Should You Let Your Dog on the Furniture?
Listen to the Podcast This is a commonly asked question for us and like most things in dog training, there is no, “one-size-fits-all” answer. Black and white is a rarity in the dog training world, so we try not to choose definitive sides on most issues. Really, we like to examine each individual situation and assess the dogs level of respect and understanding for the rules of the house.
Some people suggest you should never allow dogs on the furniture. This dates back to old dominance theories that if dogs are elevated, they may see themselves as pack leaders and try to rule the world! We wont get into the discussion about outdated dominance theories in this post. Lets just say these theories have been debunked as weve continued to grow and learn more about how dogs think and process. In reality, whether you allow your dog up on furniture should depend on their current level of understanding when it comes to the rules of the household and your own personal desires.
No two dogs should have the same rules. Rather, each dog should be assessed individually and rules be applied based on the needs of that relationship. Lets break it down into two broad categories.
If you have a well-mannered dog with no behaviour problems and youre happy with their level of obedience training, theres really no reason not to allow them on your furniture. If youre in this wonderful position, you can base your decision on whether or not you care about drool and other potential mess on the couch or dog hair in the bed. Allowing them access to furniture will not decrease their willingness to continue in life as a well-mannered dog.
The only caveat I might add here is that you should be able, at any time, for any reason, ask your dog to move off of the couch or bed. If you get any reluctance in the form of aggression, privileges should be revoked immediately and you should contact a qualified dog behaviourist to help you work through this issue.
Its entirely acceptable to allow your dog to access one piece of furniture only. You may decide that its okay for your dog to be on the couch, but not the bed. You may decide that they are allowed on the couch, but not the love seat. If youve got that wonderful dog who doesnt cause you any trouble, its all at your call and disgression to decide. Take some time to teach them what your expectations are and to create understanding in your dog. The adjustment period includes supervision and clear, consistent information during the adjustment periodare a must.
If you have a dog who is not the perfectly obedient family member yet, you probably want to set boundaries that are much clearer than those outlined above. Its not that allowing them on furniture will create behavioural issues, but rather setting a clear boundary for the dog will help them learn to look to you for information and guidance. Controlling resources such as food, toys and access to furniture will help you with daily management. The dog should have a clear place they are allowed to be when the family is relaxing. Try to allocate a spot for the dog and work hard on reinforcing their good manners there. A dog bed or crate is perfect for this! Random reinforcement and a “go-and-lie-down” command will come in very handy for the dogs understanding.
This is one last thing that I would recommend you consider if you wish to allow your dog up on the couch or other furniture. Do you want it to be up to you or up to the dog? I always insist on invitation only in my house. That stemmed from a need to manage a multi-dog household. In order to ensure my dogs dont compete with one-another for positions of status, they are only allowed on the furniture by invite. This rule is also very handy when I have guests over. My guests may or may not be dog people who want a happy youngster in their lap (LOL – though, they usually do). My dogs are clear that they are only allowed to get up on the furniture when they are invited by myself or my guest.
In the end, the decision is yours and I hope that brings you peace of mind that there is not solid right or wrong here. If you want your dog on the couch to snuggle, you can do it in the right circumstances! Hopefully this information helps you make an informed decision based on good information and not outdated notions.
Hi! Im Shannon Viljasoo and I joined the McCann team in 1999 while training Quincey, my wonderful and spirited Rottweiler, to have good listening skills. Im the Director of Online Training and Content for McCann Professional Dog Trainers and I enjoy writing about dogs and dog training for the McCann blog. I currently share my life with 2 Tollers (Reggie & Ned) and I love helping people develop the best possible relationship with their 4-legged family members.
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Evaluating Your Dog and the Privileges Given
To be completely honest, I think this is the most important part of deciding whether you should keep dogs off the couch. Depending on your situation (whether your dog already uses your couch or not), evaluate your dog’s behavior.
You can do this by writing down your dog’s general characteristics, such as energetic, calm, submissive and pushy. You also want to note when he shows different behaviors, such as affection, submissive urination and resource guarding. This will help you determine your dog’s couch privileges.
Remember that sitting on the couch is a privilege. If your dog’s behavior is good, then why not reward him, especially when it’s rewarding to you as well? Now, if your dog’s behavior is unacceptable, then we may need to remove some privileges until his behavior improves.
Dog Beds Are Important for Training Purposes
If you start teaching your pup to sleep in their bed from an early age, they will learn to be more independent and stay off the furniture later.
Training them to rest in their own bed will also come in handy when you’re away and would like to keep your bed or the sofa off limits to them.
Should Dogs Be Allowed On The Couch?
Few things are better than coming home after a long day and curling up on the couch with your cuddly dog. Whether its through slobbery kisses or muzzle nuzzles, our pets always seem to know exactly how to make us feel loved. We reciprocate as much as we can, and in doing so, many of us bend the rules for our pets and let them get away with things that we know we probably shouldnt. A prime example of this is allowing your dog to hop up on the couch (or any household furniture, for that matter).
Dogs — though adorable — are fluffy, filthy little germ machines. You may want to reconsider their couch privileges because they can bring fleas, dirt, fecal matter, and even parasites into the house with them and then track it onto the furniture. Add the nonstop shedding and scratching from their claws, and youre looking at a lot of wear and tear on your couch. The real reason you should keep your dogs off the couch, though, isnt tied to aesthetics or cleanliness.