How to keep a sheltie off the furniture?

SheepOfBlue · Nov 11, 2009

So Sca has decided he needs to jump in the Lazyboy that is empty (yes my house is cluttered

) I tell him to get down and he kind of does and frequently turns and goes back up. He will also jump on the couch in my spot if I am not there and start checking out the laptop and stuff.

So is there any trick other than telling him no over and over to training him? The bitter apple thing I found here was great as a no chew zone so I am hoping there is similar for furniture

Lightplum · Nov 11, 2009

buy a larger couch :lol:

no seriously I am the wrong one to answer this topic...I have 4 dogs and 2 cats on mine right now :lol:

I gave up trying a long time ago!

mcguiregirl2248 · Nov 11, 2009

Yep, just forget it. We had bought new furniture 2 months before we got our first adopted sheltie..... I said no dogs on the furniture - yeah, that is a funny one!

corbinam · Nov 11, 2009

Haha I'm with Lightplum...we gave in pretty quickly!

However, I have seen some dog/cat repellant spray. I have also seen mats that make a noise when stepped on that is used for couches/chairs. But that's more for when you aren't home, I would think.

I would just recommend training the off. You can do that by telling him off and rewarding when he jumps down. Once he knows he shouldn't be there, you can use a negative marker (we use "unh-unh") and when Sca hears it, he should know it means he's done something incorrect. At first you might have to tell him off or get down and then block the chair so he doesn't get right back on.

Good luck!

BarbV · Nov 11, 2009

Pretty simple. You say No, haul them off the couch, tell them to sit and stay and give them a praise and treat when they do.

They should wait for an invite. If they jump up on their own, then off they go.

That's the theory. In practice, I'm a whuss and my pups rule the roost. So normally I just roll my eyes and make half-hearted attempts to train them better - next time.... :rolleyes2:

RonandJan · Nov 11, 2009

We allow the couch (MMM and I take our 20 minute nap everyday on the loveseat together!).

However, we teach "off" and mean it. Of course with McKinley then you get the STARE. :eek2:

He is so good at THE STARE.

I think, he thinks he has the power to make things move and happen

corbinam · Nov 11, 2009

RonandJan said:
Of course with McKinley then you get the STARE.

He is so good at THE STARE.

I think, he thinks he has the power to make things move and happen

Yes! We get THE STARE too! We call it "the stink eye". He will stand and stare at us so often that, like Barb, we pretty much move over and let him lay down wherever he wants.

Toffee's Mom · Nov 11, 2009

corbinam said:
Yes! We get THE STARE too! We call it "the stink eye". He will stand and stare at us so often that, like Barb, we pretty much move over and let him lay down wherever he wants.

LOL LOL
you know what? most of us are clearly all a bunch of weenies! :yes:

I have also worked with the 'OFF' command , which he does listen to... but he also is supossed to ask to jump up... but since he's there when I am not, I am pretttttty sure he uses the furniture as dogbed...

So... it looks like Sca is going to have to work harder at it, lets take bets whether he can make his parents eventually into pushovers like us or not, lol :biggrin2:

*PS, EDIT* My money is on Sca.. I am gonna say he's gonna get full range at 8 month.. any takers? LOL

Blackjack · Nov 11, 2009

Blackjack likes to do a running jump to the couch, but it is brand new and we decided noway. So we use the off command and he listens well. Occasionally when he is really excited he forgets but on the whole he is a very good boy

Caro · Nov 11, 2009

I kept mine off the couch until the got through the worst of adolescence. I resorted to the short lead while they were adolescents. So when they barked or did something naughty I just grabbed the short lead and put them in time out, or pulled them off the furniture.

I did teach 'off' and if they tried to get on againI pulled them off with the short lead and put them in time out. It didnt take long for them to work it out. Nowadays if I want the whole couch to myself they will get off for me.

There is a major drawback to teaching your dog to get off the furniture when you are there - they sneak on to it when you are not there! Tully became the master sneaker onto the kitchen table and benches, she learnt to wait until I was out and it took me ages to work it out!