hey, sky! :--)

please don;t touch a sleeping dog - its safer to wake them at a distance; kissy noises, say their name, etc.
touch can startle them into a reflex-bite, which can be damaging (more force than when awake / inhibited)
cuz they aren't even awake properly before they are biting!

make Getting Down *his choice* -
call him off the sofa -
lure him off the sofa - (treat in hand)
toss a toy for him to pursue
or some other version, where HE gets off willingly.

spend time teaching UP + OFF - make it a game; he jumps up with a hand-cue, TREAT;
he jumps off with a hand-cue, TREAT.

U can also use UP + OFF for park-benches (home-made agility), car-seats (loading + un-loading), etc.
they are helpful cues, and the more CONTEXTS the dog is taught, the more he has the chance to generalize -
actually understand the concept of Up + Off.

being confrontational is really not a good foundation, and picking him up bodily is needless -
he is a big boy... if he can get up, he can surely get off
just ASK him - and reward him.

all my best,
--- terry

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007