Hello everyone, and thanks again for all your help with Gypsy to date. I'm here today with a new training hurdle.
My partner is allergic to dog hair, and with Gypsy's long hair we've decided just to keep the dog off of all our furniture. (It's not a bad allergy--she just can't pet the dog and then touch her face, or otherwise get dog hair in or around her nose or eyes.) Gypsy celebrates her first birthday in a few weeks, and I'd like to start to allow her on some furniture that my partner doesn't like--specifically, this one ratty loveseat we bought at a yard sale.
Ideally, I'd like to train Gypsy to (1) get on and off the couch on cue, (2) only get on the couch when cued, and (3) only get on the loveseat, not any other piece of furniture.
I don't think I'll have a problem training the first part, thanks to our experience with clicker training. So my question is whether goals (2) and (3) are realistic, or whether I'm asking for too much from the pup. If they're realistic, then how can I train her to get on only when cued without resorting to punishment or intimidation? Similarly, if I train her to get on and off the loveseat and nothing else, can I expect her to learn that she's only allowed on the loveseat? If not, can I use positive reinforcement to teach her that? Could I make things easier by having something like a designated blanket that only goes on the couch when she's allowed to sit on there?
Thanks again for all the help y'all have already been, and thanks in advance for any guidance!
Couch Training
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: Couch Training
My sister has similar mild allergies, and we often visit with the dogs.
First off you need a variety of sumptuous dog beds for your dog to lie on - then your furniture is less appealing. These beds ideally should be raised as half of the appeal of furniture is its height. Leave tiny treats for your dog to find on the lovely dog beds. Add a towel or t shirt that smells of you - put it in your bed for the week then wipe it all over you, then leave it in the dog bed. To make the dog beds more appealing, don't be fussy about washing them. You don't wash your furniture and it smells of smelly parts of you, which is also its appeal.
At the same time, make your furniture less comfortable when you are not on it - putting tinfoil on is one way, or piling chairs on top, for instance.
Some people have trained their dogs to come up on furniture if a certain towel or cover is on, and when invited. It works for some dogs not others. Some dogs become constantly anxious in case they will be invited on.
When you are not there, close the door or block off the furniture. It is unrealistic to expect the dog to stay off the furniture if you are not there, and again this will cause anxiety in some dogs. For others, an unwanted behaviour that they get the chance to practice becomes reinforced.
Your dog can learn to go only on the loveseat if the loveseat is sufficiently comfortable and has a dog-smelly blanket on, and the other furniture is blocked off, but you will need to be very precise with your timing if doing this by clicker-training, and expect her to attempt the other furniture to see if that is allowed too.
Hope this helps - come back with your questions!
First off you need a variety of sumptuous dog beds for your dog to lie on - then your furniture is less appealing. These beds ideally should be raised as half of the appeal of furniture is its height. Leave tiny treats for your dog to find on the lovely dog beds. Add a towel or t shirt that smells of you - put it in your bed for the week then wipe it all over you, then leave it in the dog bed. To make the dog beds more appealing, don't be fussy about washing them. You don't wash your furniture and it smells of smelly parts of you, which is also its appeal.
At the same time, make your furniture less comfortable when you are not on it - putting tinfoil on is one way, or piling chairs on top, for instance.
Some people have trained their dogs to come up on furniture if a certain towel or cover is on, and when invited. It works for some dogs not others. Some dogs become constantly anxious in case they will be invited on.
When you are not there, close the door or block off the furniture. It is unrealistic to expect the dog to stay off the furniture if you are not there, and again this will cause anxiety in some dogs. For others, an unwanted behaviour that they get the chance to practice becomes reinforced.
Your dog can learn to go only on the loveseat if the loveseat is sufficiently comfortable and has a dog-smelly blanket on, and the other furniture is blocked off, but you will need to be very precise with your timing if doing this by clicker-training, and expect her to attempt the other furniture to see if that is allowed too.
Hope this helps - come back with your questions!
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