Keeping Dogs Off The Furniture

  Posted on January 27, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Dogs understand the concept of territory and they respect restrictions about territory. If you tell your dog not to go into a room or if you make a doorway your own, your dog will usually respect what you tell them. Most of the time, your dog will only disobey these boundaries if you stop being the alpha leader or if you fail to set up the boundaries.

When you bring your new dog home begin setting clear boundaries about where he can go in the house and when he’s allowed to go there. Be consistent about enforcing the boundaries.

Make rules for your household, too, and ensure everyone in your home adheres to them. Children are often guilty of breaking the rules and letting a dog do all kinds of things they shouldn’t do. Remember that you’re trying to teach the dog that the sofa belongs to you and he shouldn’t be up there, ever.

When you’re away, things don’t always go according to plan. The appeal of a soft, comfortable spot on the sofa, where you sit all the time, may be too much for a dog, and when you’re not home your dog feels like he’s the master of the house.

It won’t help to yell at your dog or try to catch him while he’s being naughty. Your dog knows when he’s likely to be caught and he waits until you won’t be there. Find a way to dissuade your dog from jumping on the sofa and teaching him that it’s not a pleasant place to be.

Avoid spray deterrents and odors. They can make the sofa less comfortable but they don’t usually work for dogs that jump up there to sleep. They will only keep the dog from licking the sofa.

One good way to keep your dog from jumping up on the sofa when you aren’t home is crate training. You can keep your dog in an enclosed space if you are away or asleep and your dog will have his own spot for sleeping.

Another option is laying things across the sofa. Try using a baby gate, books, plastic mats, cardboard boxes, or newspapers, and plastic coat hangers for example. You can use anything as long as it’s not as comfortable as the sofa cushions that your dog enjoys. This can help teach your dog that the sofa is not as pleasant as he thinks.

On the other hand, you will need to cope with all the things on the sofa that your dog may scatter around your living room. Don’t allow your dog on the sofa or other furniture, even when he looks at you with pleading eyes; and watch your dog carefully so he doesn’t get on the sofa when you aren’t looking.