Getting a dog off the furniture.

Ok, thought you might be able to give me a bit of help on this one...

Takara goes mad in the lounge, unless she's sat on the furniture. Then she lays in the chair with her head on the arm of the chair, watching TV.

So I thought I'd get her a bed that had sides on so that she could quite happily rest her head on the sides.

However, I'm not sure it'll work. I need one that is all one, not one with a cushion in (she pulls them out and rags them) and I don't want to spend out on it and then her still want to sit on the furniture and not like the bed...

So what do you think? What can I do? When I get her off, she jumps about and goes mad! Then she jumps on and off the sofa all night. Is there a way I can get her to stay on the floor but be as calm as she is on the furniture.

She needs to be taught 'settle' or 'bed' and 'stay'. Or 'enough' Also, it will confuse her if she is allowed on furniture at some times and not at others. Decide if she is or isn't allowed up and be totally consistent.

Unfortunately, IMO the reason you are having trouble getting her to stay off the sofa, is because you let her on it in the first place, and now she doesn't understand why it's "wrong". If I were you, I would just live with the fact that your dog likes to lie on the sofa, and spend the money you would have spent on a dog bed, on a good quality throw that she can snooze on.

Love the smiley Vicki - or should that be the 'smelly'

I doubt that a bed on the floor would work,if you have allowed her on the furniture to start with,but you could always give it a try and tell her bed or something similar.
We have never allowed our dog on the sofa and he never tries to get on it but he has been taught from a pup where his bed is,and quite content to stay there but then again it is by the radiator so i think he likes the warmth.
Sal

Thanks guys,

SB - thanks I know we need to be consistent, it was while she was left with me and I was recovering, I couldn't get up to get her off the chair and so she pushed it with me, cheeky little minx

I know it was our fault in the first place, we shouldn't have let her on the furniture, the problem is Vicki, our house isn't huge and the sofa and chair only just allow enough room for our family so a big dal on there as well and... well my family aren't very happy with sitting on the floor so the dog can sit on the sofa

IMO, she's still only 6 months and if an older dog can be taught to stay off the sofa after years of being on it, then a 6 month old can.

SB, she does know 'wait' and 'bed' etc. she just doesn't want to do things unless she feels like it! lol

I'll just continue to tell her to stay on her bed and bring her bed through into the living room when she comes in here. i'm sure we'll get there, she loves to lay in front of the fire but we don't always have it on! I might clear out the space by the radiator as she liked that before and put her bed back there...

thanks.

I know what you mean about the fire bit, mine turn into real couch potato's and see who can sit the closest, I have video of them dragging their beds towards the fire to get closer!!!

Do you not keep a bed for Takara in the lounge?? this may be part of the problem, as she will naturally want to be with all of you when cozying down together in the evening, and may only be sitting on the sette as she has only the floor to lay on?? putting a bed in with you will give her somewhere cozy to lay.

No - what happens at the moment is she brings her bed through with her to whatever room she's in!

So my question was as to whether she ought to have a bed that stays in here - she won't settle on the bed she has so should she have one that resembles a sofa? As she likes to rest her head on the arms of the furniture.

I think it may very well help if she has a bed/basket/blanket/rug in a permanent place in your lounge (decide where it should go and don't move it around). Doesn't matter what it is so long as she recognizes it as 'her' place. You may need to put a used cover/blanket from her usual bed in/on it to start with so that she knows it is hers. Dragging her bed from room to room probably increases her excitement. Beds should be in one position and left there