Do you let your dog on the sofa with you?

blue_monkey_2

I've been giving the (rather large) puppy a cuddle on the sofa recently, I'll lift her up and give her a cuddle on my lap and so will the kids. However, this means she sometimes wants to sit on the sofa beside me if I am working and will climb up and cuddle beside me (she is here now).

The sofa is leather and tbh the kids do more damage to it than she will but should she only be allowed up when I want here there. I have read that I have to be the one in charge of games and the like because it shows your dog that she is of a lower 'pecking' order but I feel a meanie chucking her off because I have not chosen her to be there. So should she just be allowed up on my permission or if she gets up just let her get on with it.

She does of course have a bed - 2 in fact - but wanted to know whether people let their dogs on their sofa. She has staffy coat so does not moult much so this is why I myself am not that overfussed about her being there (it is nice having here there beside me) but want to make sure I am doing it the right way.

At the moment she is not in the lounge on her own as she is chewing (electrical cables included) so when we are not there or are upstairs (dressing for example) she is in the kitchen and the gate is closed so she goes to her bed in there so it is not an issue of her getting up when we are not in the room.

Thanks

viktory

No. My pup (now eight months old) was allowed on the furniture - but it is a fabric not leather - and then she come into season. She was immediately banned and the ban is permanent. She has her own sofa (and cushion :rolleyes:) so I am intending keeping the human furniture for the humans. If I want a cuddle with her, I will get down on her level.

manda1205

Yes, my nearly 5 month old Lab is allowed on our sofa, its leather too, it's never bothered me, and when shes sleepy its quite nice that she jumps up and sits beside me. If she starts getting to "mad" and jumpy she gets put back out to her room (our utility/lean to) and has time out in her bed. Oh and she just sumps up as soon as she comes in, so its on her terms I suppose, although as I said any naughtiness and she gets her time out.

mrcol1000

My Staff loves sitting on the sofa with us and cuddles up. She also sleeps on our bed during the day but wouldn't dare lay on it at night. To be honest whats the point of having a dog if your not going to have it snuggle up to you on the sofa as the evenings get colder?

Kimberley

No No No No No way, the sofa is for us humans. If you let a dog on the sofa then when it comes in from the wet garden it can jump straight on with muddy paws, no thanks :rolleyes: Also it's not nice for visitors. Sorry but dogs come second after humans.

foreign_correspondent

only when I ask her to!

I sometimes let her get on with me, but she would never get on without being told to! Hence no problems with her jumping on the settee when mucky or when visitors are on it...

bulchy

Well we started off with good intentions when we rescued our weimy (sadly no longer with us) but the kids walked into the living room and caught him sprawled out on the sofa one day, thought it was so great he was just left there :rotfl: so from there on he was allowed on, but to be fair, if we wanted him to get down, he would, with a bit of muttering under his breath (not growling, he did make strange moaning noises at times though) Our cocker gets up occaisonally but seems to prefer her bed or the floor, think its too warm for her on the sofa, all that fur. We're getting a weimaraner pup soon and so far havent discussed whats gonna happen then regarding the sofas, he wont be allowed on my bed like the last one was, but the kids reckon hes gonna be allowed on theres. I have to admit though, when we had Thunder, there was nothing better than snuggling up to him, either on bed or sofa, as he was the most loving dog I've ever known
Sue x

sarabe

If allowing your dog to be on the sofa with you makes them think that they are in charge then I'm in big trouble.

My lot would be about to take over the world!!

I have two four seater sofas one each for me and hubby to share with the dogs on the rare occasion that we have time to sit down.

The dogs are always dry and clean when they come into the lounge and the sofas have a throw on them when the dogs are in there.

I cannot think of a nicer way of enjoying a late night film than cuddled up with a dog or two or three (well perhaps when I was younger I could have )

jenhug

No, becasue if they get up, there is no room for us!

lostinrates

My dogs get on the sofa and on my bed. HOWEVER, they do not do so uninvited. Pack order is not simply a set of rules (although they can help people) but a way of life and behaviour. while I expect my dogs to sit and wait for their suppers, or not push past me in door ways, like sarabe, part of the delight of dog ownership for me is snuggling together.

Our dogs include unnuetered !!!!!es, and yes, they are not asked onto furniture while in season for obvious reasons, but if it were a rule I were not hppy to extend into a dogs adult hood its not something I'd encourage while they were immture.

foreign_correspondent

my dog isn't allowed upstairs or on the bed, however, I have to say I often fall asleep on the settee with her - I dont know why, but it is the best kip I ever have, I sleep like a log, even though the dog insists on lying all over me! Anyone else find the same?