Picture the scenario: A dog that keeps jumping and jumping on a couch, despite being constantly told not to – especially when the owner is not at home or has moved to another part of the house. Imagine your freshly laundered cushions all strewn with dog hair that is not exactly that easy to clean up, and an unpleasant smell that becomes more pronounced with each passing day.
It would go on and on, because there is virtually no way for the owner to spend his every waking minute watching over the dog to ensure that it does not sit on the couch again. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it?
While it seems like an uphill battle, it is still something that can be dealt with – for as long as you know some training tricks and cues that can be used to prevent your dog from once again lazing off on the couch. The best time to start, of course, is while they are still young.
Addressing the Problem: The Puppy Years
By nature, dogs are quite respectful when it comes to restrictions on territory. Tell them that they are not allowed to go inside a room or are not entitled to claim ownership of the door, and they will usually respect your mandate.
It is usually only when they sense that you have given up your alpha status or fail to draw very distinct boundaries about what it is that they can or cannot do that they will begin to cross such boundaries.
The first second that your pet puppy goes inside the house, immediately set boundaries clearly – when it comes to areas where he is allowed to go and places that he is banned from stepping foot in. While the puppy is still young, ensure that you are very consistent with this practice.
When the puppy is already used to this rule, it is only when you can make a few exceptions to the rule and the dog will understand that it is a one time deal.
It is important that you set the household rules and ensure that every member of the household has been duly briefed about them. Make sure that they all follow the commands that are in place when it so happens that it is one of them that are in the company of the dog and there is a possibility that it might jump on the couch.
Remember that children are likely to let the rules slip when it comes to the dog: they might let it get away with stepping on the couch just for a little bit of fun, so give them extra reminders about just how important it is.
Make it clear to the other members of the household that the goal here is to ensure that the dog is trained to understand that the couch is not his and he cannot go up there.
What About When You Are Not Home?
All these tips are not 100% foolproof – especially when you are not at home. The dog might be more tempted to go up on the soft and comfortable couch when you (or other family members) are not there to tell it not to.
When there are no people in the house, the dog is likely to think that the status of master in the household has been given to it, and then it will do as it pleases. If ever you find out that the dog did go up on the couch, refrain from yelling at it. Doing so will only up the risk of the dog developing aggressive behaviors and hostility.
It is also pointless to wait around in the hopes of catching the dog on the couch, because after some time the dog will be able to identify the patterns of your schedule and will simply wait for when you leave the house before it resumes it jumping frenzy. What is better is to look for deterrents to make the dog avoid the couch altogether.
If you are thinking of using sprays or specific odors, don’t. Spraying these on your couch will only make it uncomfortable for you – in terms of the undesirable scent and the moistness. These are not solutions to the jumping problem because all it prevents the dog from doing is licking your couch.
The better approach – and one that delivers the most promise in terms of success – is crate training. Crate training is a great way to ensure that your dog stays off the couch and inside its crate (or own room) when you are not at home.
It’s not a punishment of course, because the goal of crate training is to provide the dog with an equally comfortable and cozy spot it is free to lounge in – and call its own. When you are out of the house, the dog will just make its way into the crate without any anxiety issues brewing because it knows that it is in a safe place and that you will be home soon to be with it.
You can also try putting things on the couch so the dog does not have enough room to jump. Choose items that are bulky and uncomfortable, like plastic mats, cardboard boxes, balloons, newspapers, heavy books, etc. When strewn on the couch, the will make the entire furniture less appealing.
The downside to this, however, is that it will be somewhat of a hassle to make this set up every day and clear it every afternoon. If you are going to try this, have a nice hamper handy in the living room where you can easily toss in the junk items so you can enjoy the couch yourself.
These tips will work great at stopping your dog from jumping on the couch, but you should also give yourself room for error and the fact that your dog will make some lapses. The important thing is to be as consistent as possible, offer comfortable alternatives, and hopefully your dog will adjust sooner rather than later.
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