How to Make Your Puppy Stop Jumping on the Couch

Stopping your puppy from jumping on the couch requires immediate action. Over time, your puppy may get used to jumping and lounging on the couch, and reversing the undesirable behavior will be harder. Dog hair ends up on the couch and clothes, and your pup may take up ownership of the couch. Show your puppy who's in charge. Introduce it to alternative lounging areas or use booby traps or block your puppy's access to the couch to keep it from jumping on it.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog treats
  • Dog toys
  • Dog beds
  • Stair or carpet runner
  • Boxes or pillows
  • Booby traps
  • Baby gate
  • Dog crate
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Instructions

    • 1

      Avoid inviting your puppy on the couch, because this sends the wrong message. Make sure all family members refrain from inviting the dog on the couch. If one person allows it on the couch and another doesn't, it confuses the dog.

    • 2

      Catch your puppy in the act and correct it. Tell it "No" or "Off" the moment it jumps on the couch. Lift your puppy off the couch and put it on the floor. Once on the floor, reward it with a dog treat or dog toy. Use the same command each time, so your puppy starts understanding what you mean. Always lift your puppy off the couch, because if it jumps off the couch, it can injure itself.

    • 3

      Offer your puppy good alternatives. Place cozy dog beds in areas of the house where your puppy may jump on a couch. Show your puppy the pet bed after correcting its couch-jumping behavior. If it snuggles into the bed, reward or praise it for good behavior.

    • 4

      Drape a plastic stair or carpet runner upside-down over the couch. The plastic spikes in the runner make the couch surface uncomfortable and less attractive to your puppy. As an alternative, place boxes or large pillows on the couch so your dog can't jump onto it.

    • 5

      Incorporate commercial booby traps to keep your dog from jumping on the couch. Couch-saving booby traps often make a loud noise when jumped on. The loud noise scares your puppy and keeps it from repeating the behavior.

    • 6

      Deny access to the couch when you are not home. Lock the door to the room with the couch or block it off with a baby gate. As an alternative, place your puppy in a crate.