Puppy jumping on couch

[MeganLewis]

Hello , my 4 month old Brittany Spaniel puppy has worked out how to jump up on our couch . 
Can you please tell me how to address this issue so that it doesn’t become a habit ?

We are pushing him off and telling him “off” but not sure if this is right ? 
 

thanks in advance ,

megan 

[Adrienne]

Hi Megan,

Is the couch going to be off limits all the time or just now that your dog is a puppy? We want to have clear rules from the get-go, so it's important to establish consistency and ensure that all family members are on the same page. 

I would avoid manually pushing off as this may teach the pup that hands are bad and it may lead to nipping. Saying "off' as you toss a kibble to the floor may work best for now (keep some kibble always handy in your treat bag or pocket), until we can teach him to go to his mat to nap/play rather than on the couch (you can keep the mat nearby the couch for now since pups like to stick nearby).

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/

When you must walk away, it would be important placing bulky items on the couch to prevent him from accessing it or keeping him behind a baby gate or in his pen. 

 

[MeganLewis]

Thank you for the tip re - keeping kibble next to the couch. It is a great idea and we will start straight away.

we want to keep him off the couch permanently so we will keep up the training you suggested . 
thanks again, I really value your insightful input .

megan 

[Adrienne]

You are very welcome!

Here is a more in depth training guide for teaching "off":

Here's how to train it.

1. Wait for your dog to jump on the couch. If your dog isn't jumping up, then plan your training sessions around that specific time your.
2. Say your verbal cue "off" and then toss a treat or kibble on the floor with a downward motion of you hand. Tip: use hard treats as these are more effective in grabbing your dog's attention since they will make a noise when they hit the floor.
3. Just as your dog jumps off the bed or couch and before he eats the treat/kibble, say "yes" or click your clicker (if your dog is clicker trained).
4. Repeat this exercise several times as the opportunity presents making it a fun game.
5. At some point, start saying "off" but this time without actually tossing the treat. Just pretend you toss it using your downward hand gesture. When your dog jumps down say "yes" or click the clicker and feed him the treat, but this time drop it from your other hand. Your ultimate goal is to say "off" and stop tossing the treat/kibble.
6. Repeat the above exercise and start morphing the treat-tossing hand movement into just pointing at the floor and then feeding the treat from your other hand dropping it to the floor when you dog jumps off. This is to prevent dependence on the sight of treats. 
7. Now, it's time to raise criteria and add an extra challenge. A day may arrive when you need your dog to get off the couch, but you don't have treats. Start mixing in praise without giving treats or use other types of rewards such as giving a favorite toy, running together to the yard to play or giving your dog a nice belly rub. Don't stop giving any types of rewards or treats altogether though; as that may lead to the behavior extinguishing.

The leave it cue can also be used to train a dog to not approach something and therefore can be also used to tell a dog to not jump on the couch. It has a "preventive" function, meaning it helps prevent the dog from jumping up versus dealing with a dog who has already jumped up.

Here is how to train it :https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/

And once again, make the couch inaccessible and unappealing when you aren't training or are away (you can place bulky things or move it to face the wall -some dog owners opt to cover the couch with plastic carpet runner turned upside down so the hard points are facing upward to make it lose some appeal or you can simply keep your pup in a separated area) and aim to work on making your pup's bed extra appealing by offering wonderful things when there (toys, treats, edible chews, kibble).

[FrederykBlot]

If that may help, I had the same particular issue with the garden couch, and it happened usually when we tied in the yard while doing stuff

So we never caught him in the act

Each time we saw him on the couch, I got a high value treat, did an "off" cue as Adrienne suggested. I also had a "sit" and "look at me" because we spoke about behavior chain at the time and I didn't want that "couch + off" become a whole thing

Be prepared to do it a certain number of time. At first I started wondering whats the point as he was always on the couch when we hadn't an eye on him... Then it becomes less, and now, he would do it once in a while, usually when he's in an over excited, naughty mood

 

I hope this could help, it is certainly not spot on and maybe not the way for your dog, but perhaps it can be useful

[FrederykBlot]

I need to re-up this subject, because as little Loki getting a bit better with several things, we built a bit confidence and open our control a little

 

Prior to us relying a chews, we enclose our living room couch behind a pen... the pen was Loki's pen but we had to take a higher one as it could jump over
So we use it to protect off limits furniture

To be able to have a living room that looks more like a living room we tried removing the pen

In normal mood, he has not much will to go onto the couch, but when he starts to get a bit playful, or attention seeking, jumping on the couch become a new cool thing
(obviously, as it's off limits, he has reactions from us, in the form of "get down" + giving a treat)

 

We try "leave it" a bit more when he'd be around the couch from now on, but the couch has now higher value than his kibbles :)

 

Also, what do you think about vinegar ?

I see somewhere it was recommanded to clean potty accident, because vinegar is repulsive, and so they'll be less likely to redo an accident on the same spot

The repulsive component is also advised to keep them away from things off limits. Obviously we don't want our living room to smell like vinegar but as it's volatile, I was wondering if that may help to pull him away from the couch before he has a chance to get on, and still allow us to enjoy it as the odor will wear off

Is there any counter indications ? (except for the smell of our living room :))

Is it relevant ? 

 

Thanks

 

 

[Adrienne]

Couches will be very tempting to pups because they want to be close to us, it is true, they may value closeness more than their kibble. While with small dog breeds, many owners allow them on the couch, but with bigger dogs it can be problematic (they take the whole space!).

I usually keep bulky items on the couch next to me so to reduce the habit so that there's no space for the dog to jump up. This is for management and also to prevent a habit from establishing. It also helps prevent our requests to get down to lose its power (if we say a cue too many times with the pup not listening, it risks becoming irrelevant (learned irrelevance). 

Then, when I have time to train and can anticipate the going on the couch, I will  remove the bulky items and practice some leave its when I notice the pup is thinking about climbing up, and if he manages to climb up, I'll use the off cue as described above and encourage the pup to relax by a mat on the floor nearby the couch.

Alternatively, I may get up every time the pup goes up on the couch so he gets off to follow me and rinse and repeat until the pup gets tired and I can reward him for lying on his own mat nearby me. I will ensure he gets praised and rewarded when on the mat. 

I am not sure for the vinegar to help repel from the couch. I think the couch will still remain valuable. I know some owners who had success placing plastic carpet runner turned upside down so the hard points are facing upward to make the couch less appealing, but you pup is extra fluffy so maybe he wouldn't even notice.

Since Loki gets easily hot, I wonder if it may help placing warm blankets on the couch next to you and offering him a cooling mat at the feet of the couch. This may make the couch less appealing while the mat should be more appealing helping him make a good choice? 

[FrederykBlot]

Your idea of playing with the temperature seems relevant, but if in a playful mood it's likely he'll take the blanket for a tug toy lol

 

 

I think I will have to reinforce the smacking noise with real high value treats. I'm not sure about the apple kibbles mix now... I have seen the concept of "positive interrupter". I find that very interesting because I'm not always ready when he's on the verge of a "bad behavior"... But I understood that having a "positive interrupter" would stall him a little just enough to get me ready with a toy, or treat, or alternative behavior

 

I guess for now, the classical training will be the main method, and the washing machine will be the next part when he'll be ok with off the couch lol

With Covid we dont have much guests anyway so 😂

 

Thanks again for input, always so relevant