Jumping on the furniture

Hi, I'm back again about Reggie.

Right from the beginning I said I did not want him to go on the settees and for the first couple of weeks he was not allowed in the living room much as my daughter was living in here. Since she moved out every time he comes in the room he jumps on the settees straightaway - I tell him 'down' and reward him if he gets down but I can't pull him off as he snaps if your hand gets too near his collar (possible unknown past history). I brought a Pet Corrector spray and he does jump down if I wave that or sometimes have to spray it to make him get down. I now wonder if it really matters that much if he is on the furniture - it seems like such a battle but in the evenings (like now) he lies on his blanket on the floor without having to be told.

Is it worth persevering with this and if so, how?

I know when they have a similar sort of problem in the dog magazines they suggest leaving a trailing lead on your dog when you are with it (obviously not when unsupervised in case it catches on something) and giving the dog the "off" command and if it doesn't move then pull it gently off using the lead so as not to get your fingers bitten.

Personally I previously had 2 dogs who were not allowed upstairs or on the furniture and I wish I had stuck to this with Cherry and Parker as although they don't moult it would be nicer if they kept on the floor when you have people round although they have no issues about moving off the furniture when told to-they just are quite big and take up a lot of space on our large settee!

Do you think he is getting confused by your choice of command word? If I said "down" to Cherry and Parker and they were lying down on the settee they wouldn't move as they would think they are already in the "down" position. I use the word "off" when I want them to move off the settee.

It's up to you if you want him on the furniture, but even if you decide you don't mind, he still needs to get "off" when you tell him. I would persevere with a long line and treats when he gets off. Once he has mastered that you can decide if you want to invite him up, when it suits you.

I wouldn`t bother teaching Off, TBH as it`s easier to teach Go To.... Provide a comfy bed in that room and teach your dog to go to it. Reward when he gets there.
There`s not a lot of point making noises and saying Gerroff - all it means to him is that you`re cross. And he`ll just hop on it when you`re not there.
Whereas if he gets into the habit of settling in his own spot, he`ll stay there for preferance.

Is there any particular reason why you don't want Reggie on the furniture? You say "I now wonder if it really matters that much if he is on the furniture" so what were your reasons for not wanting him on there in the first place?

If it is because of hair, threads being pulled or something that may ruin your furniture, then ClaireandDaisy's advice is very good. Maybe little Reggie would prefer a bed above ground level (because of drafts, or feeling safer off the ground, or just wanting to be with you?) so maybe you could find a way to give him a bed off the ground, but not on your furniture ~ his own chair? Or maybe covering the furniture where he wants to sleep with a washable throw would keep everyone happy?

If you don't want him on the furniture as you think it will encourage him to be "dominant", then forget it! Wanting to be on the furniture is nothing to do with dominance & he certainly won't try to take over the world just because he's allowed to sleep on the sofa!

If you keep trying to stop him doing something that is clearly important to him, but without providing him with an alternative that he finds acceptable, then you will just end up in a battle with him. He's already doing his best to tell you that he wants/needs to sleep on the furniture by snapping at you when you try to physically remove him ~ what more can he do to tell you? Draw blood?

He may want/need to sleep on the sofa for reasons that are not readily apparent to us humans. Perhaps the softness because of a sore back, or maybe being off ground allows him to feel safe & sleep properly. Dogs need to be able to stretch out fully on their sides (called lateral recumbency) to reach R.E.M. sleep properly. R.E.M. sleep is vital for physical & mental health so it is crucial that you find somewhere for Reggie to sleep that he finds acceptable for his needs. No small round beds that force Reggie to curl up, but something soft, padded & big enough for him to stretch out on, in a location that he says is ok.

I must admit mine go on the furniture. I tried to stop them but they sleep in the kitchen/sitting room and every morning they were on it anyway!!
However if you erally don't want them on there then persevere. It will sink in eventually. Just make sure plenty of treats aer on hand

My dogs are allowed on the furniture too but it's leather so no hair problems. Having said that they can choose where they want to sleep and often prefer the floor (unless there are fireworks or thunderstorms when I have 34kgs of chunky labrador trying to curl up on my lap ).

You have to decide whether he can go on the furniture or not and stick to it. Mine arent allowed on the furniture, neither is the OH's but on the single occassion they slept in the living room, only Jed went on the sofa, the others didnt even attempt it (but this is Jed's way all over, give him an opportunity and he will take it). I made him get down though but he didnt like it.

You mentioned a possible unknown past history, I take it he is a rescue? Perhaps in his previous home he was allowed on the furniture and so naturally thinks this is the way in your home.

I make it clear to my dogs that any attempts to get on the furniture is unacceptable by doing the Victoria Stilwell "ah ah" noise as soon as they make a move. However, they dont get the opportunity as they live in the kitchen so can never be set up to fail.

Just want to say thanks for the advice !
Our pup has been jumping up on the couches too and it makes so much sense to rather encourage him to go to his own comfy space.

Thank you Claire

I was brought up with dogs don't go on the furniture so I suppose that is where it started from but when he first started doing it he was also trying to chew the settees (which are quite new - bought post recent divorce). He has his own bed which is on the floor beside one of the settees and also a blanket on the floor. In the evening which he is totally crashed out he does not even try to get on the furniture but just sleeps on the blanket or in his bed. The bed is obviously quite comfortable for him as he was sleeping in his crate but has chosen to sleep now in his bed which is put in the hall for him each night. When I am sitting on the settee he does not try to join me but lies on the carpet. I know he is only a dog but it does feel almost like he is saying 'ha ha look where I am - now get me off'.