# Train my dog to stop putting his ball under the couch.



## Apdfranklin

Anyone have any ideas on how to train my dog to stop putting his ball under the couch. 

What is does is, hits the ball with his foot or nose and pushes it under the couch. When he can't reach it he will cry till someone lifts the couch so he can get his ball. It's a great work out but it gets a little annoying after a little while.

BTW: Thanks for adding this part of the forum.


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## bellamicuore

If you can, I would ignore him and not get the ball whenever he pushes the ball under the couch. Even remove the dog from the area if you have to. That will be his signal that the game is over whenever his ball goes under the couch.


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## RawFedDogs

GreenDog said:


> Anyone have any ideas on how to train my dog to stop putting his ball under the couch.


As the prevous post said, stop playing his game. He has you trained very well. Smart dog.


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## Apdfranklin

Never looked at it that way. Thanks for the advice.....


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## Guest

I save my training for the bigger stuff (come when called, walk off leash, stay etc.) For this I would just use management. 
You could get a dozen balls so at least one is out from under the couch at all times.
You could get those jumbo tennis balls that don't fit under a couch.
I have a back scratcher that I occasionally retrieve all the balls from under the couch with (though I should probably use a swifter duster!)

Or it could be that your dog has a basic need to shove a tennis ball someplace so give him somewhere else to do it. An upturned box, a milk crate, an ottoman, whatever works for him.


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## Apdfranklin

This does make sense, he also loves putting his tennis ball in my shoe and then trying to paw it out. I might try to rig him up something that is a little bit of a challenge.


zentrainer said:


> I save my training for the bigger stuff (come when called, walk off leash, stay etc.) For this I would just use management.
> You could get a dozen balls so at least one is out from under the couch at all times.
> You could get those jumbo tennis balls that don't fit under a couch.
> I have a back scratcher that I occasionally retrieve all the balls from under the couch with (though I should probably use a swifter duster!)
> 
> Or it could be that your dog has a basic need to shove a tennis ball someplace so give him somewhere else to do it. An upturned box, a milk crate, an ottoman, whatever works for him.


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## SPS

Well, if you want him to stop whining whenever this happens you might have to ignore him. The only other option I see is to put some sort of padding under the couch so the ball doesn't accidentally roll under it.


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## Rexandbaby

We had to block our couches for a bit, just used 2X4's or 2X6's and it solved that problem, now, we let them play with balls when we are in the mood to play with them.


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## rockymtsweetie82

I agree with bellamicuore. My dogs loved to shove things under the couch when they were younger. For a while I'd get down on my hands and knees and either dig it out myself or shove the couch. (For a while shoving the couch wasn't a doable because it was one heavy freakin' couch!) After a while my poor knees didn't like the floor anymore so I just stopped trying. And after a while, their game got boring. Now it's funny when the ball goes under the couch because they never mean to do it. China gets frustrated. If the ball goes under the couch she just walks away.


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