my dog (weimaraner) sleeps on his comfortable cushion when we are at home but when we go out, he makes himself comfortable on the sofa!!! Although he has short hair, his fur still falls like that of any other animal and if I dont vacuum it every time when I get home, it gets stuck to clothes when we sit on sofa. The only solution we found so far is to put
something on sofa so he does not get up. Put it's a bit a nuisance having to do it every time you go out or every night before we go to bed.
I never saw him go up on the sofa as he is intelligent enough not to go up when someone is in the house. When he gets on sofa and we are out, I know it from the first moment I enter the house from the way he looks at me with innocent eyes. I am ok with vacuuming the sofa and also putting something on sofa so he does not get on it. But this thing stresses my bf a lot and sometimes caused arguments which I really dont need.
So can anyone give me advice about how to train him not to sleep on sofa but stay on his comfortable cushion? Or anywhere but the sofa.
I assume that a crate is like a big cage no? But won't it make him unhappy to be locked in one when he is used to being free in the house for the past 5 years? He might bark the place down and then my apartment owner who lives upstairs will come up with his usual bla bla.
Is there a way to let him free in the house as always but train him not to get on the sofa. He is not stupid and knows he should not, otherwise he would do it when we are in the house too.
Living room has no door, it is an open plan apartment and only bathrooms and bedrooms close.
About training the bf, it's what I tried for the past 2 years and I have covered up for the mischievous doggie quite a few times when he took the sofa cushions to sleep with them Its a huge achievement that he is living in the same place as a dog so I don't think he will ever be ok with him sleeping on the sofa.
Living room entrance wide about 10metres, that's why I dont know how to close it. A fence/gate would have to be at least 1.5m high as this dog could be easily mistaken for a kangaroo
Many many years ago, my grandmother used to place one mothball on each of the couch cushions to keep her dogs off.
I like the crate idea if it's not too many hours. Our dogs are having a tendency to break rules, that they never did before, as they get older (10 and 14).
There are several methods to encouraging your dog to drop this lounge habit. I had labrador and golden retrievers that were great fans of couch surfing and had to get creative as well.
The most effective thing you can do is get small rat or mouse traps and set them on the edge of the couch. The dog will try to climb up once, but likely the snapping of the trap will scare them off quite quickly. I did this with a stubborn lab and only once did I actually come home to the trap stuck in his fur. (I can sense groans coming already...it was fur, not skin. I really am quite humane)
The other options all have to do with noise. Try a tin (soda) can with five or six small and medium coins in it. When the can drops to the floor, the dog will jump off. This is also a great training tool for puppies and dogs who "counter surf". Shaking a coin can gets a dogs attention promptly.
The last thing to try is with the dogs footing. Dogs love "safe" places to put their paws. They crave stability. If you take away the stability of the couch cushion, the dog won't climb. Put throw pillows on the edge, line the couch with paraphenalia like spare pens, plastic cups or even coffee table books.
All else fails, slide the coffee table closer to the couch, or when going out, take the couch cushions and stand them on end in front of the couch.
Its a mechanical wind-up thingy with a trigger. If you trigger it (by keeping it in your hand when shaking someone elses, or when dog lies on it) it will vibrate like crazy.
so I will put the blanket but also the mothballs and tins. That way, he won't (hopefully) go up cos of tims and mothballs and if he does, until I find the right way, there will be the blanket to collect his fur
The mouse trap or something like that might be a bit risky wih a cat in the house. B ut thanks for ideas
You could always try grooming him to minimize the hair loss.
Short hair dogs can be groomed using a variety of methods.
A chamoise leather wet and wrung til its almost dry will collect any lose hairs.
Another trick of the trade is to use a hacksaw blade. The very fine teeth will have the same effect as the cloth without irritating the skin below.
It is not usually a good idea to allow dogs on the chairs for dominance reasons but the odd slip up when you are not home might be helped if he doesnt leave a tell tale cast of hair.
If you've been extremely consistent about not letting the dog on to the sofa whilst you are at home, chances are, he is doing that because that spot on the sofa is the most comfortable - even more so than his blanket / bed.
The crate is a fantastic idea, as long as its not for too long periods. And its never too late to crate train the dog.
However, another possible solution is to purchase large plastic sheets that the painters used for protecting furniture / floors during a job, and put it over your sofa when you are out. Unsightly at first but its not comfortable for dogs (feel and sound wise). He will in time, find no more joy in jumping on the sofa for a snooze.