Best Way to Keep Your Dog Off of Your Furniture

Some folks love their dogs but don't want them onYou want the dog's first choice to be the dog bed
their furniture. I can understand that although at myand not the furniture. With a little repetition and
house the dogs do anything they want. But if yourewards this is not a tough thing to teach any dog. In
have very expensive furniture, I can certainlyfact like I mentioned before, rewards and repetition
understand the need to keep the dog off due toare the best way to train your dog to do anything.
many reasons. Everything from fleas to dirt can beSome tasks take longer to embed but this is a good
on any dog at any given time and some guestsway to teach your dog almost anything.
might not want to share with your dog.But never get in a hurry since every dog has it's own
So how do you keep the dog off the furniture?speed of learning. After a few things are learned
Easy, get a dog bed and teach him to always gothough most dogs start to figure out the system
there instead of the couch or a chair. It's really aand will be easier to teach. When they run off the
pretty easy task. Even though I don't keep my dograils it's OK to scold them but I never recommend
off the furniture he often heads right for his bed dueany serious capital punishment. Most big dogs don't
to habit. Actually we have two dogs and they bothfeel it and little dogs may react in a manner that you
go get on the their bed together.won't like.
When we have company, the dogs know not to getAnd you don't have to go out and buy a fancy bed.
on the furniture or the company unless invited. InIt can be a simple blanket on the floor or a just a
fact after coming in from outside the dogs go firstdesignated place for them to lie down. Dog beds are
to the water and food bowls just in case the foodpretty reasonable. I prefer raised dog beds due to
fairly left them a present and then right to their bed.the fact that they offer the dog a little elevation and
They love their dog bed since they associate it withthis can help cool them off in warm months. In colder
rewards. That's one of the secrets to any dogtimes you can just throw a blanket on top for a little
training.insulation.
When the dogs were young I always let them goWhat ever type of dog bed you get or make, try
get water or food and then lead them over to theand make it big enough for your dog. I have a Border
dog bed and gave them a treat when they cameCollie who's not that heavy but sprawls out a lot. And
back in from outside. I soon started petting themhis partner in crime is a small Yorkie/Pomeranian mix
and not using the treat to make the transition fromthat always wants to lay right next to him. So we
food. Now you can't do this twice and expect it tohave a good sized bed that's about 2 by 4 feet. It
work. You need to be consistent and go with thedepends on your dog size and space you have.
routine until the dog understands. Depending on yourWe have several dog beds around the house and
dog, they usually catch on with in a few days or twoboth dogs use all of them from time to time. I don't
weeks.think we paid more than $35 for any of them and
If you're gone all day and come home and walk yourthey hold up pretty well. It's pretty funny when we
dog or let him go out, this will work too. You maywash them (the beds not the dogs) since the dogs
need to spend a little time with them to calm themgo right for them like their brand new.
down and give them their due attention. Or if theySo if you want to find a good way to keep your
stay outside full time and only come in on occasion,dog off the furniture, get a dog bed and spend a
after you bring them and they get over thelittle time training them to go lie on it when
excitement, do the same thing with the their bed.necessary.