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Currently using a bitter apple spray to keep dogs (springer and spanish water dog) off new settee at night, they dont dare go on it during daylight hours but I have found evidence they go on it at night even though we put a dining room chair and a few bits and bobs on it to deter them going on!! Same with the old settee - dont go near it during the day but sometimes at night they would go on it. I know they should be trained not to go on it during the night (suggestions welcomed!)but they are crafty and like a bit of luxury! They have dog beds which they use all the time during the day so must obviously like them.
Presently using a bitter apple spray to cover the settee but this isnt having 100% success, when reading the description on bottle it says it is more of a chewing deterrent, not a 'keep off' deterrent. So my question is is there a good deterrent out there to keep nocturnal offenders off settee? And does anyone know any good training techniques to keep them off at night? They are well behaved dogs, relatively easy to train (basic commands such as sit, stay, bed, out, heal commands they do perfectly) so I'm surprised they even go near settee when we're asleep!
advice for us was to try training them to get on the sofa, then off again... treating and giving praise only when getting off the sofas.
cookie will be super hyper but after 1 minute on the sofa he's calmed right down so we use the sofa as a big treat if he's being good
Phil...if it was up to me I'd let them use the sofa to calm down but its not up to me! I can see the reasoning behind training them to get on then off with treats and praise just for getting off........but you kind of know your own dogs and I think that will just encourage them to get on it whenever they want!! Will give it a go though if next batch of bitter apple spray not 100% effective!
Make them live in the kitchen/utility room at night?
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Bitter spray doesn't sound like a great solution to me. And if the first attempt didn't work, what makes you think the next batch will be more effective?
I think that either:
a) You need to put in the hard work to train them off it. This means catching them getting onto it or sleeping on it and telling them off properly, which might mean staying up late or getting up at 2am to shout at them.
b) You need to consider whether you really want to keep them off it. Your dogs sleep on the sofa - so what? Is this a big issue?
You give them the run of the house at night?
Beds in kitchen, door closed.
Train the dogs, as per someone else's comment. Also a child safety gate and keeping them in the kitchen might help.
Olbus oil is a good dog deterrent. You only need a to use a drop but i'm sure you could mix it with water to create a spray if that's what you need.
The room they stay in is a large kitchen/dining room/loungey type room (family room?) so cant keep them out of the room. If the door is mistakingly left open they still wont venture round the rest of the house - well trained to stay in the room, surprised I cant train them to stay off sofa when we're sleeping!
ntreid....its not the best solution but it does work, just not all the time! Maybe my spraying technique and frequency are at fault??
Never caught them on it, I told you they're crafty! Warm sofa when I walk in first thing in morning is the giveaway. I do tell them off but shouting and telling off (yes, I do hit/slap them on their backsides, they are big dogs and can handle it!) is having no effect, all I get in response are soppy eyes and wagging tails (its first thing in morn remember so they tend to be pleased to see me!)
yes, I do want to keep them off furniture, floor and dog beds for dogs, furniture for humans only. And two big muddy walks a day aint good for sofa if they were to be allowed on it (luckily they only go on when we're sleeping and they tend to be clean by then). Toyed with the idea of a throw but dont want them on sofa in first place.
Dog crate for the nights and when muddy.
phil.w.....yes, I can see how that might work, will give it a go.
So how do I train dogs to stay off sofa at night time if I'm not there to witness it?? They are perfectly trained to stay off it in the day, wont even rest their head on it in that 'give me stroke' way!
Sofa in same room as dogs, that cant change!
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They'll soon learn.
Alternatively, do what we used to do which was to shut the dog in the kitchen where his bed was.
Milkie.....used the crates when they were pups for training, although large room having two crates in there at night is not feasible, thanks anyway! Plus my wife now works from home and her desk is where the crates used to go.......maybe get rid of the wife??! They stay in garage when muddy, muddy dog not the problem as they are clean when I go to bed and that is when they go on sofa.
Big cover on the sofas at night and let the dogs sleep on them??
headfirst.....thought of that but to me thats just encouraging them. Might be only solution though if olbus oil doesnt work
Do you use frontline spray or similar on them? If so, and they hate it as much as everyone I've spoken to about it, then take the bottle, and put it smack bang in the middle of the sofa at night. Worked for someone I know.
Beds in kitchen, door closed.
This. Or a crate. Or a cat to keep them in check (the cat will own the sofa)
Helios... goo didea but I dont use the spray and I cant think of anything they dont like/afraid of. Perhaps I could put a bit of petrol in a spray bottle.........only joking!!
Legend.....crate and door closed solutions already mentioned and they are no go, thanks anyway.
Cat option it is then 😉
We had a similar issue with our Jack Russell which we broke in two ways one we put the hoover on the sofa at night the dog is terrified of it. Then a large cactus on the arm chair problem solved.
Alternately tie the dog up at night so it can't reach the couch but can reach bed and water.
Similar problem with a German Shepherd years ago. Placed lots of sellotape, sticky side up, on the sofa overnight. In the middle of the night there was a lot of noise and a very sorry looking tangled up dog.
Didn't do it again.
legend.....we've got a cat too, they all get on far too well for that!
nashway.....they see hoover as a toy, no joy would be had there. Cactus would have to be a biggun to fit on whole of sofa!
headfirst - Member
Big cover on the sofas at night and let the dogs sleep on them??
SiB - Member
headfirst.....thought of that but to me thats just encouraging them. Might be only solution though if olbus oil doesnt work
So how about an 'uncomfortable' cover to get them out of the habit. Either cold and shiny (sheet of polythene) or hard (sheet of plywood). Hopefully if they get into the routine of using their beds you can stop covering after a couple of weeks / months... Advantage is that if they do still get up there the sofa is protected anyway.
That sellotape deterrent one is sounding good!!