Couch, Bed - I goofed!

I once heard a saying "it far easier to train a dog then a human", ha ha! But regardless of your past misitakes I think you are going to have to start from scratch. You defintly have to have a alternative like a big inviting dog bed for the poor thing. Basic obediance like "off" and "stay" are always helpful and rewarding proper behavior would be the quickest route. DONT ever push or drag your dog off of a place, that can casue major problems

Heh, my hound dogs too! Both are trained for "off", though (Conrad is an ace at it, Marlowe is still in the learning process, but pretty good). Just saying "off" isn't going to make the connection, you have to have a systematic plan (know exactly what your rules are-- is it just "off" you want to train for, or do you want the dogs to always wait to be invited up before getting up as well?) in place and practice practice practice. And change venues and positions a lot because dogs do not generalize well. Marlowe currently is a champ at "off" if I am standing next to the bed/couch/whatever, but less so if I'm actually on the furniture with him. It's a work in progress. 
 
I trained "off "with the clicker at first. We've established the behavior, so we're not clicking any more and treats are pretty intermitant. But I do keep tupperware containers of treats on each floor should a spontaneous training opportunity arise.
 
The no-dogs-on-bed thing is key right now with my husband recuperating from a broken ankle, and I have to say that Suzanne Clothier (right?) was right about the White Carpet Syndrome. If you really really REALLY don't want a dog to enter a particular room or get on a particular piece of furniture while you're there, most dogs will get that. But only if it is of huge importance to you. Not having dogs on the bed while we're in it was of major importance to DH and I in the past few weeks, as the proper healing of his ankle depends on not being jostled a lot and definatley not sat upon! And those dogs got that in about 20 minutes and we haven't had a dog in bed with us for over a month.  But key to that was opening up the rest of the house for them to find their own comfy spots on various other pieces of furniture (previously we'd kept the bedroom door shut at night and required both dogs to be in the room with us). Most nights now find both dogs sleeping soundly next to each other on the futon (we keep it covered unless humans are sitting on it) downstairs. Dogs, especially hounds, love comfort. Get a couple uber-comfy dog beds and I think you'll find your furinture is much less enticing.

Well you just said that treats dont work (i never use them anyways) so thats out of the question
 
I dont see any reason for not to take your dog out of the bed, unless he has an agressive past and you know he is gonna bite you (only you will know that) but if not you just have to take himm off the couch and mean it (mean it does not mean be rude abouut it) just grab him and take him off of it and if he wants to go up again block his way and say no so he takes you seriously, people who dont do that are afraid of their own dogs and actually i dont think thats a pleasant relationship
 
Cesar Millan talks about this exactly:
 
"Take Back Your Couch
Leadership and hierarchy are natural in the animal world. Their places in the pack start to become established as soon as it enters the world. So it amazes me when I have clients who give up some of their comforts of home to the dog! The client will say, “Oh, that#%92s Baxter#%92s couch” or “My husband and I can#%92t even see each other in our bed because the dogs take up all the room in the middle.” Wait a minute! You paid for your house! You go to work to pay for that couch, and that bed and yet you can#%92t use it because it “belongs” to the dog? Something#%92s very wrong there. If this describes you, then it#%92s time to take back your own home.
Once again, it all comes back to establishing a leadership position. You must feel in your bones that you are the pack leader in the house, and project that calm-assertive energy. If you assert true leadership, your dog will not be sad, or hate you, or resent you, even if you take back the place on the sofa. But you have to really mean it. Having a leader is hardwired into your dog#%92s brain – that#%92s what he both needs and wants. Take advantage of that and go ahead, sit on your couch again!"

If I have treats, then she'll get off and get the treat and then it's just back up onto the couch.

 
Clearly the dog likes treats. Its just that the correct behavior hasn't been reinforced with them. You can't just wave treats around and call that training. That really is just bribery and that's different from training with treats as rewards or as lures.
 
I'm not afraid of my dogs, thanks.I just don't think that physically moving them myself teaches them what I want them to learn.

ORIGINAL: houndlove
I just don't think that physically moving them myself teaches them what I want them to learn.

 
Funny thing, thats is exactly what i think about doing it with treats []

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!  I think the problem with treats is that she understands the reward for getting down so she gets back up so she can get back down and get another treat.  She's a smart girl - and has never been anything but loving, never aggressive - and picks up on things very easily.

I did such a bad job with her training in the beginning (she's my first dog, ever) that I was convinced I could never "fix" her bad behavior.  Everyone told me she wasn't trainable and was just a whacko dog.  Well, she's *not* and recently I have started to give myself (and her) enough credit to teach her new things.  She can now sit and wait  until I give the okay (even when I put her food bowl down!).  Yay, Molly!

I'm sure she can learn to not get on the couch, but I guess I have to be consistent.  I really do want to lie with her sometimes, even if she does think she's an 8 lb dog curled up on my chest (ugh).  I'm just worried that if I let her up at all, she'll get confused...

ORIGINAL: the1irishgirl

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!  I think the problem with treats is that she understands the reward for getting down so she gets back up so she can get back down and get another treat. 

 
Ha ha, too smart for her own good!