How to Keep Your Dog Off the Couch (Even While Your Away)

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Dogs are adorable and loyal creatures who love their owners unconditionally. However, they also tend to get into trouble when they jump onto furniture or other objects.

Sure, it’s fun to watch them hop on and off your couch, but you don’t want to damage your precious furniture, right?

So, now you’re probably wondering how to keep a dog off a couch. Fortunately, we’re here to recommend a few tips for you before things start getting out of hand!

How to Keep Your Dog Away From the Couch

Here are some things you can do to discourage your dog from jumping on your couch while you’re sitting on it:

Provide Your Dog With His Own Bed

Dogs love to curl up in cozy spots. They also enjoy sleeping near their owners.

Unfortunately, they tend to spiral out of control when they become too comfortable. That’s why we recommend that you provide yours with his own little space.

In this case, you can either get him a dog bed or a mini couch that’s designed just for him.

You can place your choice of dog furniture near your favorite couch. This allows your pooch to get as close to you as he wants.

At the same time, he’ll be less likely to jump on the regular-sized couch!

Use the Dog Crate

Another way you can prevent your dog from jumping on your couch is by using a crate.

This lets you correct his behavior when you’re around. Plus, if he likes to lounge on your furniture whenever no one’s there to tell him off, then your best shot is to keep him in his crate when you leave the house.

Sometimes, you might worry that you’re being harsh and that locking your dog in his crate frequently is too cruel. We’re here to tell you that there’s actually no need for you to be sorry!

The good news is that dogs are den animals. That is, they naturally prefer enclosed spaces because they make them feel safe.

Use a Car Floor Mat

You could also buy a car floor mat and use it to keep your dog from lying on your couch.

Car floor mats have spiky teeth on the bottom, which makes a dog feel uncomfortable when he lies on them. They’re cheap and effective, so it’s an ideal technique.

Simply place the mat on your couch with its teeth facing up. Even if the dog jumps on the couch, he won’t be able to find a comfortable spot.

Soon, he’ll just give up and move off the couch to find a different place to rest in.

Teach Your Dog the “Off” Command

The best way to keep your dog off the couch is to start training him early and teaching him the “off” command. Here’s a simple method of training that you can follow:

1 – Say “Off”

Start by monitoring your dog’s behavior when he gets closer to your couch. Every time he tries to jump on it, firmly say “off” and point to the ground.

Maintain consistency and do this whenever he attempts to climb on any type of furniture.

Just keep in mind that you should avoid getting angry and yelling at your dog. That will only harm your relationship with him and won’t yield positive results.

2 – Give Treats

Your dog may hesitate or ignore your command at times, particularly at the start of training. The trick to overcoming this is to place treats on the ground to encourage him to jump down the couch.

Preferably, use the treat to lure the dog into his bed. Not only will he understand that he’ll be given treats when he complies, but he’ll also learn that his bed is the better piece of furniture to lounge on.

Most importantly, remember not to carry him off the couch. Let him jump down on his own and realize that he shouldn’t be on it.

3 – Give Praise and Rewards

Dogs will always do things that they find rewarding. That means they often jump on the couch in exchange for a comfortable place to lie.

However, if you reward him with treats and praise him whenever he returns to the floor, he’ll eventually learn that the couch is off-limits.

Aside from treats and praises, you can also pat his head, rub his ears and stomach, or simply play with him using his favorite toys as a reward.

Again, consistency is key. Reward his every good behavior, and teach him cues like “off” or “go to your bed” as soon as you see him getting on the couch.

How to Keep a Dog off the Couch When Not at Home

Although we mentioned that dogs love being warm and cuddly, they don’t always appreciate being all cooped up. Hence, they may happily spend their hours lounging around and jumping on your couch when you’re not home.

Thus, we listed a few simple measures you can take to avoid this scenario when you’re not around to keep watch.

Spray Furniture Deterrent on the Couch

There are some scents that dogs dislike. Some of them include the following:

• Garlic
• Onions
• Chili peppers
• Ground spices
• Vinegar
• Fresh herbs
• Alcohol
• Citrus fruits

The most common scent that dog owners use as a deterrent is citrus fruits, such as limes, lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.

They not only prevent dogs from getting on your furniture but also have refreshing fragrances, unlike the other scents mentioned.

Just so you’re aware, some dogs may be neutral toward citrus, or they may even like it. To find out which group your dog belongs to, simply cover your finger with the juice of any citrus fruit.

Then, place it under your dog’s nose. If he avoids your hand with a disinterested expression, the dog will most likely be repelled by this scent.

Otherwise, if it sniffed your finger and even licked it, you would have to switch to a different one.

DIY Furniture Deterrent

There are many deterrent sprays that are available in pet stores and online shops. Nevertheless, you can always opt for a DIY solution if you prefer.

Before proceeding, it’s important to double-check whether your deterrent can damage the fabric of your couch. Additionally, you must remember to use only transparent-type liquids to prevent any discoloration.

That said, here’s how to make your own furniture deterrent for dogs.

• Get a spray bottle, scented essential oil, vinegar, and water.
• First, fill the spray bottle with water.
• Next, add either a concentrated citrus fruit juice or five to ten drops of essential oil.
• Following that, mix in a few drops of vinegar.
• Shake the bottle well to mix everything evenly afterward.
• Finally, spray the deterrent on the area where you don’t want your dog to go.
• If it doesn’t seem to be working, try adding a few more drops of essential oil before using it again.

Cover Your Couch

Another thing you can do to keep your dog from jumping on the couch is to cover it with plastic, aluminum foil sheets, or blankets whenever you have to leave the house.

Some of the materials you can use and how to use them are listed below.

1 – Aluminum Foil

Lay down sheets of aluminum foil on the couch. As an alternative, you could also use bubble wrap.

Every time the dog jumps onto your couch, the noise that the sheets or bubble wrap make will startle him. As a result, he’ll end up jumping back down and will avoid getting on it again in the future.

However, if you have a dog that’s sensitive to noise, you should choose a different method.

2 – Double-sided Tape

If you have any handy double-sided packing tape, then you can also use it to create a protective layer on your couch!

Just simply place long strips of tape on the slipcovers of your couch. This ensures that your dog won’t jump on it or scratch it.

It’s all because dogs aren’t fans of the sticky feeling they get upon stepping on tape.

3 – Cushions, Blankets, and Laundry Baskets

Dogs, as previously stated, prefer to be cooped up, but that isn’t the case for every dog out there.

That’s why you can also try covering your couch with a lot of cushions and blankets or laundry baskets.

Even if your dog gets on the couch, he’ll eventually choose to jump off once he doesn’t find any comfortable position to lie in.

How to Keep a Puppy off the Couch

There are a few ways to keep your puppy from getting on the couch.

Of course, you should allow him to become accustomed to jumping and lying on the couch in the first place. That’s why it’s best to start training dogs as early as possible.

This way, they won’t adapt to any behavior you don’t want them to.

Anyway, you can pretty much do any of the things we mentioned earlier to keep your little furry friend off your couch. Here are a few more things we can add:

• Make a separate play area for the puppy with comfortable cushions and blankets to divert his focus from the couch.
• Give him toys to keep him entertained.
• Don’t leave any food or scent that he may like near or on the couch.
• Consider using baby gates so that the pup steers clear of areas he shouldn’t go to.
• Make it a priority to train your pup not to hop on the couch.

Can French Bulldogs Jump on a Couch?

Yes, French Bulldogs are able to jump on couches. Other small breeds can, too.

In particular, Corgis, Pomeranians, Papillons, Border Collies, and many other small dog breeds are talented at jumping. They’re athletic and active dogs with a build ideal for similar activities.

However, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Pugs, and other short-legged and long-backed breeds shouldn’t be allowed to jump on couches.

This is because even if they can, they’re fragile and prone to patellar luxation and hip dysplasia. With more frequent instances of jumping back to the ground from higher places, these dogs might hurt themselves.

See, the difference between the soft surface of the furniture and the hard floor can result in injuries and pain to a dog’s legs and joints.

Final Thoughts

Dogs love to lounge on furniture, especially couches. They also enjoy sleeping on beds and other soft surfaces.

Because they’re den animals, this is normal behavior. However, this doesn’t mean that they should get away with damaging your furniture.

That’s why we did our best to inform you of how to keep a dog off a couch. Some tried-and-true solutions include spraying dog deterrents on your furniture and placing aluminum foil on top of your couch.

Other ways include providing your pup with his own bed, using a dog crate, placing car floor mats on the couch, or sticking double-sided tape on top of it.

Nonetheless, the best way is to train your dog while he’s still a pup!

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