Hi, what’s the best way to stop pup jumping up at the sofa. I’ve been trying to get her to sit rather than jump up which she will happily do for a treat but otherwise she’s constantly trying to jump up/onto the sofa. We want to start early ensuring the puppy doesn’t go on the sofa, she’s 9 weeks old. Thanks
My dog is seven months old and does the same thing. luckily, we allow her on the couch. i recomend teaching her off and just have her do so when she jumps up. I understand why you dont want her up there. Just be persistant.
We have this problem - our girl Meg was obviously allowed on the sofa in her previous home, plus she went to doggy daycare while there too - they always seem to have sofas for the dogs We are teaching her "off" - in our house "off" means "4 feet on the ground". Trying to change a 2 year habit of going on the sofa is proving challenging with Meg. All our other rescues have learned it very quickly, but she still tries it on.
In terms of learning theory, it is really hard to teach a dog not to go on the sofa. Why? Because unless the dog never has access to the room with the sofa when you are not directly supervising, she will learn to get on it when you are not watching or around. Behaviours which occur and are naturally reinforcing, are going to occur more often. Therefore, unless you are prepared to 1) keep the door to the room with the sofa in it closed at all times except when you are directly supervising the dog and 2) directly supervise the dog when in the room, then teaching the dog not to get on the sofa is destined to fail. If you still want to keep the dog off the sofa and you believe that level of prevention is possible, then think about WHY dogs want to get on the sofa. Partly because 1) it is comfortable and soft and nicer than anywhere else they have to lie and 2) because you are on the sofa and they want to be with you. Part of the solution therefore has to be ensuring they have their own equally plush and soft dog bed to lie in and also (unfortunately) you sitting on the floor with the dog in the dog bed. Dogs are deprived of our company so much - when we are at work or busy - that denying them contact with us when we are on the sofa and we are making them remain on the floor, is a tough one. And then, once you end up with the entire household sitting on the floor to be with the dog - and no one using the sofa - then you might decide it's best just to allow the dog on the sofa so everyone can be together and so you get to enjoy this piece of furniture you have bought... Frankly and having been through various dog-and-sofa permutations, we cover our sofas with soft washable fleeces and we all sit on them together.
I grew up with 3 labs and none of them were allowed on the sofa, however, I don’t remember (it was so long ago) if they tried to get up and we had to stop them, or if they just didn’t try. The door to the room the sofas were in would have been shut when we weren’t in and if we were all in the lounge there wasn’t much room for dogs! I was of the opinion when I got my pup that she wasn’t allowed on the sofa but from day one she tried constantly, I sat on the floor with her for quite a few months. When she got to 5 months and was still trying I gave in, much for the reasons @Jo Laurens has given. She is the most loving and snuggly lab and I love cuddling up with her now. Recently she had an operation and wasn’t allowed to jump on the sofa. I brought her favourite bed into the lounge and organised the sofa cushions so she couldn’t get up. It was purgatory! I missed her cuddles so much it was unbearable. Now she’s back on the sofa having been given the all clear and she’s snuggled on my lap as I write this.
Honestly, I recomend letting her on the couch and using a washable cover. It really is nice to cuddle them as you watch a movie. however i still think she should know to get off when told.
Ours do not have access to the room with the sofas unsupervised. Usually. Last summer (we only had Coco then), I had some long working days when I landed a dream job for a fortnight, and Coco was left for potentially 10 hours (it actually never panned out to be this long), so I left him with access to the back garden via the kitchen and the sitting room. I left a camera on him to monitor. I did expect him to go on the sofa...but no, he spent his days lying by the front door (where he normally chooses to lie when we're out), popping out occasionally to toilet. I think we've succeeded with Coco. IT's certainly do-able. This year....it could be the same again, I wonder how far we'll get with Meg by then. We're at the stage where she will try to get on OH's sofa when he is on it of an evening. She never tries during the day when I'm here alone.
