Is it a lost cause?

Okay, question here. Is trying to train a dog who is currently about a year and a half old, who has been allowed on furniture since she was 8 weeks old, not to get on furniture a lost cause?

Just curious if you think it can be done, and any suggestions on how to do it would be cool too.

Definitely not a lost cause. I went from having my dogs being allowed on my bed to one night deciding I didn't want them to be anymore, and all it took was telling them to get off if they tried and not inviting them up anymore. They got the hint, and honestly after night two, they never tried again.

I think furniture could be the same. Dance was always allowed on furniture for the first three years of her life, then we moved and the furniture we had was too sensitive for dogs, so she wasn't allowed anymore. She was a bit confused, but understood pretty quickly that the furniture was suddenly off limits.

Dogs are pretty adaptable. I think there is nothing wrong with new rules at all, as long as you're consistent with those rules.

My biggest fear is that Simi is on the couch and stuff a lot. Now, it might not be so bad in a larger area, as our living room is really small right now and there's very little floor space. She will like, run into the living room and throw herself onto the couch, though, it's not just when we're up there. She thinks it's her spot, lol.

Dance used to do that also. All it took for her was just telling her to get off, and giving her a new spot to go to (a bed). She wasn't thrilled with the idea, but she caught on. I am sure Simi will too. It just might take a bit!

I wish I had more helpful suggestions... I just didn't do anything really with mine though other than tell them off and give them a new place.

We'll figure it out, I think. I am gonna do a bed for her to have instead of the couch, too. And she shouldn't be too bad about getting on the bed, I hope lol.

I got my dogs a Coolaroo bed and put a big cushy dog bed on top of it (It's either a Sealy or a Serta dog bed, a gift from a client)...and now I rarely have a dog in my bed I don't mind if they're on the bed, and I prefer to have atleast one dog in bed with me at night, but it just goes to show that if there's another appealing option, it shouldn't be too hard.

Logan usually steals a pillow off the couch, then goes to lay on the floor. So I bet if I just GAVE him a pillow of his own he would have no reason to be on the couch at all. Again, I don't care if my dogs are on the furniture, but I don't think it would be difficult to teach them to stay off.

Nope. Juno was always allowed on furniture up until about a year ago.

It was just a matter of not allowing her to get up if she tried it while we were sitting there. If we caught her on the couch, we'd make her get down. Took a little bit of work because she pretty much exclusively laid on the couch prior to the new rule... but she got it.

We know she sleeps on the couch when we're not home, so typical lol. But when we ARE home, she doesn't even try it anymore, she has her own blankets to lie on.

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I'm just starting to get nervous about moving my dogs into the big city after they've been farm dogs all their lives!

or you can send simi here.. problem solved

sorry that wasnt helpful. i think telling her off when she gets on will work

Yeah, not lost cause. Just he consistent with telling her no, and to get off.

It is helpful to do, if you ever visit someone else's house it's sort of embarrassing when your dog tries to climb up uninvited lol.

Bodhi has lived in houses where she's been allowed, ones where she hasn't, and currently, she's allowed but only if we want her. She figures it out

Not a lost cause by any means! Just be very firm with her and reward her when she gets off almost immediately with a treat or a pet.

Not a lost cause at all, but at least temporarily you'll need to supervise them 100% of the time they have access to the furniture. But I've seen lots of dogs taught that furniture is off-limits later in life. It's especially easy after a move or with new furniture, but can be done where they used to be allowed just fine.

Or you can lay the vacuum on the couch when you're going out