How to Train Your Older Dog to Stay Off the Furniture
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Introduction
For many families, having a dog snuggled up on the couch with them is like a dream come true. But not all dogs are suited for spending time up on the furniture. Some dogs can be messy or hyperactive, can destroy sheets, blankets, or pillows, or become territorial or aggressive when posed with the task of sharing the chair. Pet hair can also be an issue. Families with dogs who don’t make great pillow pals are more likely to want to keep the furniture a dog-free zone and that’s okay too. Lots of dogs are more than happy to cozy up in their own bed or on a nice area on the floor. But if your stubborn old dog who may have been let up on the furniture more than once is now fighting you when you’d prefer him to stay off, there may be a bit of retraining to do.
Older dogs can get accustomed to things being this way or that, but when things shift around and change, it can be hard to readjust to the new setup. Getting new furniture is a common reason for families who used to allow their dog up with them to now let Fido know that his place is in his own bed or on the floor.
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Defining Tasks
An older dog may be hesitant, at first, to change the way he’s used to doing things, but with some persistence, he can adjust in time. There are a few different ways to convince your dog that the furniture is a place that he isn’t allowed and each of them require some consistency. If half of the people in your home let him up on the couch and the other half don’t, it can be difficult for him to adjust properly. So keep this under consideration when training him.
Training your dog to stay off of the furniture consists of two parts: the act of staying off and the reward received afterward. The floor or your dog’s bed should be comfortable and enticing. It’s hard to trade a good thing for a boring or bad thing. You’ll want your dog to be eager to sit or lay elsewhere. The good news is, this is relatively easy and should only really take a few days for your older dog to adjust.
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Getting Started
Consider purchasing a new bed or pillow for your dog to enjoy instead of your furniture. If he has a nice place to rest, he’ll be less likely to take over your spot on the couch. Keep in mind that older dogs require softer material to sleep or lay on. Their joints and body can stay healthier for longer if provided with appropriate beds.
Then find your dog’s favorite treat or toy. Having something to distract or occupy him on the floor will make it easier to adjust to that space instead. These tools will help your dog realize that the furniture belongs to you.
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The Block Method
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Take up the available space
If possible, have your family or your guests take up as much space on the furniture as possible. This will keep your dog from filling in the empty space.
Avoid accessibility
If your older dog uses steps or a stoop to get up onto the furniture, remove access to this step stool and do not give him the access he needs to use the furniture.
Use your legs
If necessary, move your legs to create a block so that your dog does not find it easy to leap up.
Use a baby gate
Placing a baby gate in front of furniture that you don’t want your dog to have access to will keep him from being able to get to it. Look for one that can extend in length. These are useful to place in front of couches or next to beds.
Use an object
Use something like a box, a laundry basket, or another larger object to take up the seat that your dog would otherwise want to use.
The Off Method
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Observe your dog
This method requires catching your dog in the act. Let her into the room that she usually finds furniture to lay on and keep an eye on her behavior.
Intervene
The moment your dog hops up on the furniture, go over to her with a treat or a toy in hand. Do not give it to her just yet.
Give the command
Use the word ‘off’ to indicate where you’d like your dog to go. Use the treat or the toy to lure her back down onto the floor and off of the furniture.
Reward for progress
When your dog decides to go after the treat or toy instead, immediately reward her for doing as you asked. This will teach her that the floor has good things and the furniture is not where she should be.
Practice on each piece of furniture
Your dog may think each piece of furniture has a different rule set. Give the command frequently and with all of your furniture that she likes to use. Practicing consistently will help her to realize that you do not want her on any of the furniture.
The Spot Method
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Determine an appropriate place to sit
Place your dog’s bed or a small blanket down on a certain spot where you would like him to sit instead of on your furniture.
Place a treat or toy down
Use this as bait to get your dog to settle down onto his designated spot. You may use multiple treats or your dog’s favorite toy.
Redirect as needed
If your dog loses interest and tries to go up onto the furniture, use the treat or toy as a lure to guide him back to where you want him. Associate this spot with good things.
Repeat
This may take several times for him to understand. Consider using treats that are especially tasty or a new toy that he hasn’t seen before.
Stay consistent
Each family member must know this spot and where your dog should be sitting when people are on the couch or around the home. Have each person in the home repeat this with your dog often enough and he will pick up on what you expect from him.
Written by TJ Trevino
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 01/17/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
Dimps
Labrador Retriever
Nine Years
Question
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0 found this helpful
In her older age, our girl has gotten into getting onto furniture (we have never allowed this) and hopping onto our bed when we have left the house. We have been putting obstacles on these areas to keep her from hopping on, but it is honestly exhausting to have to spend 5-10 minutes every time we leave prepping her. We tell her down if we catch her on it and bring her to the spot and say no when we notice she has still made her way up. What do we do from here? Thank you!
June 13, 2023
Dimps's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, First, I would spend the money on purchasing her an orthopedic dog bed. At this age, some of the more plush dog beds might be making her joints sore and she may need somewhere more supportive to lie down - hence her persistence about the bed. Many older dogs will also push boundaries as seniors too for various reasons, so that could certainly be what's going on. Second, I recommend not just blocking off the bed but booby trapping it since it sounds like she knows the rules and has simply learned that you can't enforce them while away, so she can ignore the rules. There are a few ways to booby trap a bed. First, you can try something like scat mats placed along the edge of the bed on the sides she jumps up on. I would simply leave them on the bed like that during the day for about a month, so that anytime she decides to try to jump up again she will encounter the scat mat and avoid the bed for long enough to break the long term habit of jumping up, and form a new habit, like lying on an orthopedic dog bed instead. Another option is to purchase something like snappy pet trainer (a device that looks like a cross between a paddle and mouse trap. The item is designed to give the jump and snap of a mouse trap without being able to actually close onto a dog's paw, so as not to hurt them. These traps can be good to use under things like a light untucked top sheet, so that when pup jumps onto your bed and they touch one of the hidden ones, the surprise of the trap causes pup to get back off the bed and begin ignoring the bed. Due to pup's older age, I would first practice this with you present and pup on leash so you can be sure that pup doesn't fall of the bed in surprise when the trap pops the first time. Finally, a remote vibration collar and a camera set up to spy on pup can also work as a deterrent. With any of these methods, also periodically, randomly leave treats on the new dog bed, to encourage pup to go over to it often and enjoy it, so that their own bed becomes preferred. Anything you choose to do, be careful not to harsh pup or be overly harsh - you know their temperament and how sensitive they are, so take that into account when choosing how to train and what tools to use or not use. Surprise and making the bed uncomfortable enough for them consistently, while making their own bed safe and comfortable are the goals. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
June 14, 2023
Beast
Pit bull
13 Years
Question
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Beast is okay when he’s supervised or asleep, but is naughty about getting on the couch at night and while we’re not home. We don’t put him in a crate because he can’t turn around in tight spaces without falling or getting stuck anymore. He has very bad arthritis and low mobility due to his age. He was allowed on the couch as a puppy and younger dog, but it hurts him so much to get up on it, that we thought the pain alone would deter him. He yelps and whines and cries while he’s getting up there, obviously hurting, but still gets up there anyway. He has a very comfortable, very expensive, plush memory foam bed that sits in our living room, right by the couch, that he spends most of his time in when he’s being supervised, or someone can frequently check on him. It’s a large circle that two dogs of his size could fit on. We have tried lifting up the cushions on the hide a bed part and placing them in front of or on top of the couch in a manner that makes them unappealing. We’ve tried the off method and the place method. He’s very comfortable on the dog bed and it causes him no pain to get into it. We have tried setting things in front of or on top of the couch to keep him off, but still you can hear him at night, howling and yelping as he pushes things out of his way and gets on the couch. We have to come up to get him off multiple times a night. It also causes him great pain to get off the couch, as he has to support his weight on his front feet which hurt him the most. He’s also near the end of his life, and it can be sad but messy when an animal passes and we’d prefer not to have to get rid of our good old couch because of end of life messes. Please help!
March 15, 2022
Beast's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello Jaydne, Check out this article and specifically the section on deterrents. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-train-dog-stay-off-couch/ You can try any of those deterrents since pup knows the couch is off-limits already and is getting up anyway. Since pup is getting on the couch despite the pain it causes pup, I suspect most deterrents won't prevent pup. The one that's most likely to deter pup out of those in the article in my opinion would be the snap traps because of the surprise element. If the snap traps don't deter pup, I would move to remote collar training using "act of god" level training to teach an avoidance of the couch, the way you would with persistent counter surfers in the kitchen. This process would involve setting up a camera in the living room to spy on pup and the couch. You would then correct pup on the previously determined "act of god" level for your specific dog, then return into the living room right after instructing pup to go to their bed. Also, reward pup periodically while on their own dog bed to build a preference for that. You can randomly sprinkle some small treats or kibble if pup likes theirs, onto the dog bed too, so pup starts to associate their own bed with something good and enjoy it more and want to go to it often to check for treats, instead of focusing on the couch as much; do this dog bed rewarding if you use snap traps on the couch also. Before you can determine pup's "act of god" you will need to know pup's base "working level also". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cl3V8vYobM Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
March 15, 2022