At some point, every dog will attempt to stake a claim to the furniture. And why not? A couch in not only comfy, it’s warm and gives him a view of the house he can’t get from down on the floor. If it’s located next to a window overlooking the street, this spot will be even more alluring.
If you call your dog even once to jump up there beside you, he’ll believe that’s where you want him to be all the time. If you ignore him the first time he tries the davenport, or laugh and tell him how cute he looks, he’ll think you approve of the new seating arrangement.
This isn’t a problem if you don’t mind your dog lying on the love seat next to you. But if you decide on the love seat next to you. But if you decide later you don’t want him there, you’ll have to convince him that the furniture is very uncomfortable to be on. To do that takes some effort and consistency so it’s better to make a firm decision in the first place and stick to it.
Not so Comfy:
To discourage your dog from jumping up and sitting on the furniture, lay plastic bubble wrap on top of your sofa. The next time he jumps up he will be startled by the new sound and feel, and jump right back off. For some dogs, that’s enough to make them think twice about ever trying to get up again, but other will recognize the bubble wrap and just jump on the sofa when it’s not there. If your dog is one of the smarter ones, tuck a bed sheet on top of the wrap and leave it on all the time – or at least until he decides to stay off for good.
You can also place plastic mouse traps under the sheet. These will make a loud snap the minute your dog jumps on the couch and will also scare him into jumping back down. Light – weight plastic mouse traps are not dangerous to your dog because there are no metal pieces, but if you’re not comfortable using them, try blowing up some balloons and taping them to the seat cushions. They’ll accomplish the same thing.
There are also special mats designed to be placed on top of furniture to deter your dog from jumping up. As soon as your dog jumps up the mats give a very mild electric shock.
If you call your dog even once to jump up there beside you, he’ll believe that’s where you want him to be all the time. If you ignore him the first time he tries the davenport, or laugh and tell him how cute he looks, he’ll think you approve of the new seating arrangement.
This isn’t a problem if you don’t mind your dog lying on the love seat next to you. But if you decide on the love seat next to you. But if you decide later you don’t want him there, you’ll have to convince him that the furniture is very uncomfortable to be on. To do that takes some effort and consistency so it’s better to make a firm decision in the first place and stick to it.
Not so Comfy:
To discourage your dog from jumping up and sitting on the furniture, lay plastic bubble wrap on top of your sofa. The next time he jumps up he will be startled by the new sound and feel, and jump right back off. For some dogs, that’s enough to make them think twice about ever trying to get up again, but other will recognize the bubble wrap and just jump on the sofa when it’s not there. If your dog is one of the smarter ones, tuck a bed sheet on top of the wrap and leave it on all the time – or at least until he decides to stay off for good.
You can also place plastic mouse traps under the sheet. These will make a loud snap the minute your dog jumps on the couch and will also scare him into jumping back down. Light – weight plastic mouse traps are not dangerous to your dog because there are no metal pieces, but if you’re not comfortable using them, try blowing up some balloons and taping them to the seat cushions. They’ll accomplish the same thing.
There are also special mats designed to be placed on top of furniture to deter your dog from jumping up. As soon as your dog jumps up the mats give a very mild electric shock.