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The doghouse

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Original poster

Do you let your dog on the sofa?

114 replies

Mamabear12 · 14/11/2018 07:25

Growing up our dog was allowed on sofa, but we didn’t live in a city. We lived in a new area, with new clean sidewalks, that were not used often and our dog did her business in our garden. I feel like london sidewalks are filthy. And in the park, loads of poo that people don’t pick up 😡 so we always said we would not let the dog on the sofa. But of course the kids let her up and now the dog goes up at night. She obviously doesn’t get she should not do as the kids let her up. So my question is - is this a battle I want to fight? Do I keep insisting no dog on couch? Or do I just give in now? Obviously I love having her on the couch. I just hate thought of whatever she stepped on is also going on the couch. And then if we sit on it in our pjs and get into our beds - yuck! I’m a little ocd with having clean beds, clothes etc.

OP posts:
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Yokohamajojo · 14/11/2018 09:44

Yes but mostly he thinks it's too warm or too cramped so he prefers to go on the rug under the sofa table! We need a bigger sofa Smile

puppymouse · 14/11/2018 09:45

DDog historically has never been on sofa. He's 6. Not through any massive training but it was easy to prevent. DH didn't like the idea of it. We now have throws on the sofa though so I do sneak him up onto my feet some days and DH grumbles a bit but lets it go....

He doesn't tend to stay long though as he likes his own space to sleep.

fivedogstofeed · 14/11/2018 09:58

Dogs on sofas here. We have a pile of cheap throws which get washed and rotated.

Do you let your dog on the sofa?
BiteyShark · 14/11/2018 10:00

DH and I sit at each end of the sofa and vie for BiteyDogs cuddles Grin

mirren3 · 14/11/2018 10:27

Santa Absolutely love that pic, multi storey dogs!

missbattenburg · 14/11/2018 10:28

Dogs on sofas here too. The springer doesn't stay up for more than ten minutes before going and lying on the kitchen floor so he's not too much of a hassle. The JRTs are small and curl up in any tiny space that is free.

I have just swapped our light coloured, linen sofa for something a bit more... mud proof, though.

Floralnomad · 14/11/2018 10:34

Dog goes wherever he wants , beds and sofas all have large washable throws on them . He has short hair , doesn’t shed hair and gets wiped down with wet wipes including paws after walks so is as clean as it’s possible for a dog to be .

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 14/11/2018 10:38

Of course I do! She is a family member. She also tends not to stand in dog poo, just like most dogs!

adaline · 14/11/2018 11:56

Yes, mine is allowed on the sofa and sleeps in our bed. We have loads of cheap throws that we wash and rotate as needed. Nothing better than warm, snuggly cuddles with the hound in the evening! He doesn't have a lot of dignity though...

Do you let your dog on the sofa?
steppemum · 14/11/2018 12:01

our dog is not allowed on the sofa.

He sleeps on ds bed, (and dds sometimes)
There is one armchair with a special throw that he is allowed on. He has a bed in each room

But not on the sofas.

My reason is that the sofas are battered enough without more mud/dirt.
That he is white and moults and there are dog hairs everywhere, and I don't want them on my clothes.
We often have people round, and I don't like visitors having their clothes covered in dog hair.
Frankly, the house smells doggy enough with him sleeping on the carpets!

Might feel differently if we had hard floors

SenecaFalls · 14/11/2018 12:04

Ours is allowed anywhere. She sleeps with us as well.

MrsJayy · 14/11/2018 12:05

My dog turned into an arsrhole when he was alllowed up on couches he thought it was ALL his so he now has his own bed.

Pissedoffdotcom · 14/11/2018 12:06

Every single one of mine has been allowed on the sofa or the bed but by invitation only. I got round the whole dirty paws thing by wiping their feet before they came in!

adaline · 14/11/2018 12:11

And YY - train them to have their paws wiped after wet and muddy walks. We come in through the back door and make him stand while we wipe his paws individually. At first he needed to be bribed with sausage but now he stands quite happily to be wiped down and towelled over if it's wet.

ADastardlyThing · 14/11/2018 12:14

Yep, my girl is allowed anywhere in the house, and has her own place on the settee and sleeps spooning me in our bedroom

percheron67 · 14/11/2018 12:14

Never, although my bitch had her own chair! As she grew older my Pa gradually sawed the legs down in order that she could continue to use it.

I stayed, once, with a friend whose dog grabbed me by the ear when I sat on her sofa (he was already sitting there). When I called for help she said "just think what he could have done if he meant it!!??

Dogs are a pack animal and need a leader I love dogs and hav e always had them but I have the role of leader not one of the pack.

Pissedoffdotcom · 14/11/2018 12:18

The whole pack leader crap was debunked years ago 🙄

piplou · 14/11/2018 12:26

Lightweight throws on the sofa sounds like the answer. You say that you enjoy having her on the sofa and as she is already doing it now and formed the habit you might as well let her - you can't teach an old dog new tricks (sorry couldn't resist!)

Hoppinggreen · 14/11/2018 12:27

I don’t think anyone has mentioned pack leader crap
A couple of people ( me included) said that THEIR dog got bolshy when allowed on the sofa, nothing to do with pack theory.
We sent our Ddog to a dog sitter overnight when he was younger and despite us asking her not to she let him sleep on the sofa. When he came home he was growly when asked to get off again
Our trainer told us that the vast majority of dogs can be allowed on the sofa with no issues but for some it’s a problem.

Yvbmioasp · 14/11/2018 12:29

Our dog is most definitely not allowed on the sofa. I remember when I was going out with my ex, his dog was allowed on the sofa. When you walked into their sitting room they removed their dog and invited you to sit down, yuk! I've never forgotten that and I really don't want to sit in a dog's bed, or invite anyone else to.

A dog is a dog and has their own comfy bed. It's each to their own though.

confusedandemployed · 14/11/2018 12:31

Always been allowed up. I remember DDog when we were growing up was technically not allowed on the sofa. Pointless exercise.... Sofa was warm every morning and every time we got home! This guy is 16 years old and can still hop up to snooze. Who am I to stop him?!

Do you let your dog on the sofa?
adaline · 14/11/2018 12:31

Dogs are a pack animal and need a leader I love dogs and hav e always had them but I have the role of leader not one of the pack.

Nonsense. The pack-leader theory was debunked years ago. You are not a dog, they don't see you as a dog, and dogs are not pack animals. They are domesticated pets, not wolves!

MysweetAudrina · 14/11/2018 12:35

Yeah, he especially loves to be sandwiched between me and dh or with his body on dh and his head resting on me.

He sneaks onto our bed too but is cute enough to stay on my side at my feet as dh would run him. He ideally would like to lie between the two of us head down but he only gets to do that in the morning when he has made eye contact with dh.

If we are getting amorous he gets off the bed and goes into dds room.

He never sleeps in ds's room as between the cat likes that room.

Pissedoffdotcom · 14/11/2018 12:40

Hoppinggreen the common literally before mine stated their dog needed a leader not another member of the pack. Hence my comment.

I have no issue with people not letting their dog on furniture, your house your rules. But when the reason is based on a theory that was ripped to shreds years ago? Ridiculous

Pissedoffdotcom · 14/11/2018 12:41

Comment not common!!

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