Couch hog - Paw Talk

**Scarlette** · #1 04-16-2007, 01:25 AM

As most of you know Helen, my new rescue dog, is a couch hog. We followed the trainers' advice (more than 1 trainer involved) about keeping her off the couch for a least a week so she learns her place in the pack. We are now allowing her on the couch and she does great for Jeff, but when I come home from work she turns back into the Couch Commando and growls at the other dogs if they even look at the couch. I'm not sure if she's trying to claim me or what. Earlier today she was great, no problems and Jeff and I were both home pretty much all day. This evening, after Jeff left for work, Helen became cranky again.

We have noticed it happens more when I'm at home and pretty much every night. It's almost like she gets tired at night and gets cranky. I normally get home from work a little after midnight.

We always tell her NO and push her off the couch like the trainers told us to do. Then we make her stay on the floor for 10 minutes or so and try again. When she IS being good, we praise her and give her a treat.

One of the trainers suggested keeping her isolated from the living room for a week. I've tried that and it just breaks my heart when she sits next to the baby gate looking so sad and pitiful. I think she's had a pretty rough life and I feel like I'm abandoning her and being mean by keeping her isolated.

If she has issues with being abandoned then keeping her isolated seems like it will make it worse.

I feel like we've made alot of progress with her couch issue so far but you'd think she would have learned by now that couch crankiness is a big no no here.

We need some good dog couch vibes here! I'm not trying to rush things but I do have to admit that I'm starting to get a little frustrated.

Just an FYI, she gets along great with the other dogs when she's not on the couch. No issues with food aggression or anything like that. She's learning how to play with the others now and it's really cute. She bounces and hops around like a rabbit trying to figure out how to get the other dogs to join her. She LOVES to race around the backyard with Sydnee and it's hilarious to watch.

luvnature · #2 04-16-2007, 01:42 AM

awww we must have some pics and a video! Would love to see them running around like little rabbits in the backyard having fun!

Formula86 · #3 04-16-2007, 01:45 AM

I hope it goes better for you.

I would just listen to the trainers. They probably know best.

Here's some Happy Dust for Helen when she's on the couch -

**Scarlette** · #4 04-16-2007, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formula86


	I hope it goes better for you. I would just listen to the trainers. They probably know best.

I'm sure they know best and we've been doing what they tell us, but jeez....what if I'm screwing her up even more by doing the isolation thing? Poor baby.

Thanks for the happy dust!

Formula86 · #5 04-16-2007, 01:55 AM

I know what you mean. It is so hard to discipline abused/neglected dogs. You just wanna give them constant kisses, don't you?

**Scarlette** · #6 04-16-2007, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formula86


	I know what you mean. It is so hard to discipline abused/neglected dogs. You just wanna give them constant kisses, don't you?

Vanilla_Rat · #7 04-16-2007, 09:52 AM

Awwww...I hope she gets better with the couch thing soon.I would just listen to the trainers,like you have been doing.Helen is probably just a slow learner.

As for abused/neglected dogs and discipline,I know how you feel.Anytime I have a foster or am doing an office/kennel shift and I have to train them and discipline,it breaks my heart...especially when they give you those big,sad,pitiful looks.

Ambieruns10 · #8 04-16-2007, 10:23 AM

I find it hard to discipline any dog.

Good luck with the training.

mulder · #9 04-16-2007, 12:48 PM

aww good luck! for our pup sally we just broke down and made wood rectangle frame things to put on the couches we're not on, so once she tried to lay but ot was too uncomfortable for her

tarita2004 · #10 04-16-2007, 06:33 PM

hope you find a method that works for the both of you!! good luck!!

**Scarlette** · #11 04-16-2007, 10:09 PM

She did great all day long, no couch outbursts. Then tonight, about 8pm she was sleeping soundly on the couch and woke up growling and snarling at nothing. She's been doing that alot when she's sleeping in her crate. I've heard it quite a few times at night this past week. It's like she has nightmares and wakes up trying to defend herself from whatever she was dreaming about. Other times, while on the couch, she'll be wide awake and snap. I wish there was a behavioralist that lived near me.

We tried calling the trainer again tonight for more suggestions but she wasn't home so we left a message.

Carissa · #12 04-16-2007, 11:18 PM

Aww poor thing. I don't really know what to say other than that

storminstaffs · #13 04-17-2007, 09:36 AM

i hope you can work out what her problem is the poor girl must of been neglected at some point in her life.

Riddick · #14 04-17-2007, 09:19 PM

On a saturday or sunday try to switch places with Jeff. You patrol during the day, and have him do it at night. To see if she is trying to defiy you, or is just getting cranky at night. That's the only suggestion I have, Good Luck!!!!

Denise · #15 04-21-2007, 12:58 AM

Rhonda, have you thought about not having her on the sofa period? I don't know about isolating her. After all, does she really know why she is being isolated? I would suggest NLIF but she isn't having any other aggression issues and from what I read, she isn't aggressive towards you and Jeff being on the sofa, just Sydnee and Mirra correct?