Do You let Your Dog on the Furniture?

As soon as a new dog enters your household, they are considered one of the family. It is completely up to you as an owner to establish the rules of the house and what privileges your dog will be allowed. It is more often the case that these privileges are fairly close to the human members of the family, so much so, that they are free to roam around the house and do as they please. Every owner will have a different opinion on whether a dog should be allowed in certain rooms in the house and even if they are allowed on the furniture. We have a look at the pros and cons of such an arrangement, to help you with establishing the house rules from the start. This will assist with training, especially if you have a new puppy who is particularly challenging!

Get to know your dog

First and foremost, get to know your dog. You will get an instant impression of how energetic, how friendly, and how boisterous they can be, just by spending some time with them. You can also do some research on the breed of your dog and find out what habits they are prone to pick up and what behaviours you should try and avoid. A general understanding of your dog will help you initially decide whether to let them on the furniture or not. If they are generally quite docile and relaxed, as well as being quite small in size, having them on the couch with you might not be such a bad thing. On the other hand, if they’re a Great Dane or a particular energetic Boxer who won’t stop fidgeting, perhaps keeping them off the furniture makes much more sense.

Come to a house agreement

Depending on whether you live with your family, or you have housemates you share your home with, it’s best that you all come to a collective decision on house rules for your new pooch. Whether you are letting them on or not, come to a decision and remain consistent in the way you enforce it. If the whole house knows that Fido isn’t allowed on the couch, then make sure they all stop the dog from jumping up. That way their training will go much smoother.

Allowing them on the furniture

So, you’ve decided to let your new puppy or dog up on the couch? As much as there are varied opinions on the subject, there is nothing wrong with this at all. After all, if they’re part of the family they should be able to do whatever the family does, right? Pros

• The pros of this situation are being close to your family pet and making them feel relaxed and comfortable in your home; there’s nothing quite like cuddling up with your dog after a long stressful day.
• Letting your dog on the couch can be an opportunity to make them more obedient. Try and stop your dog from getting immediately on the couch and instead, invite them up when you’re ready. By repeating this your dog will soon get used to the idea that being on the furniture is a right and not a privilege. Why not try our new treats range to help with training?

Cons

• If your dog moults you can easily end up with a very hairy, and potentially unhygienic couch.
• If giving them free reign, this can also encourage a lack of obedience, where the dog goes anywhere, plays with anything he or she likes and even goes to the toilet in the house.
• Lastly, if your dog ever gets possessive, or even aggressive if being forced off the couch, then you must stop them getting on completely.

Not allowing your dog on the furniture

If you have decided to keep your dog off the furniture, you must remain consistent. This option is harder to enforce but will make the dog more obedient in the long run, as they will learn clear boundaries that they cannot cross. Pros

• Keeps dog hair off the couch so better for cleanliness and keeping hair off your clothing. If you have any severe allergies, it may be preferable to keep them off so you aren’t adversely affected
• By setting clear boundaries this is a real test of a dog’s good behaviour and obedience. You will find that your dog will more obedient in other aspects of training too
• If they have any existing behavioural issues, this enforcement might help iron these problems out quicker

Cons

• This option is harder to enforce, especially with more energetic dogs that sometimes don’t take no for an answer. You might find you have to expel more effort just keeping them off but remember, it will be worth it in the long run.

For any more advice about your dog’s behaviour, head over to our Simpsons Premium Advice Centre. For more information about our healthy dog food and other products, feel free to browse our online shop.