Train Your Dog To Get Off

The last of the basic commands, this is an important one if you want your favourite couch to yourself!

How to teach “Off”

•  If you find your dog on the couch, tell him “Off”, and then encourage him to come to you.

• When he comes, reward him calmly with praise and a press of your clicker, and use your basic obedience training to ask him to ‘sit’ or go ‘down’ instead. This can then also be rewarded.
   
• If he won’t get off the couch, physically remove him and then tell him “Off” as above.
   
• Consistency is all-important here. If one member of the family turns a blind eye to the house rules, you’ve had it!
   
• If your dog growls at you for attempting to remove him, back off and seek the help of a qualified behaviourist as soon as possible. Don’t try to dabble with any aggression problems yourself, as you may make things worse.