What rules do you have for your dog?

[BoysRule]

We are getting a puppy on Sunday and I am currently reading everything I can on training etc.

However, one thing that seems to be personal to the owners is what freedom they have around the house: can they go on the sofa? upstairs? when should they be told to go into their bed etc?

I don't want to make things more difficult by changing rules later on but at the moment I don't feel I am worried about it going on the sofa or upstairs. Does anyone have any thoughts they could share?

Ours is allowed upstairs, which I am perfectly happy with tbh - I think the upstairs/downstairs division is a bit arbitrary (particularly as one of our bedrooms is downstairs).
However, I seriously regret ever letting him on the sofa! It started that we only let him on our laps (in the days when he wasn't enormous) not on the actual sofa itself, but before long he was overflowing onto the sofa and now takes up most of it .

My son's dog has been trained not to go upstairs, on the sofa etc unless invited. Best of both worlds! Also not to start eating until given permission.

Not allowed upstairs. They are allowed on 'their' sofa only (this does work btw, they don't try and get on any other chairs or sofas, just their own one)

The most important commands I think, are recall - s/he must come back to you on recall immediately. And not jumping out of the car as soon as the boot is opened, he must wait for the command to jump down.

No weeing or pooing in the house .

Sitting and waiting to be told they can go through a door that is being opened (not because I think there is any sort of hierarchy but for safety's sake, a friend's dog had a very close near miss when it bolted out of the front door after a jogger when she opened it to the postman).

No being fed from dinner plates, we had a previous dog who we gave titbits and the drool became really off putting.

No dogs in the kitchen unless they are invited in, they have a mat that they sit on at the threshold and watch me from.

They are allowed on the sofa but have to wait for throws to be put on when they come back from a walk. They don't go upstairs but only because dog hair on the bed makes my eyes and throat itch.

caravanista - that's a really good idea, I will attempt it. I also like the boot idea for safety reasons.

All our dogs, past & present have been and are allowed everywhere, including on sofas and beds. They're as much part of the family as we are !

Never have had or will have a basket/bed. Our dogs have a bed in our bedroom, but not one downstairs. Seen it used as punishment/banishment and don't like it.

Recall - one has it and one doesn't (both adult rescues and sighthounds so recall is a bit hit and miss with the breed!). Consequently the one with no recall never comes off the lead.

They aren't allowed in the bedroom unless invited - but one of life's pleasures is taking a lovely warm dog to bed with you when it's cold!

No snatching of treats etc. and they are both very gentle-mouthed. They both go to their bed when we eat - I cannot bear dogs mooching about and begging at the table.

They don't jump up unless told and they drop when commanded. We've never played 'tug' with them for the reason that if they run away with someone that they shouldn't, then it can be confusing for them to know what they are allowed to refused to give up.

No sofa although he sneaks up when he thinks we have gone out tsk. No jumping up for food and if he gets titbits they go in his bowl we also trained him to sit and wait for his food . we have recently moved from flat to stairs he is allowed up he loves lying on the top stair I think if you are consistent with your rules then it helps you and dog they love routine IMO.decide what you will allow

Sorry, meant to add. Ours follows commands, the usuals like sit, waits to be told to get dinner etc...

Current muttley knows even if she is sitting on the sofa next to anyone eating, she must not 'react' until she is invited to have a bite....I'm probably the worst for giving her titbits because she sits so beautifully and doesn't try to steal.

Our old muttleys were a completely different breed and often woofed food off your plate before you realised !

I can't stand moochy dogs either ours gets dinner same time as we do then he doesn't beg.

Someone! Something

My last dog would steal your last crumb and not even care this dog has lovely manners can't let him off lead because he bolts but has nice manners

We don't really have any rules apart from he goes on his bed if he's dirty.

He is allowed upstairs, but he would not want to sleep up there. He likes his downstairs routine.

He won't go out of the front door until he is told to and he waits in the car with the doors open until he's given the ok to get out.

I'd like to say we trained him to do that, but we didn't train him to do anything apart from come back on a walk.

MrsJayy

Wait is one of the most useful commands we taught our dog. We use it for things like doorways, at gates, getting in and out of car and makes things so much safer! Our previous dog used to barge past at every opportunity and being fairly large it could get quite painful.
Also, not being allowed to beg for food. Again, previous dog used to and it wasn't so much the begging as he used to sit quietly - it was the strings of drool that was seriously off putting. At almost 2, Molly doesn't bother us for food at all and will curl up on the sofa next to me while I'm eating a sandwich and not take any notice whatsoever. Still surprises me every time!
So she is allowed on the sofa, but not upstairs as she is a heavily moulting breed and we wanted a relatively hair free bedroom. We have a stair gate but it is so ingrained now that even if we leave the gate open she makes no move to go up the stairs.

My DDog is not allowed upstairs - that is the cat's safe area where he can leave his biscuits and know they will still be there when he comes back for more! He is not allowed on my sofa, however he is allowed access to sofas on our frequent visits DD & SIL's home - and he knows the difference!
He knows not to chase cats, though squirrels are fair game.
Bed used for night, when he is home alone and when strangers come into house.

No sofa here, I know how the dog basket smells and don't wantsofa tosmell like that!

Also, my mum's dog thinks the sofa is her bed, so growls when anyone sits in "her bed" and has to be locked away

Idiotic imo but not uncommon

My dog is sitting next to me on the sofa, the little bastards only have to see me making moves to go to bed and they always seem to make it there before me!

Its really up to you, the only thing i would say is whatever you want, decide now and stick with it, it might mean a few sleepless nights of howling but your dog will soon get used to whatever is her bed. So if she is to be crated, fine, but don't relent half way through the night, you'll have to be strong!

My dogs are small, we had rotties before - one was allowed upstairs and on the bed, but had to shift at bedtime, the other was a rescue with some aggression issues so he wasn't allowed upstairs or on our bed (as many dog bites happen if a dog is pushed out of "his" bed!)

As for rules - don't bite anyone or fight with other dogs are the only ones that our current pair of terrorists understand. They can be buggers but they fit into our family well.

Our labrador is allowed upstairs, wish we'd kept him downstairs as he now likes sitting on the middle step (large step, switch back stairs) looking out the window to the field at the back of our house.

Because he's a lab he sheds hair constantly and I need to vacuum stairs at least twice a week. Hate vacuuming stairs.

Mine are never ever allowed upstairs, and they're not in the living room if we're not there, we have stair gates all over the place and definitely not on the furniture under any circumstances. Its really good when people come over especially if they're afraid of dogs my dogs will quite happily stay in the kitchen and because the way my house is laid out I can go to the door knowing they can't ever get out.
The best dog would like to ask why that bloody cat is allowed all over the house and on the furniture and even worse the bed and why also he has to look so dam smug about it. He thinks is dog discrimination pure and simple and would like to know who he complains too.

Most important training for a puppy is socialisation and lots of it, both people, other dogs and children. Also recall, nothing worse than a dog who runs off and refuses to come back. Other rules depend on what type of breed as some are mighty hard to train. I am a dog trainer and dog groomer but my dog sleeps in our bed / on sofa etc!

Two labs here. They aren't allowed on sofa but I do sometimes invite them up for a snuggle, they won't get up without been asked.

Also neither allowed upstairs. I walk them twice daily in muddy fields and woodland so are rarely clean enough for long enough.

German shepherds here and they are not allowed upstairs of on the sofas. Invite only to the livingroom. No begging and making sure they have a good recall. We never did feeding at set times as we like to be flexible.

We have plenty of rules. Only some of them abided by. They are a tad spoilt.

Rules for them:
They are encouraged to stay downstairs. They will follow me up there, but only when I walk up there and allow.

They are small. I've allowed them on the sofa. I won't do this again.

They don't have free run when we aren't there. They live in the kitchen.

Rules for us:

No human food. This to a degree. I'm sure others give it (DP does indeed feed them when I'm not looking). But I rarely do other than veggies.

Train them. Keep training them. Even when you think they have it - they love the stimulation. 30mins a night. They enjoy it so much and are so much obviously happier than when I didn't do this.

We don't shout or smack. Discipline is stern voice with key phrase and 5mins in the sin bin (downstairs toilet). They are never put in bed when naughty. Bed is safe place. Luckily naughtys are few and far between.

Random words for walk and food "yum Yums" for food and "tats" for walk etc.You can have a conversation without fearing saying the word.

Enjoy!

I own, and foster, whippets.

I don't make the rules. They have free reign. Sigh.