Establish Your Authority
To teach your dog to stay off the couch, you must establish yourself as the leader and earn your dog’s respect. Dogs are pack animals and naturally look to a leader for guidance. As the owner, you need to be the one making the rules. Take on a calm, assertive energy when interacting with your dog. Be consistent with rewards and corrections so your dog understands what is expected. Remaining calm and free of anger or frustration will help your dog see you as a stable leader.
According to Cesar’s Way, “To establish your authority as Pack Leader, communicate with your pup in a way they understand. This starts with energy and body language.”1 Adopting the role of pack leader does not require intimidation or force. It simply means providing steady guidance and taking responsibility for your dog’s care and training.
Choose a Command
It’s important to choose a unique command like “off” or “place” that your dog does not already know when training them to stay off furniture. According to this source, the “off” command tells a dog to get its paws off of something, whether it’s the couch, kitchen counter, or bed. Using a distinct command that your dog doesn’t associate with another behavior helps avoid confusion.
Be extremely consistent with whatever command you choose. Always use the exact same word in the same tone of voice when telling your dog to get off the furniture. Consistency is key for a dog to learn the desired behavior. If you use different words like “off” and “down” interchangeably, your dog will not learn that you want them off the furniture. Stick with one simple distinctive command.
Have Realistic Expectations
Dogs often initially resist training to stay off furniture. It’s important to have realistic expectations about the process. Changing behaviors takes time and consistency. Expect your dog to resist at first by trying to jump back on the couch when you tell them to get off. But with repeated training, most dogs will learn to follow the rules.
Be prepared for the training to take a few days or weeks. Don’t get frustrated or angry with your dog during this process. With positive reinforcement training methods and consistency from you, your dog will learn. As the American Kennel Club advises, “A well-trained dog is one that comes when called, walks calmly on a loose leash, sits politely for petting, and lies down quietly when you ask him to. Training your dog takes patience, kindness and consistency.” (source)
Limit Access
One of the most effective ways to keep your dog off the furniture is to limit their access to it when you can’t supervise. Using baby gates or closing doors to rooms with furniture can prevent your dog from getting on the couch, bed, or other furniture when you’re not around.
Baby gates are a great option for blocking off a doorway or stairs leading to a room with tempting furniture. Look for tall baby gates and make sure to get one that is sturdy and hard to knock over. Set up the gates when you are leaving so your dog can’t get access while you’re gone.
You can also close doors to rooms when you leave to keep your dog out. This works well for bedrooms, studies, living rooms or other areas with furniture your dog likes to climb on. Just make sure your dog has access to their own comfy bed and toys in another gated room so they have an alternative place to relax and play.
Limiting access prevents the opportunity for your dog to break the rules, which will reinforce the training that the furniture is off limits. Use baby gates or closed doors whenever your dog will be unsupervised around tempting couches or beds.
Reward for Following the Rules
One of the most effective ways to teach a dog to stay off furniture is through positive reinforcement training. As explained by the Humane Society, positive reinforcement uses rewards like treats, praise, or toys to reinforce wanted behaviors [1]. To implement this, give your dog a treat and verbal praise like “good dog!” immediately when they get off the couch or avoid sitting on it altogether. The ASPCA recommends giving higher value treats in the beginning as the dog is still learning [2]. With time and consistency, your dog will associate getting off the couch with being rewarded.
Provide Dog’s Own Space
Dogs naturally like having a space they can call their own. Providing your dog with a comfortable bed, crate, or mat in the same room as the couch gives them an inviting alternative place to relax and lie down (Rover, 2023). Place the bed or mat in an area that’s quiet and out of high traffic paths. Make it cozy by adding a few of their favorite toys and a comfortable blanket or pillow with their scent. Some dogs prefer an enclosed space like a crate where they can fully relax and feel protected. The key is giving them an area that feels safe and comforting.
Having their own dedicated spot nearby the couch reduces the temptation for your dog to jump up. When properly trained, they will learn to default to lying on their own bed or mat instead of on the furniture. Provide positive reinforcement like treats when they choose their own space over the couch. With consistency, dogs can be taught that while the couch is off limits, they have a perfectly good alternative right beside it. Their own little den nearby allows them space of their own while still being part of the action in the room.
Use Deterrents if Needed
If your dog persists in jumping on the furniture even after training and providing alternative spaces, you may need to utilize deterrents. Deterrents provide an unpleasant sensation when the dog jumps on the furniture, teaching them to avoid it. Some humane deterrent options include:
Scat mats – These are mats with plastic spikes that poke the dog’s paws when stepped on. They provide a harmless but unpleasant sensation that deters dogs from jumping on furniture.
Double-sided tape – Stick strips of double-sided tape on the furniture. When the dog’s paws touch the sticky tape, they will learn to avoid jumping up.
Shake cans – Place empty soda cans with pennies or pebbles on the furniture edges. When the dog jumps up, the cans will shake and make noise, startling them.
It’s important to use deterrents gently and humanely. Never physically punish the dog. The goal is to teach them to avoid the furniture, not scare them.
Be Consistent
One of the most important aspects of training a dog to stay off furniture is consistency. All members of the household must enforce the rules consistently or the dog will become confused. According to the AKC, “Dogs are not born understanding English. They are very good at learning words, but need to be taught word meanings very clearly and concisely.”
This means every family member should use the same commands and reactions when addressing the dog on the furniture. For example, if one person scolds the dog for being on the couch but another person allows it, the dog will not learn the rules. As Advanced Canine Techniques explains, “Another example of inconsistency is rewarding your dog when he ‘sort of’ does something. If you are training your dog to lie down, you reward him when he crouches a bit but doesn’t fully lie down. He will think the crouched position is what you wanted.”
Everyone in the household must follow the training plan consistently. Use the same verbal cues, offer rewards at the proper times, and give consequences if rules are broken. Consistency from the entire family is key to effectively teaching the dog to stay off the couch.
Practice and Be Patient
Reinforce the training daily so your dog learns that the “off” command always means to get off the couch. At first, you may need to use the command and give a treat each time your dog gets off the furniture. Over time and with consistency, your dog will learn to immediately get off the couch when told “off.”
Expect that there may be some setbacks during the training process. Your dog may still try to sneak onto the couch when you’re not looking. If your dog does this, promptly tell them “off” and reinforce that command. It takes time and patience for a dog to fully learn a new behavior. Be consistent and reward wanted behaviors.
With daily practice and positive reinforcement, your dog will learn to only get on the couch when invited. But don’t get discouraged if it takes some time. Changing behavior takes patience for both you and your dog. If you stick with the training, your dog will learn to refrain from getting on the couch.
Invite Dog Onto Furniture at Times
This teaches permission and control, not total restriction. Allowing access sometimes reinforces that being on the furniture is a privilege, not a right. Decide when it’s okay for your dog to be on the couch or bed. For example, during designated cuddle time or while watching a movie together. Give a verbal invitation like “up” and praise when your dog jumps onto the couch. Avoid letting them up randomly throughout the day or they may not understand the rules. Keep access limited to certain occasions so it remains special. You may also invite them up and lay down a special blanket that designates when it’s permitted. This teaches your dog to wait for cues instead of making their own choices about getting on furniture.
According to https://www.thesprucepets.com/allowing-dog-on-the-furniture-1118283, allowing access sometimes helps reinforce permission and control over furniture use.