on the settee but Bella just jumps on or over them. I think I need a Toofey Moosey. On a serious note I think we will have to carry on teaching her that she gets a treat if she gets off the settee. The only problem with the training is that she only jumps on the settee when she is having a mad half hour and she doesn't seem to listen to what ever we tell her until she calms down.
