This afternoon I walked into the loungeroom from the other end of the house to find Little Miss Freya sitting on the couch.
She most certainly wasnt where I left her. All I could do was stand and stare at her with mouth gaping open.
I actually asked her 'How did you get up there young Miss?'
She just looked at me with an expression that said 'How do you think?'
I couldnt help but laugh at her, even though this is not what I want to encourage.

I dont want her on any furniture - Couches, beds, chairs etc.
On occasion I lift her onto the couch for a snuggle, but it's me allowing her up, not her getting up herself.
She tries to jump up a lot, but I gentle push her down and tell her 'No'

Do you think me letting her up for a snuggle is encouraging the wanting to get up, or is it telling her, she's aloud up but only if I say it's okay?

And how do I stop her from getting up at her own free will?

To discourage getting on any furniture it is usually best to just not allow it period. Not by her jumping and not by you taking her and putting her on them. That's the easiest way, I think. Even though you're putting her up there - right now she doesn't understand/isn't making the connection that furniture is off limits because, well, you're letting her up there when you pick her up.

How to prevent/stop it: never take your eyes off of her. If you are 100% watching her the moment she tries or succeeds at jumping on the furniture you can remover her and tell her "off" or "no". If you use the tether system at all that would work even better.

I personally allow my dog on all furniture. I think though that if you don't want that - don't encourage the behavior by confusing her by picking her up and letting her up there. I'd say don't pick her up and put her on anything and just completely leave her on the floor - when she's older if you want her up on the couch to snuggle - you can then call her up - that way its on your terms but she knows that she is only allowed to be up there - on your terms.

My dogs are not allow on the furniture.. When we first got Blaze he tried jumping up on the couch a couple of times we took him off and said no No NO. Kerian has tried jumping up on the bed (we believe when she was a puppy she was allowed on the bed but not in our house.. We took her off and said No also.

Both of our dogs have been allowed on beds but no other furniture. They are smart dogs, they will not get confused... Really Sabaka rarely even gets on the beds without an invitation. Twice at around 4 months old of so, we caught Sabaka on the couch in the living room (which is not a room we frequent). He learned quickly to stay off, though.

We do not allow our dogs on prohibited furniture even with an invitation to snuggle. That may get confusing...

THanks everyone. No more snuggles for Freya on the couch. If she/I want snuggles from now on it has to be on the floor.

Thanks again. I nappreciate the time you've all taken to answer my questions.