Couch/Bed jumpers!
 

I started writing and it got too long so... Long story short:

I bought a step stool for M/Z to use but it's not quite working out. M uses it to get on the bed/couch but still jumps off. Z won't even go near it no matter what I entice her with.

Decided maybe a ramp would have better result. Researching and seeing how expensive these things can be, I came across a DIY for these things.

DIY Indoor Pet Ramp - My Repurposed Life?

It looks really easy to construct for anyone. Hope this will be helpful for those who have super furbutts that thinks they're super yorkies. :D

If anyone's interested, I'll post a picture of the one I make.

I'd like to see it. We found pet steps at a garage sale for $10 that we use. 3 steps and they both use it most of the time to get up. But they still jump off most of the time. Maybe a ramp would be better

I posted about this exact same thing several times, I was sorry I introduced the stairs to help her get on my bed which is high, she never once used them to go down she just kept jumping, before the steps I would lift her on the bed at night and lift her off in the morning, never once did she jump off until we got the steps. Then she started accessing the bed whenever she wanted and I found her on my nightstand several times, I put an end to it in less than a month and things returned to normal. Lola is large enough to jump on the couch, but frankly I wish she could not. I much prefer her to only get on things on my terms not hers. If your pup can not get on the couch why encourage her to, if you are there you can pick her up, if you are not there then IMO she should stay on the floor in a bed or pillows. I have lots of beds so Lola never even thinks to go on the couch unless we are sitting on it.

LOL probably not, these little ones seem to want to do things the quickest way so they jump and also I think most feel safer doing so (which of course is not safer) but I think looking down a ramp or a set of stairs is more scary to them then jumping

I also hate how Toto jumps up and down. He only sometimes uses the steps to go up, but never to go down. And my bed is high. Plus he's almost 10 so I worry about his little joints. Uni uses the steps usually both up and down.

Totally understand your point. My situation is bit different b/c of few things. The couch.. it's not a big deal b/c there's a spot where it's low enough that I'm not too bothered for them both getting on/off.

This ramp is mostly for my bed. The only time they're in my room is when I'm there. And there are times when my dad would send them up to my room to wake me up from a nap.

The reason I got the steps in the first place is b/c Magnus would jump and jump and jump until he succeeds getting onto my bed. Zoey would TRY but of course, she's way too short but it won't stop her from hopping like mad.

There are times when I'll put Z on my bed to play "find the squeaky". I do this to keep M from ruining Z's fun. (Like kids, even if I give them identical toys, they want what the other has....) From time to time, I get distracted/pre-occupied and before I know it, Z jumps off the bed.

I'm not worried about them getting on my nightstand or my work station. The nightstand has nothing they'd be interested in. The work station.. I'm right there so even if there is something that might be harmful, they won't get to it. :D

Dinky is having LP and ligament surgery on Monday. We just saw the surgeon today and he told us that he has had to do surgery on dogs who have jumped on and off beds and sofas for years until finally one day they get hurt. (usually small dogs)
We asked him about stairs up to beds and sofas long after the recovery, and he said the best way is to train a small dog to wait to be lifted up and down. of course, even a well trained dog will break the rule, but at least we can eliminate many potential opportunities for injuries.
I am intrigued though about the ramp idea!

"Hope this will be helpful for those who have super furbutts that thinks they're super yorkies"


Magnus, Love this!

I totally agree and training will help, if I am in bed reading and Lola is not she will come to the side where I am and just stand there either on all fours or on her hind legs and then I pick her up and put her on the bed, if she was able to jump up on her own I would just shut my bedroom unless I was in there. My floor is carpeted but so many people have wood floors, when I sleep at my sisters the bed is smaller and the room is hardwood, so like it or not Lola must sleep on the floor in a nice comfortable bed of her own because I am so worried I might boot her off the bed or she would decide to jump.

Just happened to see this thread it's at the top of the sick and injured page

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ml#post4540412

Although Yazmin already has a ramp, I'd love to see your photos of the ramp you're going to make. ;) Yazmin and I, both love her ramp. I like for her to be able to climb in my bed to cuddle as she pleases. We also use the ramp to play fetch every evening. Yazmin brings me a favorite toy and waits for me to toss it outside my bedroom into my hallway. She runs down the ramp, retrieves her toy and then runs back up the ramp to have it tossed again. I feel it's good exercise, especially since we're not able to take daily walks due to the cold weather. I guess I'm very fortunate, she's not a jumper by nature. Yazmin's also not once, taken anything off my nightstand even though she's aware that's where I keep her bedtime treat jar. :D

The ramp seems to require even less impact stress on the dog's tiny joints than the doggie steps. I love the ramps other than how far out they reach into the room!

I trained Tibbe going up and down his doggie steps by using large, cardboard boxes on either side of it and making a fun game out of him going up and down the steps. The training almost did me in - he'd forget and jump directly off the couch often at first - but I gave him lots of his favorite treats - liver treats at the time - he was young - and eventually he got it - that using the doggie steps made me happy, he got serial-fed his fav treats and we danced and celebrated every time he used them.

Like I say, the training just about did me in - all that getting up and treating, praising, celebrating every time that dog jumped up or down all day! Hardest training on me physically I've ever done. Every so often he would bail off the couch or bed and he would get the "Oh - NOOOOOO - NO NO NO! Bad, bad jump!!! NO NO NO" and my jumping up and sticking my finger in his face and grimacing at him with my eyebrows all drawn together and we'd then go back into frequent happy-time training for a couple of days and he got back on track, preferring the pleasant mommy.

After about 3 mos., it was second nature for him to use the stairs or ramp. My back was EXTREMELY grateful when his using his stairs/ramps became second nature to him. :)

Loved your training story, jilly. Dinky responds the training the same way. It takes him forever to get it! I have noticed that as he gets older, he seems smarter. (he's 5 now). We decided that during his convalescence we will keep him off the sofa because he could really hurt himself if he jumps off after surgery. So we started today and created a super comfy cozy nest with beds and one of OUR blankets to tempt him. He actually gave up giving me the "I'm heartbroken" stare after only 5 minutes (and I almost gave in!) He's sleeping in in his new "nest" now.

Thank you - lol. That was hard training - on me. I think training an already trained, older dog is much easier. They automatically know to try to learn and please you and know the perks of learning the new behavior once they understand, know the way training works and that doing the command makes everybody happier.

Good plan to keep him on the floor or in a stroller or crate unless you are actually sitting right beside him and can stop him from jumping anytime he begins to arise after surgery. I love ladyjane's use of a stroller for keeping a convalescing dog nearby during waking moments when you can't hold or be right beside them.

I've blanked - pretty sure I've seen posts about Dinky's surgery but could I ask again what kind of surgery is Dinky having, poor baby? (Not trying to highjack OP's thread!)

jilly, it's LP and a torn ligament. I posted in sick and injured and got great advice!

Oh, duh, I had just seen that earlier during scanning for new posts! I'm having a senior-day! A reputable board certified orthopedist who has performed many of these procedures can likely help the little Dinkster get past this, poor baby.

I look forward to seeing photos and hearing how "easy" this is to make. I am not very handy and my husband is even less so. A ramp seems like a good option but I hate spending so much money to find out Ali jumps over it. ugh She is VERY good about using a platform of pillows to get down from our high bed but when she is amped up over a noise she hears she FLIES. It's so upsetting, I don't want to deal with a broken leg ever again!

From what I understand, LP is a condition dogs are born with, though jumping, stress/injury, or weight can aggravate it and could lead to lameness and then surgery. Is your baby having surgery bc of the torn ligament, and then also correcting the LP? The LP is from the groove in the leg (tibia?) not being deep enough to keep the kneecap in place. Jumping would not cause the kneecap to come out of place unless the bone already was too shallow.

Unfortunately the majority of yorkies have LP including mine. Toto just jumped off the chair behind me right now. :( It's hard to keep them from doing it! They love jumping up and down off of stuff.

Jeanie you crack me up in a good way, you are one determined lady and I love it. Getting a dog to stop doing something that comes naturally to them sure takes a lot of perseverance .

Several of my friends have yorkies when they come over their dogs jump right up on the couch which is in the center of my great room, and they walk along the edge of the top, a couple have taken a flying leap off the back right onto the floor, so far no problems, (fingers crossed) I keep shooing them off and they jump right back up. Lola is 4 and has a slight LP in her back leg and so I am trying to keep her from jumping on stuff. This is funny but one of the times she jumps the most is when I am on the toilet, Lola is not a lap dog at all until I take a seat on the throne and no matter where she is in the house she comes running and then stands in front of me jumping and jumping till I pick her up, I am alone a lot in my home so I seldom shut the door but now I am trying to remember to do that:D:D

ROFL This is why I prefer to use the bathroom upstairs when I need to potty. If the door is closed of course, they want in and I can see Z's little paw sweeping under the door to let me know she's out there waiting for me to open the door. It's... really distracting to say the least. :rolleyes:

I also would like to see the ramp when it is finished and look at the directions. I bought a set of stairs when I got my first yorkie so that my dachshund would be able to get up and down off the couch herself without the yorkie following her. Of course, I forgot that puppies quickly learn to go up and down stairs. Duncan, my 5 month old, was always going up and down the stairs to and from the couch but Little Miss Elliot, my three month old, goes up the stairs to the couch but always jumps off the top step no matter how many times I tell her no. BUT just within the past couple of days, I have caught Duncan jumping onto the couch. I haven't caught him jumping off yet but I know as soon as I type this, tonight when I go home, he will jump off. My dachshund jumps off many times and always injures her back and I have to take her to the vet for anti-inflammatories and pain meds. I would like to avoid that with the yorkies.

This is totally off topic but.. Seeing as how you have a doxie... I wanted to share this vid!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...08&pnref=story

that was so cute, thanks. :) I never thought to put Anya in the water to see if she could swim. I might try it this year ;)

Its not perfect and I need to do couple more things but basically, this is it!

Attachment 404815

Oh Wow! :thumbup: Nice ramp, I like that it has platform!

That's too funny. I have actually just recently found our biggest boy on the kitchen table. He seems to think he can jump from the kitchen table to the couch! Now I have to use two pet gates cause both can get out of the kitchen by jumping. Also now one can jump over the Xpen. These dogs are way too adventurous and fearless.

LOL - if Tibbe hadn't learned to use his steps/ramps when he did, I was about to go into traction! Thank God he finally got it and never bails off the couch unless there is a cat in the front yard. Then, it's 75/25 he'll jump directly onto the floor and my heart stops, just praying he doesn't go down as I saw Jilly do that awful day.

Love your bathroom story about Lola! My little Jilly, who weighed 3 lbs and was as easy to lift as a pillow, also insisted on spending time on my lap while I was in the bathroom!!!!!! I don't even know how it started but one day I realized it had become a habit and we kept it up her whole 13 years of life. When I got up to go to the restroom, Jilly followed along behind as if attached to my foot, turned herself backward for ease in picking her up once we got there and joined me on the "throne" as thought it was a right she cherished! Such memories we have of these little toots.

Report!

M is taking to the ramp like a pro! And Z used the ramp when I enticed her with a toy! This is great because before, she wouldn't go near the steps. Small achievement but still paw forward in the right direction!

Great news, and good Job with the ramp:thumbup:

I'm very impressed with your work! Very nicely done! I'd never thought of that placement for one at the bed! Saves so much space.

(Space and you don't have to worry about getting your toe stubbed in the middle of the night when going to use the potty.. lol)

Thanks! I initially had the steps by the side of the bed like everyone else. I decided to change location so they can see it when they first enter the room which really does help.

I'm VERY happy with the ramp. It only took about an hour or so, bit of fun encouragement and now Z is using the ramp like she's used it all her life! This morning, my dad sent the furry alarm clocks to wake me for breakfast. Usually, I'd hear Z hopping/whining to get on the bed. Today! Before I knew it, I had that small tongue all over my face!

One of the best part is that the only thing this ramp cost me was my time and energy (took only about 20-30 min to put together). I had ample access to all the supplies needed! Win/WIN!!!!