Am I the worst dog owner in the world..

[Millielovehart]

To not let her on the sofa?

She's a rescue labrador and clearly been allowed on the sofa where she's been before. We have a white leather sofa and she desperately wants to come up- I get those sad eyes, a paw and a head tilt every evening.

Do you let your dogs on the sofa?

[user1477282676]

Put a throw on the sofa. Leather wipes clean anyway surely.

[WaitrosePigeon]

We let our dog on the sofas and beds but he's tiny and doesn't shed.

[MardAsSnails]

One of the dogs is allowed on her bit of one of the sofas only. She sometimes looks us dead in the face and slowly puts one paw on the other bit, but 'oi' 'Alex her take it back off again.

The other two don't even try to get on sofas. Although the lab does get on every bed he can, but never alone. If there's a person on or in a bed, he joins them. The throw on the spare bed in his room is washed twice a week. We find that nicer than tellling the poor old yellow bastard that he can't have nice snuggles on it.

All rescues. And I am too soft with them all.

[MardAsSnails]

Alex? Who the fuck is Alex? 'Oi' makes Her take her paw off the wrong bit of the sofa

[arbrighton]

erm. We have a no sofa rule. Honest.

She's allowed into laps if asked as she's small and a cuddler but only if asked.

However, we know, thanks to the warm patch each morning, that she sleeps up on it. No hairs as she's non-shedding and always hears the stairs creaking so we don't catch her in the act.

As for bed. NO! She's not even allowed upstairs. She might be carried up for a morning cuddle occasionally but that's going to stop with another, bigger, shedding dog on the way.

[MrsJayy]

Mine got defensive and snappy on the sofa so he isn't allowed now and has his own bed. It really is up to you keep at it look away from the eyes and dont let your dog up.

[galaxygirl45]

We had a lab that never got on the sofas, she was too big and hairy tbh. She had a bed right underneath my feet though so was close by!!! We now have a small cocker spaniel that lives on the sofas - much to DH's disgust. He's the first at night to call him onto his lap though. Labs use their eyes for all sorts of emotional blackmail ie food, cuddles, walks. Don't engage, it's a trap .

[Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse]

Two large Labradors allowed on our sofa (but only when they are invited up) because we love cuddling them. However ours is a big squishy brown leather sofa and I like to think they are merely adding to its squishiness and patina! I must be soft though cos I've wanted a lovely navy velvet chesterfield for a while now but keep deciding against as the dogs wouldn't be allowed on that. I'm stuck with squishy one forever I fear.

[dannyglick]

My 11 year old Collie cross rescue is currently curled up fast asleep on the sofa, on his fleecy pet blanket.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

We started out with a no dogs on the furniture rule, when we got our first dog - a brown labrador. But I liked having her on my lap for cuddles, so I rationalised it thus - the cat is allowed on the sofa and chairs, so it wouldn't be fair if we didn't treat the dog the same!

Now it is just as well that the boys are away most of the time (one has moved out and got a job, the other two are still at university) because the evenings quite often end up with ddog2 between dh and me on the sofa, and ddog1 and the cat on the other two chairs - so there is nowhere for other members of the family to sit!

[preciouspig]

Our dog is allowed on the sofa. We put a duvet on there but he just crawls underneath it and gets cosy

[Summerisdone]

I don't think it makes you a bad owner at all, you have your own house rules and as long as you're consistent with putting them in place then the dog will become used to them and get over it... on saying that, I have little to no house rules with my dog and I actually sometimes have people move so as not to disturb my dog sleeping on sofa, but I think that makes me a bad dog owner

[scrivette]

White leather and dogs don't mix - eyes dirty sofa that won't get clean with a tear in it.

[Rumtopf]

That what blankets are for yes?
Ddog loves coming up for a cuddle, but he knows he's only allowed when there's a blanket there.

My Dad was horrified I let a 35kg German shepherd up on the brand new sofa, until I pointed out that I care not a jot, the blankets are washable and get changed every other day!

[Keremy]

We have a whippet and therefore no choice....

[JoffreyBaratheon]

Our old dog thought the cat was his mother. So he copied her. One thing he loved to do was walk along the back of the sofa just like his tiny "mum". Except he didn't have her balance and would constantly crash onto our heads. No joke with 35lb of muscly dog!

But yes, there's that too. The cat's allowed...

[ProcrastinatingSquid2]

Our dog isn't allowed up. He was a real brat about it when he was small but he's accepted it now. I've got a friend with a GSD that has real aggression and dominance issues and they still allow it up on the settee and bed, which I just find crazy. Certain dogs really do need it made clear that they are bottom of the pack and keeping them off the furniture is a big part of that.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Joffrey - ddog2 is a rescue dog who can be quite highly strung as a result. If she gets upset, she thinks the safest place for her to be is on the back of the sofa, behind me - basically she sits on my head!

It is fun when 32kg of lab cross tries to get to higher ground on your head!

[MrsJayy]

Aww our last dog thought the cat was her mum it was verysweet when dog died cat used tolie in dogs spot

[JoffreyBaratheon]

Mrs we had two dogs and a cat (who outlived them all - she died last year aged 21!) And she adopted the first dog as her kitten, but the second dog left her utterly indifferent. Which was odd as her adopted 'kitten' was a boisterous, daft staffy and her 'rejected kitten' was the gentle, quiet, sweet natured bull terrier... Staffy died first, and the cat still never accepted Dog 2 as her baby. Dog adored her but cat used to just wander off, when dog showed her affection. But once they were two grand old ladies, I'd find them finally curled up together, asleep, on my bed.

[FATEdestiny]

Our 11 month old cocker spaniel has never bern allowed on the sofa.

She started calming down a bit recently, growing out of the puppy stage. We now allow her up on invitation only. But she knows it's a treat not an expectation.

She also doesn't go upstairs (because she chews stuff when unsupervised) so therefore she's never even seen our beds.

[MrsJayy]

Oh that is lovely joffrey

[dannyglick]

SDT's dog seems to have arranged cushions to suit: my dog does that, too, and will nose them onto the floor if they are not satisfactory.

[luckylambchop]

When our dog first arrived 2 months ago we didn't allow him on the sofa in case he thought of it as his place and became aggressive when we wanted to sit on it. Now we're all a bit settled we've started to let him on it during the day, but the first whiff of a growl if he's asked to move and that would be that, banned for life!

Our sofas are leather though so easy to clean. Might feel differently otherwise. And I certainly would never allow the dog on my bed, he doesn't even go upstairs.