How to Keep a Dog Off the Furniture
Changing your pet dog’s nasty behavior inside the house can be pretty daunting especially if your furry little buddy has already become too comfortable with some of your furniture. While it is easier to train a puppy to stay off chairs, cabinets and the sofa, you may still come across a new dog that has a problematic attitude. Is there any hope to change the behavior?
dog inside the houseYes! With patience, consistency and a little help from your housemates, you can introduce your doggie to new and healthy habits at home. Here are a few steps you can take to discipline good old mischievous Scooby:
Protect your furniture.
Prevention is better than any type of cure so make sure you cover your furniture properly especially if your dog stays inside the house and you are on a vacation. Use a plastic cover over the lounge or a blanket or bed sheet to protect your furniture.
Be Prepared.
The best preventive tool you can use is a water spray. Use a small one especially if you have a small pet. Water can easily annoy dogs without hurting them. Another handy tool is a rolled up newspaper. It’ll not hurt them but it’ll keep them on their toes.
Start early.
If you have puppies at home, make sure to let them know that getting on any furniture is not allowed. Dogs usually love to be touched and cuddled but make sure they don’t get too comfortable. You can buy a pet bed for your pal instead or a soft kennel with cushion.
Command and conquer.
You can use two of the most popular commands for dogs: “no” and “down.” When using these commands, take a rolled up newspaper and whack them behind their ears or on their rear if they misbehave. If they have properly responded to this, you can teach them the “sit” and “stay” commands.
Get your dog to sit at a specific location and then stay. Extend the duration each time and then give a reward, such as a good pat, if he reaches the goals you set. Do this regularly after every few hours and in the next few days until you notice improvement on the part of your pet.
Be tough and gentle at the same time.
Consistency is necessary to instill new habits. Do not be afraid of hurting their feelings when you say all those commands. They will get over it. In fact, they may listen to you more and respect you in the long run. Just make sure to keep your temper in check. You are teaching your pet what to do, not scolding him.
Teach your housemates to train your dog as well. You should not leave a puppy or dog by itself around the furniture until full training is rendered.
If you have a new and large dog, you may want to use a leash when teaching him to get off the furniture while rewarding it afterwards for following you. Stay calm and do not arouse aggression in your pet by losing your cool and becoming violent.
If you have anger management issues, you may want to step aside and ask your housemate to take charge in training your dog. You can also try luring the dog off the furniture by shouting your commands and simply holding on the leash and keeping it slack and applying no tension.
Consistency in your training coupled with ample praise will guide your dog towards the right path. Teach him how to differentiate from right from wrong in an understanding way and you will not only have flawless furniture but also a buddy for life.