And we're back to the couch...

[ladyarya]

I'm sure there is a very obvious answer to this that I am just not seeing

I was doing rather well with keeping Boo off the couch by only letting him in the room with the couch while I was there. Went well for a while, but now he's entering his "I'm gonna challenge mom and see how far I can get" stage, so I need to up the ante from a simple "off" command it seems.

Do I:

1. Put him on a leash, let him jump on the couch and leash correct him?
2. Try those X-mats they sell at drsfostersmith.com that have raised bumps so they're uncomfortable if he jumps up?
3. Just stay consistent with the off command?
4. Something else I haven't thought of?

Usually it works something like this. If even one toe of his gigantor paw starts to head for the couch, we say "off" and he turns around. Lately, he's been less subtle about it and just leaps onto the couch over the coffee table (small table). So then we say off, and he ignores it, so we say NO and push him off. Then when all four are on the floor, he gets praised and scratched and whatnot.

Now this all worked well for Karma and now she "asks permission" to come up on the couch by walking over to it and resting her chin on the cushion. Either we say "ok" and she comes up or we say "no" and she goes to her bed. Boo doesn't seem to be taking it the same way. (Granted, he's also half her age)

Now, since the main goal in this is for him to not get on the couch unless we say it's ok (like Karma does), I haven't let Karma on the couch while we're trying to teach this because I don't want to confuse him.

I know most say it's best not to let dogs on the couch at all, but I'm trying to see if I can get him to the same point karma is at by "asking permission". It's worked fabulously with her, and being that Boo is daddy's little boy, he really wants Boo to be able to curl up on the couch with him while he reads *IF* we can get Boo to handle it properly.

So, provided y'all don't think I'm crazy for thinking he could be allowed on the couch one day, any ideas? ;D

Or... ooh! Sit him down in front of the couch on a leash, correct him if he tries to jump up without a command, but praise him if he jumps up on a command word? I suppose with that route, I'd also have to keep him teathered to me for a bit so he doesn't have the option to jump onto the couch without the command?

Ugh, I know there has to be a way to do this

[FlatCoatedLover]

What I did was this:

1. Put a flat collar and leash on the dog in question.
2. Give the command "up" and lead the dog onto the couch/bed/tub/car/me and praise.
3. Give the command "off" and lead the dog off and when all four paws are on the floor praise.

*After doing this several times (10-15) a day for 1-2 day to make sure they "get it" i move on to the next phase. ONly move on once you know the dog understands the command.

4. Put training collar, i use the prong, and leash on the dog.
5. I issue the "up" command, give 5 seconds to comply and if he doesn't, issue a correction.
6. Once the dog is up issue the "off" command and give 5 seconds to comply. If he doesn't issue a correction.

*Again repeat this exercise several times (10-15) a day until following the command become automatic. I will then release the leash but still leave it attached and repeat the exercises again. Then I will remove the leash but leave the training collar on and do the exercises again. Finally I will practice with no collar on.

After they have this down, to teach them to "ask permission" before jumping up I start by issuing the "stay off" command when we enter the room. Again starting with regular collar and leash to teach command then progressing to correction and proffing.

Both of mine are allowed on the furniture unless 1)they are wet or muddy in which case we tell them to "stay off" and they do or 2) if there are humans who want to sit down. So when ever we come into the room if they are on the couch they automatically jump off until everyone is settles and then they claim the vacancies.

[Brooke]

There has to be a chance for them to make mistakes otherwise they aren't going to learn when it's ok and when it's not ok.

At this point... I'd say you are doing pretty good. You've rounded the first phase of it...teaching what the commands are. Where you go from here is getting him to ask for permission.

When he makes the mistake of getting on the couch... you immediately give a stern "NO" walk over and correct him while directing him off the couch. I would keep a tab collar on him and as he is on the couch take the tab in your hand and pop it in the direction off the couch. Immediately tell him to sit as he's hits the floor. If he doesn't, then pop the tab again.

Let him sit there for anywhere from 10-20 seconds or so in a stay. DON'T leave... just let him sit there and watch you) and then tell him "GOOD!" pat on the head and then an "ok...up!" or whatever you want to use and guide him up to the couch, then praise. Don't wait too long after you've corrected so that he doesn't connect the correction with the guidance. Once he starts catching on... I would be more ok with allowing more time between the correction and allowing him on.

It seems he may understand the commands fine... just doesn't know when the right and wrong times are. You just have to teach him it's not until you "ok" it. He needs to look to you for permission. When I was in North Carolina and battled the couch ordeal with my husband we came to the agreement that they could only be on the couches with permission. My dogs started sitting in front of the spot they wanted and they would turn their head and stare at us till we allowed them on. They would sit there for an hour waiting.

[ladyarya]

I knew there had to be an easy answer I wasn;t thinking of ;D Thank you both.

FlatCoatedLover said:

What I did was this:

1. Put a flat collar and leash on the dog in question.
2. Give the command "up" and lead the dog onto the couch/bed/tub/car/me and praise.
3. Give the command "off" and lead the dog off and when all four paws are on the floor praise.

You know what's so funny. Now that you say this, I acutally remember doing this when he was younger. Helped him learn the off command. Now... why was it I stopped?

[sibemom]

Great advice That is pretty much what I do. Willow is WAY TO BIG to be sitting on my couch with me, and I guess I just do not allow dogs on the furniture EVER. I remember one time during the learning phase, and she was always pretty easy, she was attempting to place herself on the couch and I saw her out of the corner of my eye, she raised one foot and I haulted her by saying " NO" she stopped dead in her tracks foot still raised and stayed like that untill I called her away. it was an extremly funny site to say the least because here we have this BIG GIANT FOOT raised off the ground with her body in a forward motion, and a look on her face like "OOPS " of course Brody thought the foot was a low jump and did jump over it several times I gave her lots of praise when she came ;D Brody of course though this was a game and nudged her to pick her foot up again so he could jump over it BC's I know they have a brain in there somewhere still trying to figure out WHERE