Hi, I have a 10 week old Staffie bitch. My dilemma is whether to allow her on the settee or not.

Our 13 year old Staffie died last October, she wasn't allowed on the settee/ bed unless invited up. She was very good and looked extremely guilty if she had sneaked up on the settee/bed while we were out.

The new puppy is always trying to jump up on the settee and I have to keep shouting "off" at her when she does. She then gets very cheeky, barking and jumping around telling me off. I must be making her confused as I have on occasion picked her up and cuddled her on the settee.

What I would like to know is how many of you dog lovers allow your dogs on the settee and who doesn't.

I read somewhere that if you allow your dog the freedom to go on the settee/bed when it wants to, it will see itself as your equal not you the master. Is this true?

Well I don't let my Malamute on the settee ...if he got on I reckon me and hubby would be kicked off :)

Some people do believe that a dog that is allowed on the settee and bed see themselves as your equal and others don't . I reckon it is down to personal choice AND your dog ;) If you have a dominant dog I think they *could* see it as a chance to be equal , but if you have a very submissive dog it won't.

Sorry I can't be of more help , maybe others will :)

Melody

Hubby rang me from Holland last night, Taiko and I were in the middle of playing when the phone rang. Taiko got miffed that I was ignoring him so the cheeky blighter got up on the settee. He just stood there,squeaky in mouth,with a look that said "well c'mon, bring it on!".:) I had to hang up and turf him off the sofa,which he didn't mind because he had my attention again. He's crying in front of the oven at the minute because there's chicken roasting.:)
Julie :D

I've never let Kassie on the settee or upstairs and now she doesn't even try:) She is a GSD though so there wouldn't be much room if she did help herself on:D :D :D

Stacey x x x

None of my dogs have every been allowed upstaires or on the settee, that is our place not a dogs.

Debbie and the gang

Hi SarahJane,

I don't let my little 11 week Munster pup on the sofas - so far he's not really tried because I'm nearly always curled up on his beanbag with him :)

I used to always let my dogs on the sofas but they were small where as Mungo is going to be a big dog.
Also personally I think if you allow a dog to sit on the sofa, if you then want to sit in that seat I think it's unfair to push them off. I wouldn't like it!!!!

You must start how you mean to go on. That would include not cuddling the dog on your lap :)

Zoe P x

I allow my bostons on, they are usually laying on my legs. Taz well he is a different story he is only allowed on the floor. Way to big. I have never had a problem. Depends on ur dog and their temperment and size I'm sure. Maybe since u don't want ur dog up when u want to cuddle sit on the floor and cuddle this way u don't confuse the little one.

ttfn :)

Thanx for your replies. I think I'll have to be firm, stick by my guns and not give in to her pleading stares :)

I liked the bean bag idea so I'll be getting one as soon as I can, I can then cuddle her on that and she'll have her own comfy spot to curl up on. At the moment she has her own blanket, but I think she'll prefer the squishy bean bag , unless she decides it's too nice and starts eating it :)

I'll have to tell my friends and family to be firm also. As other people left alone with our old dog when baby sitting, tended to ignore my wishes, I'd walk in to find a very smug dog sitting on the settee, as if saying "haha she let me up here, she's not a meanie like you". ;)

Sarah xx

Sarah Jane

If you're anywhere in the Dorset area we have a bean bag you could have if you want it. They're just too big and bulky to post easily but if you're anywhere in a driveable distance you can have it.

Wendy

Hi, I have a 15 wk old springer and we put his blanket on one end of our settee and he is allowed on that but not on the rest of the settee or the arm chairs. This seems to work as he now only ever goes on his blanket. We made this decision because i kept finding him on the settee with the kids and decided it would be easier if he had his own place to lie. I think it is a personal decision though, dog size permitting, and as long as you can get other family members to comply with your wishes. good luck
Loraine.

Hi
My 10 mth old Boxer is NOT allowed on the settee :D She is also banned from the lounge in the evening if she is having a particularly bad wind day
She also does not go upstairs or in the kitchen when we are eating :D

Actually reading this back and I sound really mean, Poor dog :D

I feel it depends on how you feel about cleaning up dog hairs rather than anything else :p. Just allowing the dog on the settee wont encourage it to want to take over the family - it is the whole relationship that matters.

It IS important that the dog does as asked though, and this is achieved through training ( and Loraine you are right to say Off and not Down which many do use and which, IMHO, thoroughly confuses any dog! ;) ).

Many dogs do go through a teenage phase of being a bit bolshy, and may decide they don't want to get off the sofa, but also many don't. It's best to just tip the sofa up if this happens, so the dog learns to get off as you ask, and to be polite! It's just manners really :)

I have always allowed my dogs on the sofa and will continue to do so :) Besides its nice for a cuddle :D but each to their own.

Lindsay

Hi SarahJane
we too have a Staffy pup and yes we do allow him onto the settee . We have a leather one so it is nice and easy to keep clean .
Its up to you really and what you feel comfortable with .
Sometimes he will curl up in his little donut doggy bed ,sometimes on his blanket and sometimes on the settee .I leave it up to him .
I must admit I never let our last dog ( also a Staffy) up on the furniture and he was always trying to sneak on when we werent looking .
I dont look on it as a dominance thing more a comfort issue :)
Lel

I agree, we didn't actually allow our dobe on the settee but when we left the room she would sometimes sneak on, and we didn't always tell her to get off, but when we did sometimes she would immediately and others she would dig her heels in and i'd have to drag her off, but she was NEVER aggressive nor did she think she ruled, she was just a softy and the floor was too hard!! I think it could really depend upon the dogs nature, some might think it moved them up the pecking order others not, its probably personal choice whether you do or not.

eek! my affie has her own sofa AND shares mine! gets off when told though :)

does she share hers though :D
lel

still having wind problems then ali????

:D and :p @ Dizzy :D

........ :o :o :o and its getting worse every day :D

Its a personal thing.

My 4 are allowed wherever they want to go, but I do expect them to move the instant I say, just as I expect to take away dinner bowls, toys etc whenever I want. I am the pack leader and they know it.

We have just ordered a new bed, and one major consideration was should we have a footboard or not as it would limit the dogs space.

However, I would say that when they were puppies they were lifted on and off my lap only, to limit the stress on joints.

I was just thinking that the stress on the joints when getting on/off the furniture cannot be good for a pup.
Archer

Just as an update to the above.

You can get 3 Labradors, 2 cats, 1 3 year old boy and 2 adults in a double bed.!!

I'm like Julia my dogs can go where they please but I do expect them to move over on the settee when I want to sit down! My tally is me, 1 Boxer, 2 Boxer crosses, 1 Parson Russell, 1 Schipperke, 1 Mini Poodle and a Mini Dachshund on the bed!

My Tess cross pointer has always been allowed on my bed..she has never shown dominance and if fact used to look a wee bit sheepish when caught. I think it is down to owner as to whether they want risk of sofa / bed getting excessively worn. Personally I am so happy Tess is still with me and able to get up on bed / sofa I guess it is also dependant on your lifestyle and homelife. Obviously if you have got a pup that is going to grow into a big dog..you have to think on space. If you have young kids who may be slipping into your bed at night or older ones who need the sofa space you have to be realistic about the priorities and lay the law down for the dog early so it doesnt get confused. Also some people just do not agree with dogs on furniture or in the house ( my farmimg background) In these cases as long as the animal is made aware of the groundrules from the start they will conform.

Karyn

Our crew are allowed on the bed and the sofa when invited as we have quality time for cuddles!

They are however usually only allowed if invited up and are off as soon as we say !

They have their own sofa in the conservatory and so use that all the time aswell!

They will soon however have to stay on the floor as my bump is starting to expnad and there will not be enough room on the sofa for all of us !!

Lucy

Sarah

It can cause them confusion in where they fit in the pecking order - but not always. It is down to your personal choice. You can't decide yes one day and no the next - they won't understand. Start as you mean to go on. You did it before and it worked well. Do what you want - not what others do. - No offence to anyone else:D

Pam n the boys - who do go on the sofa but not the bed - but that was my choice not theirs