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The doghouse

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Original poster

Has anyone decided that dogs aren't allowed on couches now? And succeeded?

51 replies

MoreOfAWooza · 01/09/2023 09:47

Just moved. Brought our smelly old 2nd hand leather couches with us but now that living room is almost complete I'm longing for lovely new couches.

3 small breed dogs. Live on the couches, real velcro dogs.

I would really like new couches but feel. Mean. Dogs are 12 months to 5 years. All had since puppy and always been on the couch.

Is it mean?

I've even been looking at mini couches to get them their own 😂😭

But it's sitting with me they like.

And if your pups are couch banned when!/ how do you get cuddles? Do you sit on the floor with them?

OP posts:
Gilmorehill · 01/09/2023 16:40

I remember once telling my neighbour that her dog always sat on her sofa and looked out the window while she was out. She replied he wasn't allowed on the sofas and was only ever on the floor! Dogs are so crafty!

MerryBeard · 01/09/2023 16:48

We bought a sofa in the same colour as our dog and continued to enjoy a million cuddles.

We had to say goodbye to the darling earlier this week and I am so glad that we didn't miss out on one snuggle.

I'd put up with fur everywhere just for one more day with her.

Sgtmajormummy · 01/09/2023 17:43

Favourite place for pats.

Has anyone decided that dogs aren't allowed on couches now? And succeeded?
timegoingtooquickly · 01/09/2023 18:02

Neither of our spanners get on the sofa. One was a rehome but young- 10 months and had been allowed in the past but we just said no and he never tries.

Thank goodness as spaniels smell 🤮

CatkinToadflax · 01/09/2023 18:57

Our own Labrador has always been allowed on the sofas, though she’s supposed to go on the bits covered by rugs. She understands “puppy seat!” and will look at us witheringly and move over to lie on the rug when we tell her to.

We are also currently puppy raising a trainee puppy for Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs’ rules state that he isn’t allowed on the sofa. We had a tricky few months when he was learning that he isn’t allowed on the sofas but his foster sister is. We had to barricade the sofas with portable stair gates! He was much smaller at the time so he couldn’t get past the barricades, whereas his foster sister just climbed casually over the top and then sprawled out on the sofas like Lady Muck whilst he stared at her in disgust!

He’s 8 months now and fully understands he isn’t allowed on the sofas, and has long since stopped asking. But I think it would have been a lot harder on him understanding a change in rules if he’d previously been allowed on them.

Tiespin · 01/09/2023 19:23

It's something I'd never allow...

Has anyone decided that dogs aren't allowed on couches now? And succeeded?
FastFood · 01/09/2023 20:00

Yep, no dog-on-couch policy is going really well here.

hiredandsqueak · 01/09/2023 20:06

Ours is a rescue, I've no idea if she had been allowed on the sofa previously yet within minutes of arriving here she had chosen her spot on the sofa. She would never choose to sit on the floor and tbh the only time she isn't on the sofa she is on somebody's knee.

stayathomer · 01/09/2023 20:11

The trainer we went to when dog was a puppy said with kids in a house the dog should never ever be allowed on the couch. I ignored her but it’s actually the only time the dog gets territorial and doesn’t act himself so definitely not now. He has taken over the bean bag instead!!

Blanketpolicy · 01/09/2023 20:17

We bought bronte glen non slip vet bed in 3m rolls and cut to size for the dogs seat on the sofa beside me. Then washed/replaced when needed. If the vet bed wasn't on the sofa he knew not to jump up, that meant we could move off the sofa and onto the floor at my feet when we had visitors.

Azaeleasinbloom · 01/09/2023 20:28

@Riverlee 😂😂😂 Yep, I have 2 just like that.

I’m I don’t think they realise that they are dogs actually. It’s only visiting canines that have to keep 4 paws on the floor 🤷🏻‍♀️

Vettrianofan · 01/09/2023 20:29

Never started that nonsense. Have a giant breed dog that just sleeps anywhere on the floor. It wouldn't really work if she slept on a couch.

SpamFrittersYouSay · 01/09/2023 20:44

The double sofa is my husband's.
The triple sofa is mine.
The four seater is my dog's.

Says it all really.

Missingmyusername · 01/09/2023 20:48

My dog won’t come on the sofa- his choice. I agree, I miss cuddles and have to sit on the floor if I want one.
We have leather sofas and throws, so could wash them but he’s never been bothered. We have lifted him on but he hates it!

You’ll feel lonely OP. You’ll have a nice sofa and no cuddles.

My friend’s dog isn’t allowed up on the sofa- she has cameras and he gets up in the furniture when she isn’t there 😆

muchalover · 01/09/2023 20:53

We used a settle mat to teach them where to lie. They have comfy beds and are not permitted onto the sofa. The lab x will sometimes get up but the cocker is a village idiot and wouldn't think to.

My son cuddles them but we are now using a blanket as a cue to stop the lab x getting up.

I hate it. I work in healthcare and could not bear going to work covered in animal hair and dander. Ugh.

Caerulea · 02/09/2023 09:46

I really admire the fact you're prepared to consider this is a possibility. Honestly, it's impressive.

Do you have an Instagram where I can follow your dogs adventure on their new sofa?

Frequency · 02/09/2023 09:51

Yes.

My terrier mix was not allowed on the sofa unless he was invited up for a long time having previously been allowed in both our home and most likely his previous home since he jumped up onto the sofa as soon as he walked through the door.

He started guarding the sofa and acting aggressively if anyone came towards him while he was up there so we stopped letting him up.

Anytime he attempted to get on the sofa he was calmly led away by a houseline or a treats and directed towards his own bed. Anytime he willingly chose his own bed over the sofa he was rewarded.

It took a few days before he got the hint and stopped trying to get on the sofa. Once we were sure he understood the sofa was off-limits we started letting up on invitation and only directing him off if he started growling or showing signs of aggression/fear.

JJWT · 02/09/2023 11:43

Exact same scenario in our house about a year ago. Kept two of the big seat pads from outgoing sofa to put on floor in front of new sofa. Consistently directed dogs to old seat pads , which of course smell familiar to them. Seemed to work. Those two seat pads currently upright against the wall in a corner as seem to be no longer needed, dogs occupy floor, dog bed or old IKEA footstool now without much reminding, so will probably take old sofa remnants to the tip soon. Border Collie aged 4, Cockapoo aged 3. Hope this helps x.

Flakey99 · 02/09/2023 11:48

Our large mutt has his own sofa at the end of the room with a throw over it that gets washed regularly.

He's definitely not allowed on the other two sofas in the room and he's ok with that. He also has a basket he can use and rugs on the floor. We taught him from the beginning that he wasn't allowed to sit on our sofas.

We also have 2 cats that are allowed on all the sofas. They don't have their own beds for sleeping in as they prefer ours. 🤦🏻‍♀️

TiaraBoo · 02/09/2023 12:40

When I moved to my new house, my friends helped me with my new sofa and one said ‘no’ to my dog going on the sofa and since then he doesn’t go on the sofa! (2years!) - occasionally I can entice him up for a cuddle but very briefly. Mostly the kids taught him he can lie on the cuddle chair, so he likes that and his bean bag.

I bought him an adult human sized bean bag but had to take a lot of beans out so he can get really comfortable.

IndigoLaFaye · 02/09/2023 13:21

In my opinion dogs are part of the family. Doesn’t mean they have to come everywhere with you but to not allow them to sleep on the couch next to you feels mean.

You've let them so far it would be confusing to stop them now and likely it will work whilst you are with them but as soon as you turn your back they will be up there like a shot.

Dont cause yourself a lot of hard work, just get a nice throw and pop it where they usually curl up

Allyliz · 02/09/2023 17:10

Leather sofa throws happy me happy dogs

Sage71 · 02/09/2023 17:36

We never allowed our lab on sofa from the day he came home so he doesn’t know any different would imagine it would be difficult to change though if he was used to it. There wouldn’t be much room on it for the rest of us anyway. 😂😂😂

DelCalMun · 02/09/2023 18:19

Our dog is definitely not allowed on anything but the (ground) floor or his bed. Sitting room door is closed when we're out so he can't take advantage. Life is hectic enough without trying to take the mess and smell out of sofas. His bed needs cleaning regularly. Good luck changing the rules.....

bingohandjob · 02/09/2023 18:33

Riverlee · 01/09/2023 10:41

Yes, we had a No Dog On Sofa Rule!

I love these photos - they could be of my dog! Especially the last one - ours likes to air cool his balls when he's especially tired 😄 I agree with previous comment that I'd rather enjoy being close to my dog than have long lasting sofa too. Mind you, we purposely got a second hand leather sofa and have a hand me down fabric one with a huge washable throw on for that very reason. Initially, pup was not allowed on the fabric one for the first two years but then I thought, we lucky if we have you for another ten years and I won't regret the sofa getting tatty but I will miss out on lots of lovely bonding time with you so here we are.

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