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How do I Un-Train my dog?

This seems odd I know. I have a rescue, badly abused, she's come a long way with me but those scars may never heal. Nutshell. She used to love laying on the couch next to me, she'd do it every day. I moved into a new house and with it I bought a new couch, nearly white, very expensive, so for the first few weeks, I'd scold her and shoo her off the couch, this was confusing for her and inconsistent with the pattern I allowed so I made a mistake there. Now I want her on the couch with me as opposed to huddled up in the corner, the problem is, she's now afraid to STAY on the couch. She 'll jump up on command every time and will stay while I bet her, but as soon as I stop she gets down, she looks at me out of the corner of her eye like she's in trouble and tries to sneak away. She is no longer able to relax while on the couch, this is entirely my fault.

How can I teach her that the couch is okay to be comfy on. I can give her treats but her pattern has always been to take the treat and go to her bed to enjoy it. She will not eat it on the couch, she will literally hold it in her mouth indefinitely until I tell her it's okay to get down.

What can I do here. I want my little lady feeling comfortable on the couch again... Help.

4 Answers

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It sounds like you've got the right instincts - give her praise, treats, and affection while she's on the couch to encourage a positive association with it. I'd try changing your approach just slightly. Ask her if she wants to come up, rather than asking her to come up. It's a subtle change (and one that is more for your benefit than hers), and the only real difference is that you want her to make the choice rather than just follow the command. Essentially, there are things we want our dogs to do when we ask, all the time, no matter what, like "leave it" or "come." These are non-optional. But there are plenty of things we ask our dogs to do that can be optional. If it's not contributing to their health and safety, it can be optional. Stating these as non-optional (commands) primes you to follow through if she doesn't respond, but if you ask it in a way that makes it her choice (questions), then you're preparing yourself to shrug and move on if she tells you no, thanks. If you give her the choice, she knows she's in control of the situation and she is free to leave with no consequences whenever she'd like. Then when she's up there, give her treats she can't take somewhere else to enjoy, like small pieces of something she loves, canned food/peanut butter in a syringe, etc. She can have it so long as she's up there, but the treats stop when she goes somewhere else. Nothing bad happens if she leaves, but the treats only appear in proximity to the couch. If she has a bed or mat she's comfortable on, you can try moving it to the couch to help make the spot more appealing and feel more like hers.

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I might try to get a special blanket and call it her 'bed' so you can invite her up onto the couch on her bed, by saying 'Come on your bed!' or some kind of other key word she can associate the special blanket with.

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Providing a special "okay" blanket will help her not be so confused. She learned it was okay to be on the couch, then it wasn't.... she's now asking herself "Is it okay or not okay? When is it okay?" Teach her it's okay to be on the blanket on the floor first, then slowly move it to the couch.

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I second the other two answers. Keep up the praise, give treats, and just relax, and give it time. Also, don't push the issue. She wants to please you, but is obviously confused. Just chill, don't add any pressure, and allow her to do what makes her comfortable.

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Teach your dog the place command. Then work on duration. After they know a command then start correcting for breaking it. Once she knows place, put her in place next to you.