I’ve waxed poetic before about my dog’s nose hair-incinerating farts, which she typically produces the most of while she’s dozing on the couch. Her end of the sofa — which has a washable cover over her cushion and a puppy pad underneath — is also her favorite place to lick her butthole into oblivion and leave a giant wet spot (hence, puppy pad). I am OK with her being on the sofa because I want to cuddle her in the evenings, and it gives her a place to snooze while my son has the entire floor taken up with his train set or a Nugget couch fort. But for some people, animals on the furniture is just a nonstarter. So, if you’re wondering how to keep your dog off the couch, here’s a bit of info from the experts.
How to keep your dog off the furniture
Step one: Make sure your dog has somewhere cozy to relax, a really comfy and desirable place that rivals the couch in their mind.
“Ideally, a dog’s comfortable spot should make them feel safe and have adequate temperature control. The spot should have soft, supportive bedding, including a bed or blanket,” says Dr. Carly Fox, senior veterinarian in the emergency and critical care services at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center.
Consider your dog’s preferences — would they like a flat bed so they can splay out, or a donut bed they can curl up in? Do they have arthritis and maybe need an orthopedic bed that’s easy to get in and out of? Their spot should be out of the way of foot traffic in a fairly quiet place, with plenty of cool airflow in the summer and warmth in the winter. “My dog’s comfortable spot is his crate, which he sleeps in at night. During the day, I leave the door open so he can come and go as he pleases, and I often find him in there resting,” Fox says.
You should also try place training, according to Rover.com (they have a guide on how to do this with info from a trainer on their website). Teaching a dog “place” and where to go when you say it will help them learn to settle in their crate or bed — wherever it is you decide, really — and remain there instead of on the couch.
Whether you’re setting up the no-couch rule from Day One, or your dog has previously been allowed on the couch but isn’t anymore, stay consistent with your place training, trainer Erika Lessa wrote for PetMD. Make sure the whole family abides by the rule and isn’t sneaking your pup onto the couch when you’re not looking. Lessa also recommends steering clear of repellant sprays or any scary methods of teaching your dog to stay off the couch, as it may affect your relationship and cause them anxiety. Instead, stick to good training and maybe invest in a crate for when you’re not home, or keep your dog out of the room the couch is in.
And if you do want your dog to be able to cozy up on some furniture and not others, that’s OK, Fox says. As long as you are consistent about which furniture they can and can’t be on, they’ll be able to distinguish the rules.
“Dogs can absolutely distinguish between a piece of furniture they are allowed access to versus one they are not. However, this concept requires consistent training and reinforcement. If your pet jumps on the couch they are not supposed to be on, make sure to correct them every time. This constant correction will eventually lead the dog to realize they are not allowed on that particular couch,” Fox says.
So, happy training to you and your pup. Yes, it’s an extra thing to do each day, but most dogs pick things up in a matter of weeks. You’ll be strengthening your bond and developing a new way to communicate for life, which you and your dog will both appreciate.
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