This Is How To Keep Your Dog Off Furniture When Not Home
If your dog loves to get on your furniture when you are not home, whether that is your bed or your couch, you might be wondering what you can do about it. In this post I will go through the best methods to keep your dog off your furniture when you are not home as well as the possible reasons why your dog loves to lounge on your furniture.
So how do I keep my dog off the furniture when I am not home? To keep your dog off your furniture when you are not home you need to either eliminate access to that room, cover the furniture with laundry baskets, books or aluminium foil, train your dog the “off” command or crate train your dog.
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1. Eliminate Access To That Room
The simplest way to keep your dog off the furniture when you are not home is to eliminate access to that room. All you need to do is shut the door and then your dog can’t come inside. The only issue is if your dog has learned how to open door handles, particularly lever style door handles or if you have an open planned house. You could leave your dog outside in the backyard for the day instead. Otherwise, another method would be more effective to keep your dog off the furniture when not home.
2. Cover Your Furniture With Laundry Baskets or Books
Another way to keep your dog off your furniture when you are not home is to cover the couch or your bed with laundry baskets or books. Stacking household items on the furniture will totally prevent your dog from using the furniture as there will be nowhere to sit! However over time this method can be very tedious so it is probably better to just train your dog to not sit on the furniture.
3. Teach Your Dog That They Are Not Allowed On The Furniture
Teaching your dog that they are not allowed on the furniture is definitely easier said than done but if you are serious about not letting your dog on the furniture when you are not home, this is the best method.
My Best Tips For Teaching A Dog That They Aren’t Allowed On The Furniture
- Do not spend time with your dog on the couch or in your bed as this will only reinforce that they are allowed on the furniture. Play or cuddle with your dog while sitting on the ground instead.
- Teach your dog the “off” command so you can use it whenever they get on your furniture
- If your dog tries to jump onto the couch or onto your bed, block the area and tell them “out”. Then, walk towards your dog and gently guide them out of that room.
4. Place Aluminium Foil On The Furniture
Dogs do not like tin foil at all because of the metallic sheen, the sound it makes when it is touched or crumpled as well as the sharp texture it has under their paws. If a dog jumps up onto a piece of furniture covered with foil, they will not like the feel and also will be startled by the sound when they jump off. It is therefore the perfect method to keep a dog off your furniture.
How To Cover Your Furniture With Aluminium Foil
- Cut out sheets of aluminium foil that are slightly larger than the surface you want to cover. For example, slightly larger than your couch cushions – make sure the pieces are large enough that they can wrap over the sides and slightly underneath
- Cover the piece of furniture that you don’t want your dog sitting on. Wrap the foil around the edges and make sure that it is secure. You don’t want it falling off easily.
- To make this method even more effective you can stack empty bottles or cans on your couch or bed that will topple over and make even more noise when your dog attempts to jump up
- If you want this method to be effective you can’t give your dog mixed messaging. This means that you can’t layer your furniture with foil one day and then invite your dog onto the couch or bed the next day. This will only confuse your dog and make your efforts with the aluminium foil a waste of time!
Safety Precautions When Covering Furniture With Foil
- Do not leave the foil out on your furniture when you are not home. This is a preventative method that should be done when you are home to give your dog the message that jumping onto your bed or couch is not allowed.
- The reason why you should do this method while at home is because some dogs will want to shred the foil to pieces or even eat it. This could make your dog sick.
5. Turn Up The Cushions Of Your Couch
If you have the problem of your dog sitting on your couch when you are not home, you can stop this by turning up the cushions of your couch. Place the cushions at weird angles and even stand them up vertically instead of their normal horizontal position. This will confuse your dog and ultimately prevent them from pretending to be a human by watching the tv.
6. Crate Your Dog When You’re Not Home
If your dog is very destructive e.g. they get muddy paw prints everywhere or chew up your furniture when you are not home, you may want to resort to crating your dog. This method should only be used for dogs who are crate trained as associate crates with comfort not confinement.
If you do not have a dog crate already I highly recommend the Diggs Revol Dog Crate as it is inspired by baby industry quality standards with their innovative use of diamond mesh, it is a collapsible design and also has wheels and handles for easy transportation.
Should I Crate My Dog When I Leave The House? Yes, you can crate your dog when you leave the house to prevent your dog from roaming around and using your furniture. However you should only crate your dog if he is crate trained. Your dog should associate crates with comfort not confinement.
Read Also: Everything You Need To Know Before Purchasing A Dog Crate
7. Provide Your Dog With A Comfortable Bed
One reason why your dog may prefer to sit on your couch or snuggly up in your bed is because they do not have a comfortable bed of their own. You could even get your dog their own lounge bed like the La-Z-Boy Bartlett Sofa!
1. SnooZZy Glam Pet Donut Lounger
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2. Anderson Check Luxe Bagel Bed
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3. La-Z-Boy Bartlett Sofa
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Read Also: 21 Luxury Dog Beds You Need For Your Stylish Home!
Keeping Your Dog Off Your Couch
How do I keep my dog off my couch when I’m not home? The best way to keep your dog off your couch when you are not home is to upturn the couch cushions. Place the cushions at random angles or sit them vertically so your dog has no where comfortable to sit. Alternatively, place books, laundry baskets or foil on your couch to discourage your dog.
What can I put on my couch to keep my dog off? You can put books, magazines, laundry baskets, shoe boxes, empty water bottles or aluminium foil on your couch to keep your dog off. If you cover the whole sitting surface area of your couch, your dog will have no where comfortable to sit.
Does tin foil keep dogs off the couch? Yes, tin foil will keep your dog off your couch as dogs are sensitive to it’s metallic sheen, the sound it creates when touched or crumpled as well as the sharp texture it has under their paws. It sends the message they aren’t allowed there.
Keeping Your Dog Off Your Bed
How do I keep my dog off my bed when I’m not home? The best way to keep your dog off your bed when you are not home is to close your bedroom door so your dog does not have access to that room anymore. Alternatively, you can place books around the edges of your bed so your dog can’t climb onto your bed anymore.
How do I stop my dog from sleeping in my bed? To stop your dog from sleeping in your bed, you need to stop giving your dog mixed messaging by not ever cuddling or playing with your dog on your bed. You can also give your dog a more comfortable bed of their own.
Reasons Why Your Dog Gets On Your Furniture
Why does my dog get on the couch when I leave? Your dog might get on your couch when you leave because it’s comfortable, it’s a learned behaviour that has been rewarded in the past or they may suffer from separation anxiety where the couch provides comfort due to the scent of other family members.
Why does my dog sleep on my bed when I’m gone? Your dog might sleep on your bed when you are gone because it’s a learned behaviour that has been rewarded in the past, it’s comfortable or they may suffer from separation anxiety where your bed provides comfort as it smells like you.
Summary Of The Best Solutions To Get Your Dog Off Your Furniture
What home remedies will keep dog off furniture? The best home remedies to keep a dog off furniture is to cover it in aluminium foil or place books, magazines or laundry baskets over the furniture so your dog does not have a place to sit.
What can I put on my furniture to keep dogs off? You can put aluminium foil on your furniture to keep your dogs off as they do not like the metallic sheen, the sharp texture or the sounds it makes. You can also put books or baskets on your furniture to keep dogs off.
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