[im_nice1]

Firstly, thanks t everybody who responded to my earlier thread. Im using a stuffed kong at dinnertime and its working.

now for a new one: My 4 month old puppy bessie has started to jump on the sofa and the more we tell her 'off' and 'no' the more she doesnt listen. she knows she is not allowed to do this because she actually waits with her two forepaws on the sofa to see f anyone is watching and then proceeds to jump up on the sofa even after being told 'no' to! (she responds to 'no' and off n sit comands during training)

to add insult to injury, sometimes she jumps down at the 'no'..accepts the praise and the treat and then jumps right back at the sofa. and keeps repeating on/off behaviour. i have tried clapping my hands, making a noise, but nothing gets her off it apart from hauling her down physically, after which she jumps right back. (yesterday she peed on the sofa)
any advice?

 

[nikelodeon79]

Jumping on and off the sofa has become a game to her.

If she jumps off the sofa when you tell her to, praise her, give her a treat, and then BLOCK her from jumping on again. She'll grow bored of the game soon enough...

 

[im_nice1]

thanks nikelodeon...but do u have any suggestions on how to block off a huge sofa? (I cant think of any apart from just leashing her. and the moment the leash is free back she jumps.) sigh!

 

[nikelodeon79]

thanks nikelodeon...but do u have any suggestions on how to block off a huge sofa? (I cant think of any apart from just leashing her. and the moment the leash is free back she jumps.) sigh!

Hmm... With Luna it's easier because she currently prefers the loveseat to the sofa. *g*

Is it possible to put something on the sofa (boxes, totes, etc.) to make it difficult for her to jump on? Just leave part of it open (small enough for you to guard).

 

[Westhighlander]

You can not let her in that room or keep her on a leash when she is in that room. So she jumps on the coach lead her off to where you want her to be.

 

[TooneyDogs]

One of the challenges of dog training is learning that we can't give commands from across the room....we usually have to be right next to them and that's why leashes are often mentioned...so that we get close.....across the room stuff is Advanced Obedience.
When the leash is off, you need to be there to stick your hand in her face like a stop sign. Even puppies understand that sign to mean NO! and it blocks them from jumping but, you have to be there. Now the hard part....you need to replace that game with something better....something that she enjoys and earns your time and attention. That's how this game got started....she got your time and attention. You have to teach her a new game.

 

[Marsh Muppet]

One of the challenges of dog training is learning that we can't give commands from across the room....

Do you make housecalls? I need someone to explain this to my lovely bride. I must be speaking Klingon or sump'n.

 

[wvasko]

Do you make housecalls? I need someone to explain this to my lovely bride. I must be speaking Klingon or sump'n.

I'm sorry, this sounds like a very personal problem, I can't handle my bride across the room after 44 years. Let me know how this works out for you.

 

[ambercober]

For the part about blocking off a huge sofa, this is really good for when you go to sleep and can't watch her, put tin foil on the cushions. I use this for a dog that I regularly have stay with me, my neighbor travels for work so lots of short trips, and the pooch is a sofa queen *lol. She's pretty good about staying off while I'm in the room but once I go to sleep she goes straight for the seats. I had read about the tin foil method somewhere, maybe even here *smiles*, and it works!!! Dogs just don't like the feel of the foil under thier paws, can't say I'd like it much either *L, so it fixed my problem in a jiffy.

 

[TooneyDogs]

Do you make housecalls? I need someone to explain this to my lovely bride. I must be speaking Klingon or sump'n.

Bad Dog! Bad!

 

[Trainer]

One of the challenges of dog training is learning that we can't give commands from across the room....we usually have to be right next to them and that's why leashes are often mentioned...so that we get close.....across the room stuff is Advanced Obedience.

This is the key to this problem. Also, I'd wager that you are asking, begging, pleading, barganing with her to get off the couch. I don't allow dogs on the bed. When a new dog comes to live with us, the first time he jumps on the bed, within 2 seconds, my hand is on his collar leading him off the bed. No asking, no begging, no barganing. On bed, hand on collar, off bed. The whole process takes about 2 secnds. Repeat the procedure 3 times and the dog understands it.

Since your dog has already been rewarded for being on the couch, it will probably take more than 3 reps to teach her but this method works. You do it with authority and no words. Don't play or be silly.

 

[im_nice1]

Thanks for all for the replies:

Tooney dogs: im right there next to her and the sofa. putting my palm in front of her face just stops her for 2 seconds, she looks more naughty and then she clambors right on the sofa till i haul her off by her harness.

ambercober: tinfoil on sofa sounds like a great blocker. am gonna try it.

Trainer: I used a firm 'off' command repeatedly; but did give her treats and praise everytime she clambored down. (after eating both she clambors up again). so then i haul her off the sofa physically (not 3 but 30 times) but the moment her feet touch the ground and i leave her; she is back at climbing that sofa.

and yeah all..im going to have to find a new puppy game to rival the 'sofa climbing'. any ideas?

 

[craigclemins]

Hey, I recently had the same problem and I found that through persistently pulling my dog down from the couch and then standing there so she couldn't get back up worked well...

 

[cshellenberger]

Ok, a quick solutin that works well if you're not on the sofa. Go to Lowes (or Home depot or some other such store) in the flooring departemnt you'll find rolls of carpet protector, it's plastic and has small 'cleats' get a piece the size of your sofa cut. Get home and place it CLEATS UP on the sofa, the pup will jump up and get an uncomfortable and undesirable surprise and jump right back off on her own. reward HEAVILY for her getting off and STAYING off, in time you won't need the carpet protector.

 

[rambler]

Get an ecollar. Next time she jumps up there give her a blast.

Problem solved.

The technology is available- use it.

 

[hulkamaniac]

Jumping on and off the sofa has become a game to her.

If she jumps off the sofa when you tell her to, praise her, give her a treat, and then BLOCK her from jumping on again. She'll grow bored of the game soon enough...

I agree with this. For her the game is, "Jump on the sofa, get told no, jump off, get praise" The dog has learned that in order to get praise from you she has to jump on the sofa and jump off. Personally, I never praise a dog for obeying a no command for this reason. The dog may learn that they have to work for the no command. For me, the no command comes with no reward and comes with punishment if the dog continues to disobey so it's not a desirable outcome for any behavior.

Tell the dog "no." Remove the dog from the couch if necessary. I like the carpet protector idea. That will probably teach the dog not to jump on the couch without you having to do anything.

 

[wvasko]

Carla
Excellent that sounds like a plan and no yelling involved, the pup thinks it's his idea.

Rambler
I hope your batteries never run out as your dog training programs are definitely gonna take a beating with no batteries.

 

[TooneyDogs]

You don't use treats for things like this. You rewarded her for getting off. That reinforced the getting down but, does absolutely nothing for teaching her that getting up there in the first place is wrong....treats only made things worse and turned it into a game.

 

[hanksimon]

I usually go for pure positive methods, but once a misbehavior becomes self-rewarding, I believe less positive approaches (not harsh) are required. When she jumps on the sofa, tell her "Off !", then physically remove her and isolate her in a time-out, progressively.

1. First for 15 seconds.
2. Second infraction for 30 seconds.
3. Third infraction for 2 minutes.
4. Fourth infraction outside or another room... without being cruel.

She has not had to deal with serious, disciplined consequences, so she has learned that "no" means "maybe" . So, you have to re-train her that "Off" mean now... or lose the privilege of any attention - powerful stuff for a dog.

Make sure that you aren't angry or severe, just no-nonsense.

Think of it in the same way that you did house training. And, think of jumping on the sofa, as having an "accident," when she was a young puppy. That analogy may help you apply the same type of discipline.

- Hank Simon

 

[nikelodeon79]

I usually go for pure positive methods, but once a misbehavior becomes self-rewarding, I believe less positive approaches (not harsh) are required. When she jumps on the sofa, tell her "Off !", then physically remove her and isolate her in a time-out, progressively.

1. First for 15 seconds.
2. Second infraction for 30 seconds.
3. Third infraction for 2 minutes.
4. Fourth infraction outside or another room... without being cruel.

She has not had to deal with serious, disciplined consequences, so she has learned that "no" means "maybe" . So, you have to re-train her that "Off" mean now... or lose the privilege of any attention - powerful stuff for a dog.

I'm uncertain about this method... simply because I don't believe lengthening the "time out" period is going to matter. Puppy probably won't be able to realize "Gee, I'm getting a longer time out than I did last time I jumped on the sofa."

Think of it in the same way that you did house training. And, think of jumping on the sofa, as having an "accident," when she was a young puppy. That analogy may help you apply the same type of discipline.

Again, I disagree. I don't agree with disciplining a young puppy for having an accident in the house, even if that discipline is very mild. I just don't think a pup can equate "potty on carpet = time out." They likely will start to equate "potty in front of owner = negative things." I personally don't even interrupt my pup if she has an accident. I just ignore her and try to be more diligent in watching her/reading her signals in the future so I can PREVENT accidents.