Keva and the couch

**Freedom** · 01-23-2007, 03:30 PM

I have 3 ideas.

One is use a water bottle to squirt her? Don't know if that will work or if she will be one of those dogs who thinks a squirt is fun.

Next is spray the furniture with a mix of white vinegar and water. Equal parts of each. It should be dilute enough that you and I wouldn't smell it, but the dog will. This works for cats, as does the water.

Finally, if you check with the pet catalogs, there is something you can put on the furniture to keep them off. Here is link that lists a few of them, you can probably find others, and / or better prices for these. I have not used any of these; the first 2 ideas above have worked for me.

http://www.nextag.com/keep-pet-off-f...re/search-html

**wolf_Q** · 01-23-2007, 03:34 PM

Thanks for the ideas. I haven't tried the water bottle, may have to do that. She loves snow but I don't know how much she loves water so that could work...

I can't spray anything on the couch, my parents wouldn't go for that. I tried vinegar already on something she wouldn't leave alone (Nebo's tag holder on his collar), and well, she likes vinegar, she thought it tasted great (crazy dog!).

If she doesn't get the hint soon I may order something like that, but I'm hoping to try some other things first, thanks for the ideas!

**binka_nugget** · 01-23-2007, 03:35 PM

I would be close by and keep an eye on her. Then when she jumps up on the couch, I'd give a stern "NO!" and possibly a small correction if you choose to leave a leash/tab on. Give her an alternative to jumping on the couch like her crate or a doggy bed, then direct her to it and praise her.

**wolf_Q** · 01-23-2007, 03:37 PM

I am close by, I've been within a few feet of her every time she's done it. I've given her a stern "NO" but it doesn't phase her, she'll get off when corrected, then jump right back on a few minutes later. I have not tried a leash correction. There are 2 dog beds in the same room as the couch, I haven't specifically tried directing her to those after she jumps on, but they are available to her. She lays on them frequently. I don't think she's jumping up there for comfort, more for her own amusement! Thanks for the tips.

**Queen of Poop** · 01-23-2007, 04:20 PM

I've heard of but never used a scat mat. It's a mat with pointy up things that are plastic, not fun to lay on or step on. I've seen them in the pet store. No idea if they are effective or not.

What I did for my issue with this was take the pillows off the couch for a short time. It's boring then.

**lizbud** · 01-23-2007, 05:26 PM

When Keva runs back to jump again, just stand right there to prevent
her from jumping back on.If you have to stand in the same spot guarding
the couch for 20-30 minutes & don't move & don't look at her at all. Just
give a stern NO when she tries. I'll bet she tire of that game after 30 min

**Canis-Lupess** · 01-23-2007, 06:42 PM

This is not a game so to speak, it sounds to me like your dog is a passive dominant dog.

People tend to think of dominant dogs as always being aggressive but dominant does not mean aggressive, it means the one in command, the one with most influence and your dog acting in this way is definitely influencing the way you are acting because you are chasing her about etc....
If an aggressive dominant dog was to snarl and growl at you when you tried to remove them from the couch, you'd figure that they were telling you to get stuffed. Well, the passive dog is doing exactly the same thing but in a totally different way.

The reason is that you are inadvertantly telling them they are higher ranking than you. A dog that considered itself as being a lower ranking member of your canine human pack would not even try getting on the couch even if you weren't around. The fact that your dog does proves that she has the wrong idea bout her status within your pack. With rank comes privilege and being on furniture like couches, beds, chairs, are all classed as areas only for higher ranking members so if you allow your dogs in these places, you are telling them they are high ranking enough to be there.

Read this quote by a reknowned English dog behaviourist, John Fisher about passive dominant dogs. He has trained many behaviourists in the U.S and does seminars and talks all over Europe. He is one of the founders of the british association of pet behaviour counsillors.

"Whenever anybody talks about a dominant dog, it always conjures up pictures of an aggressive dog, but this is not necessarily so. Of course, a dog that has a dominant character is more likely to be aggressive if any person, or any dog, tries to challenge it's position, but this is usually seen in dog thst have inherited the dominant trait from their parents.
Some dogs exhibit what I call 'Passive dominance'. if challenged they do not necessarily show aggression; they become extremely disobedient and hyperactive - they act the fool. We really should examine what we mean by dominance before we pursue the subject any further.
The dictionary definition says: Dominate: Having commanding influence over; be the most influencil or conspicuous; have commanding position.
Some of the dogs that I see meet this definition perfectly. They are reported to be disobedient; overwelmingly friendly towards visitors; eager to greet all the people that they meet outside; always getting under peoples feet inside, but have a lovely temperament. Within the household, they are the most influential and hold the most commanding position because everyone's attention is taken up trying to control them. if you told your dog to get off your bed and it growled at you, you would recognise it as a dominant dog. With the passive dominant dog, you tell it to get off your bed and it sticks it's bum up in the air in a play posture. When you grab its collar to drag it off, it throws itself on its back and tried to wrap its legs around your arms. When it is unceremoniously dumped on the floor, it gets up and does three or four laps of the bedroom before jumping back on the bed with a playful 'woof'. It is hard not to smile and think the dog's an idiot, but in fact it has done exactly what the aggressive dog has done - it has said NO"

You need to demote your dogs within your canine human pack if you want to correct this behaviour.

There are a number of different things you might need to address in order to get the message across. If you need any advice about what these are, just ask.

**wolf_Q** · 01-23-2007, 06:50 PM

Canis-Lupess, that does sound like her. I'm not allowing any of the dogs on those places, just Nebo (4 years old) is allowed on my bed, with permission, and he didn't get that "rank" until he was older. He has never tried to jump on the couch. Just FYI Keva (the disobedient one

) is only a 3 1/2 month old pup (siberian husky), she probably has not really established her rank in our humane/canine pack yet and I'm sure she's testing this. What do you recommend to get the message across?