Dog on the Couch: Do’s and Don’ts

Most people want to share their couch with their dogs—my dog is sitting next to me as I write this. However, you may have read that allowing your dog on the couch is not a good idea because it may send the wrong message. In my professional opinion, it’s not so cut and dry. This article will break down some do’s and don’ts when it comes to allowing your dog on the couch.

Evaluating Your Dog and the Privileges Given

To be completely honest, I think this is the most important part of deciding whether you should keep dogs off the couch. Depending on your situation (whether your dog already uses your couch or not), evaluate your dog’s behavior.

You can do this by writing down your dog’s general characteristics, such as energetic, calm, submissive and pushy. You also want to note when he shows different behaviors, such as affection, submissive urination and resource guarding. This will help you determine your dog’s couch privileges.

Remember that sitting on the couch is a privilege. If your dog’s behavior is good, then why not reward him, especially when it’s rewarding to you as well? Now, if your dog’s behavior is unacceptable, then we may need to remove some privileges until his behavior improves.

If You Let Your Dog on the Couch, Then…

In my experience, it’s good to start clean and not allow your dog on any furniture to set forth some rules. Once your dog is aware he’s not allowed on any furniture, you can begin giving him privileges, such as jumping on the couch or even on the bed to snuggle.

Set Boundaries

When inviting your dog onto your couch, set boundaries on where he can and can’t sit, especially if he’s a puppy. I enjoy my dog on the couch when I invite him up to cuddle, but I definitely don’t want two full-sized Boxers jumping up on me whenever they choose nor do I want to ask them to move all of the time for me to sit down. Establishing boundaries makes for good communication and a strong relationship between you and your dog.

How to Set Couch Boundaries

Leash Your Dog

Your dog doesn’t know he’s not allowed on the couch just like he doesn’t know not to nip your hands when you’re playing with him. It’s your job as the dog owner to train your dog to keep off the couch. Leash your dog with a six-foot nylon or leather leash and allow him to drag it around the house when you’re home.

Avoid Body Contact

When teaching your dog new boundaries, be aware this is usually new to him whether he’s a puppy or an adult dog who’s been allowed to come and go on the couch as he pleases. You don’t want to make the couch or the training negative in any way by yelling or harshly removing him from the furniture. Any body contact (i.e. pushing him off or picking him up) causes more arousal in your dog and can ultimately turn the dog training session into a game or negative situation. This is why I suggest using a leash for dog training purposes.

Reward Good Behavior

If your dog jumps on the couch, guide him off with the leash by saying “off” and redirect him to a toy or his bed. It’s equally important to reward your dog when he’s playing on the floor or lying quietly in his bed. As I’ve said before, it’s a good idea to remove all couch privileges in the beginning to avoid confusion and doing this until your dog no longer actively tries to get onto the couch.

Remove the Leash and Invite Him on the Couch

Once you’re ready to give some privileges back, take his leash off and start inviting your dog up on the couch for some TV time. If your dog is hesitant at first, know this is normal behavior. I  mean you did just teach him not to get on the couch. Continue to coax him up, giving him the “up” cue with some kissy noises and couch pats. Once he jumps up on the furniture, reinforce him with some petting and verbal praise. When you’re done with your cuddle session, give your dog the previously worked on “off” cue, so he knows it’s time to get off the couch.

Not All Dogs Can Handle Couch Privileges

Not all dogs can handle the privileges of sitting on the couch, as this causes them other behavior problems, such as possession and food guarding. I personally have a dog like this, but we’ve determined which privileges she can and cannot handle. For example, she can handle being on the couch at times, but not on the bed. To her, the bed holds higher value. This is not an easy thing to determine. If you’re dealing with any dog behaviors like this, I recommend looking for a local dog trainer who works with behavior modification.

The bottom line is if you and your dog are happy and there are no serious behavior problems, keep things the way they are. If you would like a little more control when it comes to accessing the furniture, then set a few boundaries and you should be fine. Most of us have our dogs because we couldn’t live without them. Let’s face it: they’re really adorable and cuddly. Enjoy them!

Sources:
www.animalbehaviorcollege.com
www.apdt.com
www.iaabc.com