# Jumping of sofa



## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi, 

Rosie has decided our lovely sofa looks far more comfortable than her crate bed and so keeps jumping up. As much as I'd love to let her on the sofa, it's only a small one and the kids like to escape there if Rosie is having her mad half hour (I've also heard they can get possessive and bark at visitors if they are allowed up?). So the decision is to tell her to get 'off' which I'm doing with a treat if she does (she just sits there and looks at me if I don't have a treat for her) and of course the clever little thing now knows if she jumps up she gets sent 'off' and gets a treat so is jumping up even more! She thinks it's a game!

I've tried the command with just praising but like I say she just doesn't get off.

Is there a better way I could be training her to stay off the sofa? 

She's sitting on the sofa looking at me as I type this!!! 

Apologies if this is a duplicate thread, I typed one similar earlier and it hasn't appeared yet so thinking I posted it wrong


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

I have never let Molly on the furniture cause I have a "no dog on the furniture rule" She sometimes puts her front paws on the couch to test us to see if we will let her up but I tell her "off". It works for her but I have never allowed her on there so she doesn't know what sitting on the couch is. Just wondering if you were allowing her on the couch before with permission??

I would put her leash on and if she tries to get up there I would pull her away and say "off" I wouldn't use a treat every time cause then they think they are going to get one so maybe this encourages her to try and get on cause she knows she will get a reward for it. Maybe when she tries to go up there point to her bed or a carpet give the command "go to bed" and entice her to another place. We learned the 'go to bed' command in puppy class and the trainer said it comes in handy when you are eating etc...cause the puppy has to stay on it's bed til you tell it that it can come off.

I'm sure someone will have a different way of dealing with this good luck on your quest

check out this article http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=1488


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## Woo (Oct 5, 2011)

Good luck with the no sofa rule Helen, I had that rule and it soon went out the window as I love my evening poo cuddles too much, that said Noodle is only allowed on the sofa if invited and won't just jump up on her own. Sofa time is normally once I sit down of an evening to watch tv (around 9pm) and I will then call Noodle to sit on my lap, apart from that she is on her bed/floor.
I'm starying away from your question, once Noodle knew "no" I used that if she tried to get on the sofa when she hadn't been invited. She tried her luck a few times but I was just consistant with her. Now she will only get up when invited.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

We haven't brought our puppy home yet, so I'm not going to be the best person to give advice. However I'm trying to think what I would do in this situation.

Perhaps it's two separate things: 

1) make her crate more appealing by giving her a stuffed kong in there so she wants to be in there, or as I read somewhere on here before, occasionally drop treats in amongst the blankets so she is drawn to it because nice things appear there. Is the crate in the living room? If you are in the living room and the crate is not and she wants to be with you that may be another reason for her preferring the sofa. 

2) Teach Off in other situations in training to strengthen the command but don't give her a treat when it's a practical situation where you want her to get off, otherwise it turns into the game as described. Be consistent with the voice cue of 'Off' _every_ time she gets up there, but if it doesn't work I would imagine separating yourself from her might make her unhappy about her situation. So if you were to leave the room, she gets to sit on the sofa but she doesn't get to be with you. But if she is in the crate/her own bed in the living room, you stay in the room, so she gets to be with you which is probably a preferable situation to her. 

As I say, this is an idea but I don't have any actual experience yet!

The only other thing I can think of is try to strengthen her view of you in other ways to try and make her more responsive to your commands. Integrate more training into daily activities eg get her to sit before you give her a meal etc.


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## Nellies mum (May 12, 2013)

I can't really help with the sofa situation as I allow Nellie on mine but I was wondering how long you have been trying with the 'off' command as it has taken Nellie months (3) to really take notice of the 'off' command. Although she is allowed on the sofas, beds etc when asked to get off she will do now without a treat. But I did train her with a treat every time even though it did become a game.The 'off' command has taken the longest for her to pick up but I think that's because she doesn't really want to move as she is comfortable. Just keep with it and I am sure Rosie will eventually listen


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## Jen62 (Sep 20, 2012)

Harley is also not allowed on the sofa... which generally means I end up on the floor for cuddles, but never mind!!

Our trainer taught us to do it this way and it has worked really well... when she jumps on gently push her off without saying a word and without even looking at her! If you are sitting on the sofa, push her off with with your elbow, gently - not designed to hurt! - and looking away

The principle is that she doesn't know yet that 'off' means 'off' yet.. you could be saying 'come on gorgeous girl'. So, she is getting recognition and having fun by going on the sofa, having you give her lots of attention, treats, etc.

If you make it really boring and uninteresting, instead giving lots of cuddle on the floor and treats in her bed etc, that will be the place she wants to be. 

Don't get me wrong - it is hard work and feels horrible, but it does get results if you want it to be that way!

I occasionally invite Harley onto the sofa when evil OH (the one who insists on the rule) is not here, so we can have a comfy cuddle - he lasts 2 minutes then goes back to his bed or wherever else he has chosen as it is better there!

Good luck with it!!

Jen - and Harley of course!! xx


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## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks folks! As always some really useful ideas to try (thanks for article link too Renee). Claire - we have only had her a month so maybe I'm expecting a bit too much too soon! Just want to get the ideas now so that I know I'm doing the right thing from the start. I'm amazed you can teach them to come up only when invited! yeay! as I would love to have the occasional cuddle on the sofa while watching tv :0) 

I have to admit she did go onto the OH's lap when we first had her  so she's probably confused bless her, I did stop this after the first few nights tho....and the kids do tend to entice her up and squeal with delight when 'Rosie's on the sofa again!!!' lol

Just off to turn her crate into the loveliest cosiest boudoir a pooch has ever known


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Both mine go on the sofa, I love my cockapoo cuddles on the sofa! I have a very easy to manage leather sofa and any muddy footprints are very quickly removed with my leather wipes.


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

Me too love the cuddles on the sofa we also have leather so easy to clean. She is cuddled up with me at the moment sound asleep with her head on my lap.
I can understand you not wanting her on there and the children wanting to escape the little teeth. She will learn it will suddenly click.
Have a look at my video on cockapoo pictures a good example for NOT letting them on the couch


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