[OshieTheRottador]

Ok, so I have a few questions. We recently got a new puppy and he has been with us for about 3 months (he is about 5 months old now). The first and most important problem is that my fiancee is a teacher and in August, she will be going back to school. I work for Frito-Lay and work about 60 hours a week (ridiculously early in the morning, btw). So, no-one is going to be home from about 6:45 until at the earliest 6:00. Obviously, we don't want to crate Oshie for 12 hours everyday. We have a fence in the back that is about 4 feet high (Oshie is only 32 lbs and probably a foot tall). We were thinking about putting in a doggie-door so he can get in and out all day and then put baby gates so he can't get out of the kitchen. So he would have a fairly large roaming area. Obviously, as he gets bigger, the riskier it is to put him out in the backyard. We have had no problems with him trying to get out before and we've left him out there a few hours at a time. Not great, but he doesn't seem to be a huge roamer.
Anyhow, we were wondering if anyone had ideas or tricks that we could use for our plight!!

Secondly, Oshie has the HARDEST time with staying off the furniture. We have never let him on, but it is lower and so he can easily jump onto it. We have gotten him to learn the word "off!" and he listens pretty well, but he will just get back up the second we are not looking. He is extremely stubborn with commands and will test us daily. He is getting better and better, but he still is a stubborn pup. That said, does anyone have a great way we can teach him that furniture is a no-no. Furthermore, is there anyway we can show him that CERTAIN furniture IS okay and the rest isn't?

Thanks!!!!!

 

[skelaki]

As far as the yard goes it would be better to build/buy a safe dog-proofed run or pen than just allow him to be loose in the yard. I'd be more concerned these days with someone coming through the gate or climbing the fence to steal the dog than the dog getting out. Perhaps you could set up an ex-pen with a top so that he could go in and out the dog door door into that during the day. And, if you could have someone come in during the day and take him for a long walk that would be better yet, even if it wasn't done every day.

 

[TooneyDogs]

A second vote for a dog run. They're cheap...about $100 or even free on Craigslist if you teardown/haul away.

The 'trick' to the furniture is not the OFF command....that only teaches them to get off when you say so, not get up there in the first place. You need to stop him BEFORE he gets up there. You show him the furniture he's allowed on...have him jump up and treat him while blocking him from getting on the other furniture. Of course, if no one is around you can't enforce this.

 

[OshieTheRottador]

A second vote for a dog run. They're cheap...about $100 or even free on Craigslist if you teardown/haul away.

The 'trick' to the furniture is not the OFF command....that only teaches them to get off when you say so, not get up there in the first place. You need to stop him BEFORE he gets up there. You show him the furniture he's allowed on...have him jump up and treat him while blocking him from getting on the other furniture. Of course, if no one is around you can't enforce this.

You know, that's pretty brilliant and a great way to think of it. I never looked at it that way. I've also heard that the off command coupled with walking away and ignoring him until he is off of the furniture might be a good way, too. I like what you said, though.