Why is my dog doing this?

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TanyaK

Senior Cook
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
319
Location
Cape Town,South Africa
There's very few dog rules in our house but the one rule is that they're not allowed to jump on the beds or couch. The past week our bulldog has slept on the couch every night (he jumps up after we've gone to bed and jumps off when he hears one of us coming down the passage but sometimes he's too slow and we catch him or otherwise he leaves evidence in the form of drool marks on the couch) He's 10 and a half years old and have never done this before. He and the staffie sleeps in a very comfortable dog bed in the living room and they get tucked in underneath their blanket every night as it's winter (the couch is leather so it can't be warm or comfortable for him to lie there) Things have been a bit hectic in our household the past couple of weeks but we've still been spending the same amount of time with the dogs as usual so I don't think he's doing it for attention. Has anyone else experienced the same with their dogs or does anyone have any idea why he might be doing this ?
 
Not sure TK.... dogs express themselves in ways I can only wonder. (As I type this, Binks is staring at me so lovingly from my lap... I wonder what he is thinking!) He obviously knows he is not suppose to do it, but for what ever reason he is. Stress or changes around the house could be to blame, but I have leather furniture and my dogs love laying on it. I should have got the picture of Binks today nestled on the couch... he looked soooo cozy and comfy.
 
My first thought is that, at his age, he probably has developed arthritis. Dog beds don't have enough padding and the joints hurt because of it. I would recommend either using an old couch cushion you don't use anymore, or one of those overstuffed floor cushions and showing your dog it's for him.
 
My first thought is that, at his age, he probably has developed arthritis. Dog beds don't have enough padding and the joints hurt because of it. I would recommend either using an old couch cushion you don't use anymore, or one of those overstuffed floor cushions and showing your dog it's for him.

Thanks - that might just be it - will try it (and take him to the vet for a check up)
 
My cat Hemi used to do that. He thought he was smarter than me. :angel:

The smoking gun was all the fur he left there while he was sleeping. :doh:

That pet-off stuff worked for a little while, then I just gave up.
 
If things are hectic in your house, could it be your smells bring him the security, despite the warmth of his own bed? Plus it's got to be softer.
Rub his comfort objects on yourself, or whoever he's most close to. Then place in his bed. See what happens.
But I would take him to the vet.
 
Pillow Talk

Our oldest will climb up on a bedpillow when something is wrong :angel:. Can't explain it, it's just her thing. If we're laying on the pillow she will sit on the spot we're not laying on.
 
Yep. Hard to say.
My 8-1/2 year old went through a phase doing that for a while. Now she is content being back on the floor where "she belongs", and her joints are stiff, so the floor definitely isn't more comfortable for her.
Dogs do like sleeping up high when possible. It is where the alpha always sleeps, the highest spot. Nothing a mousetrap won't cure.
 
TanyaK said:
He and the staffie sleeps in a very comfortable dog bed in the living room and they get tucked in underneath their blanket every night as it's winter (the couch is leather so it can't be warm or comfortable for him to lie there)

Who says???:LOL: Maybe Mr. Bulldog is smarter than you give him credit for. Who wouldn't want to bunk on a leather couch than on the floor.

TanyaK said:
he jumps up after we've gone to bed and jumps off when he hears one of us coming down the passage but sometimes he's too slow and we catch him or otherwise he leaves evidence in the form of drool marks on the couch)

So he knows what he is doing is unacceptable...Maybe behavior modification is called for...:ermm:
 
Yep. Hard to say.
My 8-1/2 year old went through a phase doing that for a while. Now she is content being back on the floor where "she belongs", and her joints are stiff, so the floor definitely isn't more comfortable for her.
Dogs do like sleeping up high when possible. It is where the alpha always sleeps, the highest spot. Nothing a mousetrap won't cure.
The mousetrap thing can be very effective. Buy the really small ones and set a few all over the couch and then cover with a sheet. Dogs sometimes learn a little slower than cats with this but it works a lot of the time. As far as why, I'd love to know, too. My Bella does the same thing, including jumping off fast and pretending she wasn't up there.
 
I love my dog going on top of the couch. In the family room, our couch(es) are leather too. If it is fabric like in the formal lounge room, I will object as it may leave a smell, but leather you can wipe off the drool. I do not understand what the problem is...:ermm:but then, my dog just turned 5 months old recently and we spoiled him to bits. Who wouldn't? :wacko:With a face like his, drool and all, we love him...:)
 
I love my dog going on top of the couch. In the family room, our couch(es) are leather too. If it is fabric like in the formal lounge room, I will object as it may leave a smell, but leather you can wipe off the drool. I do not understand what the problem is...:ermm:but then, my dog just turned 5 months old recently and we spoiled him to bits. Who wouldn't? :wacko:With a face like his, drool and all, we love him...:)

There are lots of people who still think of dogs as dogs and do their best not to humanize them and place them at the same level as humans. Family members? Yes. Equals? No.
But hey, Cesar Milan has turned retraining humanized poochies into quite the little enterprise.... So I guess it benefits some people ;)
 
I love my dog going on top of the couch. In the family room, our couch(es) are leather too. If it is fabric like in the formal lounge room, I will object as it may leave a smell, but leather you can wipe off the drool. I do not understand what the problem is...:ermm:
He has the habit of always gathering his blankets in his dogbed by scratching it this way and that way until his bed is arranged just the way he likes it. Now he does this on the couch even though there's no blankets to gather and this leaves scratch marks all over my couch:mad:
 
Thanks all - I'm going to try the "behaviour modification via mouse trap" method (something I definitely would not have thought of on my own :)) Will report back on effectiveness !
 
He has the habit of always gathering his blankets in his dogbed by scratching it this way and that way until his bed is arranged just the way he likes it. Now he does this on the couch even though there's no blankets to gather and this leaves scratch marks all over my couch:mad:
Oh...I am so sorry...

My dog just flops on the couch and sleeps or on the couch and put his head on my lap. I don't like him on the floor as sometimes it is just too cold there and you know how we people are...it is nice to be cool on the floor while young but it soon catches up with you when you get old...so do animals...

As for dogs, if the Hilton is available with all the services, why go camping on the car park? :LOL:
 
I hsve a question and I think I know the answer. but I want to ask anyway.

I always heard that the mousetrap will hurt the dog. Is this true. I am not sure anymore as my Lab springs them and crushes the trap in his mouth. Which also leads me to ask would mousetrap traning be efective on this dog.
 
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