Sofa?

Does anybody let there pups on the sofa? before sky could jump up we made her sit and then we picked her up to come and sit with us..
But now she is big enough to jump up i dont want her to think she can come up whenever she likes but she is struggling to understand and im struggling too help her understand...Im trying to teach her 'up' and 'down' which she knows but she jumps up even if i havnt given her permission, if my backs turned or in the next room. Or if she is asleep on the sofa and i need her to get down she wont get down as she is sleepy ( which is understandable) Im just curious as to what you guys do as i dont want sky to rule the sofa!

We let Suki up all the time and whenever she wants. We do the same for all the furniture

Firstly, don't use the word down if you use it to mean lie down as that will confuse her.

Use a command you don't already use like 'budge'. Start by just using a lure when you want her to get off then fade the lure and just use the hand signal as if you had the lure then finally when she knows what the hand signal means, add the verbal command then you can fade the hand signal if desired.

Always reward her for getting down, either with a treat, praise, game etc.

Keep at it with the asking her to sit and wait before asking her to get up and she'll get the message, just make sure you're consistent and ask her to 'budge' (or whatever you decide to use) whenever she gets up without asking. As soon as she gets off, ask for a sit and a wait and/or focus/watch me then invite her up again.

Dempsey's allowed up whenever he wants as long as he gets off when he's told to. I use the word "off" & I point away from the sofa/chair etc.

I started with a treat, same as galadriel says. It sometimes takes a while for them to learn because they won't want to get off, but it'll come with patience.

My first GSD wasn't allowed on the furniture at all. But every time we came home after being out for a while we'd hear him get off & lie down on the floor - he was a bit too big to do it quietly!

We dont let pets on furniture in this house, im crazy allergic to most pet hair, and my mum is very allergic to dog hair so we just have a ban on pets on seats incase anyone visits, plus i hate having dog hair on clothes. Ruby however does think shes not part of this rule, but shes learning slowly but surely, though we have wandered in a few times to find her trying to get away with the 'im a cushion' look when we play with her or cuddle her we get down to her level

yeah..i really love my sofa cuddles and naps though! haha
I just read something about being 'top dog' so its more of an authority thing about her getting up with permission and down when we say. I really dont mind her getting up and down whenever she likes but i really want her to know who's boss as sometimes she thinks she is and is a pain in the bum!...I think with me being at home most of the time with her and my partner being at work alot i sometimes worry that she will try run rings around me and she is getting stronger!

becki2009 wrote:yeah..i really love my sofa cuddles and naps though! haha
I just read something about being 'top dog' so its more of an authority thing about her getting up with permission and down when we say. I really dont mind her getting up and down whenever she likes but i really want her to know who's boss as sometimes she thinks she is and is a pain in the bum!...I think with me being at home most of the time with her and my partner being at work alot i sometimes worry that she will try run rings around me and she is getting stronger!

The thing that cements the 'top dog' aspect is consistent & firm training. It makes no difference if you're above your dog, below your dog, on or off a sofa etc. As long as your dog knows that a command is a command & it must be carried out straight away, then you're in charge!

Dempsey will get up on the sofa when he feels like it - bit if it isn't convenient or I don't want him there I just say "No, off" and he gets (grudgingly) down.

Agree training and consistancy are the keys.

Caryll wrote:Dempsey's allowed up whenever he wants as long as he gets off when he's told to. I use the word "off" & I point away from the sofa/chair etc.

I started with a treat, same as galadriel says. It sometimes takes a while for them to learn because they won't want to get off, but it'll come with patience.

My first GSD wasn't allowed on the furniture at all. But every time we came home after being out for a while we'd hear him get off & lie down on the floor - he was a bit too big to do it quietly!

My JRT does that, as soon as he hears me coming, I hear him jumping down before I come in the room then he's sat on the floor all sweetness and light like "I'm such a good boy, I'd never get on the sofa without permission"

Galadriel wrote:

Caryll wrote:Dempsey's allowed up whenever he wants as long as he gets off when he's told to. I use the word "off" & I point away from the sofa/chair etc.

I started with a treat, same as galadriel says. It sometimes takes a while for them to learn because they won't want to get off, but it'll come with patience.

My first GSD wasn't allowed on the furniture at all. But every time we came home after being out for a while we'd hear him get off & lie down on the floor - he was a bit too big to do it quietly!

My JRT does that, as soon as he hears me coming, I hear him jumping down before I come in the room then he's sat on the floor all sweetness and light like "I'm such a good boy, I'd never get on the sofa without permission"

Yes, and then you feel the sofa & it's still warm!

Caryll wrote:

Galadriel wrote:

Caryll wrote:Dempsey's allowed up whenever he wants as long as he gets off when he's told to. I use the word "off" & I point away from the sofa/chair etc.

I started with a treat, same as galadriel says. It sometimes takes a while for them to learn because they won't want to get off, but it'll come with patience.

My first GSD wasn't allowed on the furniture at all. But every time we came home after being out for a while we'd hear him get off & lie down on the floor - he was a bit too big to do it quietly!

My JRT does that, as soon as he hears me coming, I hear him jumping down before I come in the room then he's sat on the floor all sweetness and light like "I'm such a good boy, I'd never get on the sofa without permission"

Yes, and then you feel the sofa & it's still warm!

Yup, little buggers