lexie still thinks the sofa is perfect for her. i dont agree
we have pulled sofa away from window so she couldnt use it as a perch to get to window sill but she still sits on it to look out window. "down" means nothing to her unless i give her a treat with it. she doesnt just lie on it she jumps frantically on it, climbs on it walks along back of it (shes a 14mth old beagle-so not exactly little). she has a lovely bed in living room or the pouffe as a subsitute for lying on sofa but she will only go on them if we totally dont let her on sofa (like if we are in room), and she sneakily can get up on sofa without making a sound and when we go to see what she is up to she is sprawled out sleeping! what can we do when after months "down" means nothing where sofa is concerned and we really want her to stop using it as launch pad -baby due in september so want to crack this ASAP!

We have the sofa wars in this house too. Sounds a bit mad, but when I am not in my room I put two kitchen chairs lying down on the sofa to block Kilo's access entirely. If he ever, ever manages to get on the sofa it is hugely rewarding for him and he redoubles his efforts. He is fairly trustworthy now but I still won't risk chair removal quite yet as I thought I had won the other week - he then got on, lay down and it sparked his interest all over again.

Also, sometimes if he tries I get on the floor or in his bed with one of his toys and play with it like I am having a great time, he always comes rushing over to investigate.

I sound like a crazy lady, I know .

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When ever Dora jumped on the sofa we just kept moving her off and although it took her awhile to get the idea that she wasnt allowed on the sofa, it did work. The dogs are not allowed in the livingroom on their own so they cant sneek up, but I think if they could then they would.

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I can't think of any useful suggestions - Just wanted to say I hope someone can help.

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I don't have this problem with my dog at all, so I can't give advise. Don't know how they work out, but this is what I found:

YouTube - ‪Keep Dog Off Couch‬‏

YouTube - ‪Dog Training Made Easy: Off the furniture - Part 21/25‬‏

YouTube - ‪Dog Training Tips : Keeping Dogs Off The Couch‬‏

YouTube - ‪Dog Care & Training : How to Train Dogs to Stay Off Furniture‬‏

I'll be following this topic. Good luck!

You're motiviated so this is a pretty simple one to get working on

First stage in any behaviour modification program is management. This means to prevent rehearsal of this behaviour as the more she does it the more she gets rewarded for it.
Getting on the sofa appears rewarding on so many levels for her so her free access to the sofa needs to stop, whether you close the door, put up baby gates, tether her to you or crate/confine her when you can't supervise her.

Great that she has a bed of her own. Start teaching her to go there for a big payoff on cue. More on this here: Settle & Matwork | Pet Central's Pawsitive Dawgs Blog!

Sit with her on the floor, her on her bed to make it extra special.

Teach on and off. Invite her up on the sofa with a cue - no reward for this, its rewarding enough on its own.
At the start only have her up on the sofa for no more than a three count (the longer she's up there the harder it is to get down - we all know that feeling lol!).
Say 'off' (or whatever verbal cue you choose) and immediately toss a high value reward onto the floor. I will usually use 3 or four small pieces of high value food as the scattering is likely to spark her interest. You could also use a toy but it will have to be really special, not available at other times and toys/games tend to take longer so you can't repeat responses as often.

Once you have this on cue ie. she will anticipate the treats landing on the floor by jumping off or looking to do so, begin to increase the time she spends on the sofa a few seconds at a time.

Here you teach her to get off when you ask. If you like you can build calmer on-sofa behaviour such as asking for a down on the sofa and then off/reward. Get a little more responsiveness with the off cue first.

Reward four paws on the floor too. This can be done with matwork or literally just reward her when her feet are on the floor. At first when you are sitting on the sofa and then other combinations (you standing, sitting, lying, by the door, outside the door etc.).

Progression is important but a little bit of work will be needed here given her history of sofa abusing

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Anne, owned by Rufus & Tripod

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