Dog on the couch?

[LuluHB]

We have a gorgeous dog who is an inside baby. We chose the breed because he doesn't shed and neither DH or I think family dogs should be outside. He isn't allowed into bedrooms, our lounge room or the girls' toy room but that's more to do with either him still being very chewy with things, or in the case of the lounge room the beautiful pure wool cream carpet! Everywhere else is fair game. He has a nice bed that was a whole lot more comfy for him before he shredded the soft mattress that was in there, and then the next one I bought to go in there. He now has nothing in there. Tiled floors with a soft rug in the family room.

At night time baby gates and doors stop him getting into bedrooms but he has can still wander around the house. I know he gets up on the couches at night to sleep and have always ignored it because TBH I don't know how to keep him off them if we're asleep. He has over the last couple of days sort of slinked his way up to whatever couch I'm not sitting on right in front of my nose and I've told him to get down each time but when I did it this morning I felt really guilty. DD2 and I are cuddled up on the couch and the cat is snuggled and sleeping on the couch. Poor doggy on the floor. Should I let him on the couch do you think? We've done lots of work with him so that he knows where he fits into the family hierarchy so I'm not worried about him pushing the kids around. I guess my biggest concern is that my folks are ridiculous with their dogs. They are spoilt rotten - one of them will growl at you if you try to make room for yourself on the couch so they sit uncomfortably so the dog isn't disturbed! I'm determined not to let my dog ever get to that and I"m not sure that I'm overcompensating IYKWIM

[Kazzo]

I personally would stand strong about not letting him on the lounge, he may not push any boundries with the kids now but as he gets older he may start. I am a firm believer that dogs need to know their pack position and that you need to keep firm with it. I am sure your parents dog did not start off snapping on the couch but over time they have been allowed to get away with it and now they see it as acceptable.

Is there a room in your house that can be your dogs sleeping room?

[LionsandBears]

We have a no dog on the couch rule (not that we currently have a dog, just counting down to we move so we can get one). Occasionally, my Mum's dog is allowed up, but only when her special rug is up on Mum's knee. She then behaves like a lapdog. Otherwise, she has 3 or 4 beds in the house. She is known to sneak onto a bed or couch when her people are out, but she know's she's not allowed.

I also agree that dogs need to know their place in the pack. I personally think cats belong at the bottom of the pack, but they tend to disagree so long as the dog is getting lots of love and affection, they don't need to be on the couch, no matter how pathetic they look.

Would your dog feel more comfortable in a crate? Or on one of those camp beds? Could he sleep in the laundry?

[Miss.September]

I personally would stand strong about not letting him on the lounge, he may not push any boundries with the kids now but as he gets older he may start. I am a firm believer that dogs need to know their pack position and that you need to keep firm with it. I am sure your parents dog did not start off snapping on the couch but over time they have been allowed to get away with it and now they see it as acceptable.

Totally agree. Having worked with behaviourists and vets when we had our first dog, consistency is the key, no matter how much you know your dog. It also helps the dog completely understand and respect his place without confusing him with mixed signals (ie yes to couch, no to your bed).

Some dogs love beanbags - that could be an option?

[Sopdet]

So the dog is below the cats on the family hierarchy? If they’re not, you’re confusing the dog because by allowing the cats up there you're ignoring the hierarchy.

Could you get them their own cheap couch?

[LuluHB]

PRMG - Oh my. A beanbag. I could just imagine getting up one morning to a sea of beans with him sitting in the middle of it with that cute "what do you think happened here that I had nothing to do with?" look on his face! I'm sure he'd love it, but he's just a bit too inclined to chew things still. He's just turned 1 year so hopefully it will settle down soon.

L&B and Sopdet - my puddy is 17 years old and for most of her life has lived in a one pet house so I think she's earned her place above the dog ;-) She isn't allowed on beds either though. A little couch for him is a good idea. Might be harder for him to chew?

When we first brought him home as a pup he slept in the laundry each night but we don't have blinds or curtains on the sliding door in there, which faces east, so when the sun comes up he starts stirring and wanting to go outside to go to the toilet. The laundry is right next to the girls' room so they were getting woken too. It just became easier to let him sleep in the family room because he can get out through his doggy door and we all get a bit more sleep.

Kazzo - you're right. I do need to stand strong. I think I was just having an emotional morning and felt a bit sorry for him. Bit stupid I even had this thought really - I'm certainly the strongest with him out of our household, followed by teeny little DD2 who he outweighs which is pretty funny, so if I start softening with him its all going to go south very quickly.

Thanks lovelies.

[krysalyss]

To be honest, the whole pack structure thing is totally over done. In fact, dogs don't actually have a linear pack structure like most people believe and will simply defend resources based on how valuable they think they are, and how insecure they feel about losing that resource. Having said that it is so so important to be consistent. If your dog isn't allowed on the couch then he isn't allowed on the couch. Changing the rules does get them confused and therefore anxious, especially if they get in trouble when they 'break' a rule, because the rules have changed. HTH.

[Kimbles01]

We have a dog that thinks he's people, at night he sleeps outside on one of our outdoor setting chairs (despite having a bed). Inside he's allowed on the couch when either:
1. His towel is on the couch to protect it.
2. He is invited up.

[Beach Mama]

My gf got her dog one of those kids fold out couches in the lounge!! Works for them but I think he also sneaks up all the time as well!

[christy]

Our dogs are allowed on the lounge, but BUT they always have been allowed on the lounge We haven't changed our rules.... the only time they weren't allowed on the lounge was when our girls were under 2 years old... the children needed to be higher than the dogs, but once the girls were climbing up on the lounges, the dogs went to the kiddie fold out lounges and eventually back onto our lounges. I did extensive training prior to children, and one dog was a puppy when I was pregnant so her rules didn't change. Our other dog was always an extremely submissive so she didn't mind as long as we told her where to go....

[AnyDream]

Yes HELLO?! Of course cats are above dogs in the family hierarchy!

Our dog is allowed on the couch but only if he's on someone's lap. We have a 90% rule, that states that at least 90% of him must be on the persons lap. So he's not just lounging on the couch.

Our solution is doggy condo in the laundry. He has a pretty plush arrangement with a soft bed & a blanket plus a rubber mat underneath to insulate it from the cold floor. He loves it. In the lounge he has another little bed thing under the coffee table, but at night he goes in the condo.