6 month old pup jumping off furniture

[Jemymah]

Hello,
Our 6 month old pup Casey arrived from the shelter a week ago. She's lovely, very sweet natured and making herself right at home. It's great seeing her settle in.
The shelter advised that Casey has had no training and we've started clicker training with her, she's a very clever girl and picking up fast. Still a bit hit and miss with the widdling but I think she's getting the idea. She enjoys the party everytime she wees outside!
She's a small springer terrier cross so we've got the digging (which is fine, plenty of blankets for her to nest in) but what concerns me is the jumping.
If she can climb up on something and fling herself off she will. For example we have a low sofa and I've put a rug and cushions on the floor for her to land on (thinking I might get a ramp to see if she'll use that) however she'll occasionally hop up onto the sofa arm and attempt to jump off. So far I've managed to get to her before she launches herself but it's only a matter of time before she gives me the slip and I worry about her wrecking herself, she's only little.
I distract her with squeaky toys, acting silly etc when she's trying to do something like climb the curtains but I don't know what to try when she looks like she's about to do something which might really hurt her.
Does anyone have any tips to discourage the leaping? I'd love to be able to let her stay on the sofa, she always looks so comfy. But if she has to learn to stay off all furniture to keep her safe then that's the way it'll have to be.
Appreciate any advice. Thanks very much!

[DianeLDL]

Jemmymah,

I wouldn't worry. Our chihuahua (long legged with larger body) has been jumping on & off furniture since we got him from the shelter at a year old. He's now over 7 years old & still jumping but not as much. When he was a year & half we visited my parents. The sofa in family room was in the middle of room, and Sandy jumped up over the back of the sofa into the cushion. Actually when he was younger right before he would need to do a bowel movement he would run & jump up & down furniture all around the room like a tornado runny through & up & down. We would watch in amazement then run him outside to potty. If he wasn't so reactive to other dogs I though he would live agility training.

And, he sleeps on my old recliner which he jumps up on & down. And, our dog is jumping off the arm of his recliner onto stone floor.

And, if he sees an animal on TV, he jumps to try to get the TV. We have scratch marks on the TV stand.

Our neughbors had a chihuahua puppy like Sandy whom OH found roaming the steers. He followed the puppy & saw him jump over the gate that must have been 4 feet high. OH reported it to the local humane society so the owners would know what their puppy was doing while they were gone.

We have another neighbor with a chihuahua terrier mix who jumps on top of their outdoor garbage can to get a better look at who's running around the neigborhood.

So, unless your dog begins limping or anything, I would say it's normal to jump. And, it might be the springer in her. If she's good natured and does well around other dogs, she might enjoy agility work.
i do not see how you can keep her from jumping.

That's my opinion. Others my have other ideas.

Diane

[JudyN]

I'm not an expert so stand to be corrected by those who are, but I think you're doing fine. A few jumps off the furniture is fine (unless she lands awkwardly and twists something of course, but that can happen to any dog - or person). The damage only results if it's repeated again and again and again. So carry on doing what you're doing and preventing what you can, but don't worry about the occasional time when she launches herself into space.

[Nettle]

i have long-limbed dogs that can do their joints and growth plates quite substantial damage if they land hard, and to exacerbate the issue, as puppies they are into mountaineering off the furniture, the window sills, even the mantlepiece in a previous home. I buy cheap duvets (they go on to be dog beds and car boot liners afterwards) and line the landing areas with them. It's worked so far.

Your dog is bound to be a little livewire, bred the way she is, so have a look at our Exercise the Mind pinned thread for some ways to engage her mentally and so tire her out without overworking her body. She should especially love the scent games, and digging in a child's sandpit to find toys you have hidden.

[Jemymah]

Thanks everyone, makes me feel a lot better! I'll keep intercepting her, get more soft things down and the sandpit is a great idea. That goes on the shopping list. I'll have a read of the exercise the mind thread now