4 Tricks to Keep the Dog Off the Couch When You Aren’t Home

Not all of us want our dogs to use the sofa as a napping spot while we are away from home. It’s not just for maintenance reasons such as preventing scratch marks, peeing, and the buildup of hair. Allowing your dog to get on the couch could also be dangerous, especially for small-sized dogs, since they could potentially suffer from joint injuries after jumping off the sofa.

How to Keep Dogs Off the Couch When You Aren’t Home

We suggest trying the following solutions to discourage your dog from using the sofa as a napping spot when you aren’t home.

Use a Couch Guard to Keep the Dog Out

Couch guards, such as the couch defender, are simple and affordable home accessories that prevent dogs from jumping onto the sofa in the first place. The couch defender takes up the whole sitting space of the sofa and are kept in place by slipping the end panels to the side of the couch.

The one limitation might be for those who have crafty dogs. Some dog owners have found their dogs napping underneath the couch defender product. That said, this is in the minority and we think this is a worthy investment considering its cost and overall effectiveness.

Use a Noise-Deterring Pet Mat

An alternative solution is to use a mat, like the High Tech Pet mat, that will scare the dog away whenever it lays on the couch. It’s simple. You just need to lay the mat on the couch and leave it on.

When the dog gets on the mat, the device will emit an 85-decibel beep that will startle the dog and get him off the couch. This mat also works for other furniture like chairs and beds.

Don’t Let Your Dog on the Couch at Any Point

This might be a given but you should never give the dog an indication that it is okay to be on the couch. Some dog owners might be okay with having the dog on the couch while they are at home since they can keep a close eye on their furry pal but this shouldn’t be happening.

If the dog tries to get onto the sofa while you are at home then discourage her by gently nudging her off. Consistency is extremely important when it comes to maintain positive dog behaviors. From time to time, it may also help to give your dog a treat when he isn’t on the sofa. This is to tell your dog that it is good behavior to be on the floor instead.

Get Your Dog His Own Sofa

There might be a good reason that your dog likes to snooze on the sofa. It could be due to the comfort or it could also be due to the fact that the sofa is a lot warmer than the floor. Whatever the reason, it may help to get your dog his own sofa. You won’t have to worry about household mistakes like peeing and furniture scratches since dog sofas in general are designed to handle such issues.

One sofa we would recommend for your dog is the Furhaven dog bed. We like this product because it comes with a foam base that offers plenty of comfort for a dog’s joints, and it is also easy to clean as the cover is machine-washable.