Help!

We don't want Bruno on the sofa unless he's invited up. This is mainly because we eat our dinner on the sofa (don't have a table that's easily usable) and he gets annoying.

How do I stop him jumping up on the sofa?? He keeps doing it and it drives me crazy. He knows he's not allowed to do it because sometimes when I go to move him off he just runs and jumps off the end and then jumps back on two seconds later.
He also goes for my hands when I try and move him off. His biting is still quite bad and it's frustrating me to the point of tears. I don't want him to turn into a naughty aggressive dog

I'm guessing he's quite a young dog?

A lot of it is persistence. When he gets off the sofa, make sure you give him a huge reward - a yummy treat, loads of praise, a toy, etc.. When he enters the room, keep an eye on him; if he starts to go towards the sofa with the aim of getting up, get him to sit and stay (if he's learned those commands) and then give loads of praise.

Rosie, I remember those puppy biting days with angst. They're not nice, Bruno will get there & I promise it does get easier. Great advice re the sofa from Eleanor

Not sure I would reward him for getting off the sofa. This could encourage him to jump on knowing he will get a treat for getting back off again. Apart from that I agree with Eleanor.
As with all training, consistency is the key. He won't understand being kept off the sofa just at meal times. And never give him titbits from your plate when eating.
We eat most of our meals at the breakfast bar in the kitchen and Bacchus has a small bed in the corner as he likes to be with us. But he is not allowed to come to the breakfast bar to scrounge.

Agree just consistency and he'll get it, daisy even knows that she is only allowed on the big sofa because that has covers on but not the other!

Advice as above just being persistent and sit and stay and reward.
Keep at it, it will click. He is still very young at the mo.  

Consistency pays off. We teach all our dogs to go to their baskets when we eat or I try to have them have their supper while we have ours.

Agree with those above, also maybe try giving him a Kong with his dinner in while you are eating yours. This might be a good distraction for him.

reuben wrote:Not sure I would reward him for getting off the sofa.  This could encourage him to jump on knowing he will get a treat for getting back off again.  

Dogs tend not to think like that. Yes, they'll get off for a treat, but they won't think "If I get on the sofa, I'll get told to get off & get a treat".

nicolene Iveson wrote:Consistency pays off. We teach all our dogs to go to their baskets when we eat or I try to have them have their supper while we have ours.

That's probably the best way. Either their basket/bed or just a specific place (maybe a mat) in the room. You'll get indigestion for a while, jumoing up & down to put him on the spot you've chosen, but he'll understand soon enough!

That brings back memories, Katy was a nightmare at meal times, we also eat on the sofa. I used to put her in another room when she hassled us. It took about a week of doing that for her to get the message & indigestion for me. She now lays between us faking sleep while we eat. I can even put my tray down to get something & she wont move   Just keep it consistant & you will get there

Caryll wrote:

reuben wrote:Not sure I would reward him for getting off the sofa.  This could encourage him to jump on knowing he will get a treat for getting back off again.  

Dogs tend not to think like that. Yes, they'll get off for a treat, but they won't think "If I get on the sofa, I'll get told to get off & get a treat".

nicolene Iveson wrote:Consistency pays off. We teach all our dogs to go to their baskets when we eat or I try to have them have their supper while we have ours.

That's probably the best way. Either their basket/bed or just a specific place (maybe a mat) in the room. You'll get indigestion for a while, jumoing up & down to put him on the spot you've chosen, but he'll understand soon enough!

Hi Caryll, I wasn't suggesting that he will go through the same thought process as we do. It was just a thought that occurred to me, that for him to get a reward for getting down off the sofa he would have to be up there in the first place. As we all know they are very clever little buggers and it might not take long for him to work this out.  

I know what you mean, Roger, but I doubt that they will actually make the connection. The reward is for the down, not for the up! 

Awww we are going through the biting thing with jasmine at the moment so totally feel your pain! Staff's are murder for it!! We have a stair gate on the front room, so when we eat on the sofa she can't sniff around us. We have a similar prob of jasmine constantly barking at us when we are on the sofa. She is allowed on there, but on our terms, not hers! We put her in the hall behind the gate when she gets too much, till she has calmed. Also be careful with him jumping down. He could really hurt his legs at this age. They are crafty buggers, and clever with it, so def know the frustration your feeling! X

Have you considered placing a bed on the floor next to or close by the lounge? You can move him from the lounge/tell him to get down and reward for getting onto/using his bed instead .. telling/showing him what to do will be far more effective than telling him what not to do

In regards to the dinner time issue, as Janey suggested above a kong can be really useful .... I serve Chiquito a dinner kong at the same time I serve the human dinner

Great advice above, I can't really add much more but as Kell said, I have a bed for Rocky in the corner of the Kitchen that he will sit in while I cook or eat, as well as in the lounge room, he has learnt that he is only allowed on the lounge by invite! Definitely takes a bit of time for them to pick it up though