How to Train Your Cocker Spaniel Dog to Sit on the Couch

To begin, place a treat on the edge of the couch, and encourage your dog to eat it. Replace the treat with another treat and encourage your dog to eat the treat again. Do this until your dog is comfortable taking the treat off the couch.

When your dog is comfortable taking the treat, then add a second treat a few inches farther back than the first treat. Encourage your dog to get both treats. Repeat this process, replacing any treats that your dog eats until your dog will gladly take both treats.

When your dog will take both treats, then add more treats, one at a time, and practice with each new treat until your dog will reach to get that treat also. Do this until there are treats located at the back of the couch cushion, and your dog must climb either halfway or completely onto your couch to reach the treats.

If your dog is not already climbing onto your couch all of the way, then also place treats onto the arm of your couch and onto the backrest of your couch. Do this so that your dog must climb completely onto your couch to reach the treats.

Once your dog will get onto your couch whenever you encourage him to, then wait until he chooses to sit down. When he sits down on your couch, calmly give him a treat under his chin. Do this every time that you see him sit on your couch.

After you have given your dog a treat for sitting, then give him another treat every three minutes that he continues sitting. Do this until your dog is sitting on your couch often.

When your dog is sitting on your couch frequently, gradually increase the amount of time between your rewards. Increase the intervals between rewards by one minute every couple of days. Do this until your dog has worked up to sitting on your couch for thirty minutes before he receives a reward.

When your dog reaches thirty minutes between rewards, then phase out the treats by only rewarding him occasionally for sitting. Over time, decrease the frequently of your occasional rewards until you are giving none.

To begin, excitedly encourage your dog onto your couch by telling him "On!" in a happy voice, while patting the couch. When he jumps on, reward him with a treat.

While your dog is on your couch, point to the floor while saying "Off", and then toss a treat onto the floor.

Practice telling your dog to get on and off your couch, and rewarding him when he does so. Do this until he will consistently respond to both commands.

When your dog knows the 'on' and 'off' commands, then tell your dog to get "on" the couch. When he is on the couch, tell him to 'sit', and reward him when he does so. Have him get off the couch again, and repeat the entire process. Do this until he begins to sit, in anticipation of your command, before being told to. When he does this then praise him and give him a treat.

When your dog will sit without being told to when you call him onto the couch, then instead of telling him to get off right away, reward him again every minute that he remains seated. Practice rewarding him every minute that he remains seated when you call him up there. Do this until he will remain seated for five consecutive minutes.

When your dog will remain seated on your couch for five consecutive minutes, then reward him every two minutes instead of every one. As he improves, space the rewards out more, adding one minute between rewards at a time. Do this until you have reached thirty minutes between rewards.

When you have reached thirty minutes between rewards, begin to phase out the treats completely. To phase out the treats, only reward your dog randomly for remaining seated. Gradually decrease the frequency of your rewards over time, giving less and less treats. By this time your dog ought to have developed a habit of sitting while he is on the couch and will continue doing it without treats. If he does not, then continue your treats for longer.

To begin, choose a tug of war or fetch toy that your dog likes to play with. Call your dog over to the area in front of your couch and begin to play with him there with the toy.

During your play, occasionally pull your dog onto the couch a little bit during tug of war, or toss the ball onto the edge of the couch during fetch. Praise your dog when he touches the couch.

Whenever you play with your dog by the couch, gradually increase his contact with the couch even more. Do this by throwing the toy farther onto the couch for your dog to retrieve, and by pulling your dog onto the couch more during tug of war. Praise your dog every time that he makes contact with the couch. Do this until your dog will get completely onto the couch.

When your dog will get onto your couch, then encourage him to stay on the couch by giving him a favorite chew toy whenever he gets on.

When your dog begins to stay on the couch for longer periods of time and climbs onto the couch when you are not playing with him also, then begin to reward him when he sits down there. To reward sitting, give your dog a favorite treat whenever he sits on the couch without any prompting.

Also reward your dog for remaining seated on the couch after he initially sits down. Reward your dog every three minutes that he remains seated on your couch.

When your dog will remain seated on your couch for at least three minutes, begin to gradually increase the amount of time between rewards. Increase the amount of time one minute at a time. Do this until you have worked up to thirty minutes between rewards, and your dog will remain seated on your couch for long periods of time in general.

When your dog will remain seated for at least thirty minutes, then begin to reward your dog only occasionally for sitting. Gradually decrease the frequency of your rewards over time, until you no longer need them in order for your dog to prefer the 'sit' position to other positions while on your couch.