by Carrie Frost

Created on: November 09, 2009

Many people have dogs that love to be on the couch or curled up in a chair. This is not uncommon behavior and there are a few easy steps that you can take to prevent your dog from jumping up on the furniture. You can teach a dog, no matter what the size, to stay off of the furniture by using the "down" command. Most people use this command to tell their dog not to jump up on people. Also you want to make sure the dog realizes that the couch or chair is your space. As the head of the household and hopefully as alpha, you will be able to enforce this with body language. When the dog jumps up on the couch remove them by pushing them off of the couch or, if they are small, by picking them up and putting them on the floor. Tell them no and then give them the command "down". Older dogs may pick up on this a lot quicker than puppies will.

Remember, the key is consistency and patience. This may or may not work the first time, it may take six or seven times before the dog gets that it just does not belong on the furniture. Your dog should not be on the couch with you unless it is what you want. Another good thing to do when you are teaching your to stay off of the couch, is to use hand signals. A dog will get this better than you yelling at it. If you are setting on the couch watching your favorite T.V. show and Spot comes barreling into the living room and jumps up on the couch tell him no, then point to the floor and say down. After awhile Spot may not even need words. He will know that pointing when he is on the couch means to get down.

There are many people that look at their dog like they are public enemy number one when they get on the couch. What you need to know is that your dog is not intentionally trying to be obnoxious or get your couch hairy. What I believe is that they smell your scent on the couch and because you are their leader, their alpha, they want to be closer to you. dogs are pack animals. The urge to form a group has been passed onto them by their wild and beautiful ancestor, the wolf. Wolves are constantly in contact with each other. When they run, they touch, when they sleep, they cuddle for warmth. They know each other by scent better than they know each other by sight.

Learn more about this author, Carrie Frost.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.