# Dogs on couches and bed



## Angela (Aug 21, 2010)

I am a first time puppy owner and I am wondering, is there a way to teach a dog to only jump onto the couch when asked? I would personally prefer my dog to sit on the couch with me and when she gets older I would like her to sleep with me. I got my puppy as a pet and companion. However, I am willing to resist the temptation IF there are reasons why you shouldn't allow dogs on the couch or in bed. She is only 9 weeks now, and she is unable to get onto the couch without help but I can tell she *really* wants to come up and be with mama. I realize that I need to make a decision soon because if I end up not allowing her on the couch I have to start enforcing that immediately. 

I am just curious as to what people's thoughts are on these issues and their reasons. Also, do breed differences account, for instance, you will let a small dog on couch but not big one, ect. 

Thanks!


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

My opinion is that you should not let the puppy onto the furniture. Then, when the dog is 6 mos - 1 yo, you can easily teach the dog to jump onto the furniture and to jump off on cue.

My Lab is 9 yo and was not allowed on the furniture until he was 1 yo. He does not jump up unless invited (altho he may "beg") and he jumps down immediately when I say "off."

On the other hand, my nephew has a sweet, well-trained Pit Bull that has always slept on the furniture. The Pit will sometimes jump on the bed with people during the night, waking them up. He will jump down with no problem, but the sleepers are now awake.

I see no problem with carrying and sleeping with puppies and dogs, if you like it. The positive is that they are warm, soft, and furry. The possible negative is that they may move, lick, dream run, and dream bark. My dog does not sleep in the same room with us for these reasons. He is allowed on the bed when we aren't sleeping, because he slept with me when I had the chills from a bad case of the flu many years ago, and I think he helped the fever break, so this is a life reward for him.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

Both of my girls (23 lb and 15 lb) are allowed on all the couches, chairs and beds. They get down if you tell them to, no questions asked, but we hardly ever ask them to. They sleep on the bed with us at night as well. Zoey sleeps on my pillow, and Maggie sleeps in the middle of the bed in between us  If they were larger dogs though, I may not allow them on the bed due to SPACE issues! We have a king size bed, so with us and these two small dogs, there are no space issues.


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## Independent George (Mar 26, 2009)

hanksimon said:


> I see no problem with carrying and sleeping with puppies and dogs, if you like it. The positive is that they are warm, soft, and furry. The possible negative is that they may move, lick, dream run, and dream bark. My dog does not sleep in the same room with us for these reasons.


Yep. My dog occasionally wakes me up in the middle of the night with her dream bark. Honestly, as annoying as it is, I can't help but find it endearing. I love the dream bark.



> He is allowed on the bed when we aren't sleeping, because he slept with me when I had the chills from a bad case of the flu many years ago, and I think he helped the fever break, so this is a life reward for him.


I've noticed that ever since I got my dog, I haven't been sick once - not even a little bit. I used to get sick all the time, so my hypothesis is that the constant exposure to doggie kisses has sent my immune system into permanent high alert.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Can't we just imagine that dog mouths are cleaner than... and just not mention that we know what they just finished licking or eating. (It would be easier to list what they haven't been licking or eating.)


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## Noobcakes (Jul 23, 2010)

hanksimon said:


> Can't we just imagine that dog mouths are cleaner than... and just not mention that we know what they just finished licking or eating. (It would be easier to list what they haven't been licking or eating.)


HAHAHAHA!!  My puppy is allowed on beds and couch but because I like her to warm me up since it's winter


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Frag is not allowed on the couches or chairs for space issues, but he is allowed on the bed when invited. He loves being invited up, and never jumps up when not invited, but doesn't stick around long and heads for his crate, which is the only reason he's allowed up. It rewards him for being good, and he doesn't take up so much space for long in our FULL bed. 

Teaching him to wait, ask, or only come up invited was easy. If we were going to let him up, we'd make him sit next to the bed, wait a few seconds, then say "Okay, up here" and pat the bed. He'd jump up and yadda yadda yadda. He only tried jumping up once or twice without being asked, and when he did that, a simple AH AH, getting off the bed, pointing at the ground and coaxing him off while saying "Off" did the trick. Then we'd make him sit, wait, and invite him up so he realized he could only get up after sitting and waiting to be allowed.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I would not allow the puppy to sleep in the bed until she is fully potty trained (so, MINIMUM of ~8 months of age). Until then, crate training or using an ex-pen is great for both potty training and keeping the pup for chewing things when you are not able to watch her (both when you are asleep and when you are not home). It also helps encourage a little bit of independence to have them sleep on their own so that being able to sleep with you is a privilege not a requirement.

As for the furniture, whatever you intend for the future is what you go with now but its far easy to allow getting on furniture later than to try and train them to stay off it (after having been allowed on it). So, if you are certain you are fine with her on the couch, then its okay and just teach "Off" and "Okay, up here" like DJ mentions. Of course, unless the dog is crated when you are gone, it is pretty likely she will crawl up on the couch on her own at some point (its soft!!).

My dog is allowed both on the couch and the bed. If he annoys me during the night, I tell him "Out" and he leaves the room to sleep on the couch or floor (his choice of course). He also knows that humans have first dibs on the couch but when its just me and him or when he's alone in the house, he can hop up there whenever he wants. Of course, he is fully housetrained and a calm adult dog; I wouldn't let a puppy roam during the workday.


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## Darcystheone (Apr 30, 2008)

My dogs are not allowed on either. Once in a blue moon, I think if its storming really really bad, Darcy may sneak up on the bed, but as soon as we say her name, she gets down. 
I have a 40lb dog, not huge, but for me, I just dont' see the need for the dogs to be in my bed or on the couch. They have their crates, Darcy also has a blanket she lies on next to our bed. 
I would be sure of what you want the rules to be and start enforcing them now. We had a hard time the first week the puppy came with my daughter wanting to pick her up, but since we don't want the dog to think we will be picking her up or allowing her to jump on us, as she gets older, we have to enforce those rules now.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

My dog is allowed on the couch with us when we watch tv. She usually sits and stares at us and looks very excited and pleading, so we usually invite her up. But when we don't invite her up she will eventually jump up on her own, but she will get down when told (and nudged).

She sleeps on her own bed at night, but I usually allow her up around 8 am because she loves sharing the bed with us, so it's like a morning cuddle before we get up. She only comes up on the bed when she is invited, and if she's not invited she will immediately be told to get down, so she quickly learnt to wait for the invitation.

I also pick her up and carry her around and let her sit on my lap, just because she loves it.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I slept with Mia on the bed since about the second week I brought her home. I'm bad I know. Mine are currently sacked out on the couch.


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## Lysh (Aug 18, 2010)

My dog is allowed on the couch and the bed. No other furniture (eg tables/chairs). 

She knows when she has to get off and when shes allowed on. Shes never wrecked the couch or bed. 

She does sleep with me and my partner. This we dont mind as she gets to spend more time with us esp if we have both been at work.

However, shes also crate trained if need be


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## mad dog tannen (Aug 25, 2010)

I taught my dog to stay off couches and beds first. After a few months I started to invite him on them when I am on them. But he knows to "ask permission" now and if I say no then he stays off. He won't get on them unless I am on them.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

Ever since Buster learned how to get himself up on the furniture...12 or so weeks old...he's been allowed. I allow the children on the furniture...the puppy is far easier on it than they are! He's allowed on the living room furniture when ever there's enough room for him. If someone is sitting on the couch, he waits to be invited. He "asks" before climbing into my bed...one front paw up on the corner.

This post wouldnt be complete without a silly picture...


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## Angela (Aug 21, 2010)

Hahahahaha... that is such a great photo. 

Yeah, I am crate training Sophie and don't plan to have her on the bed until she is fully potty trained. She is just 9 weeks now. Last night she slept 7 1/2 hrs without asking to go out (miracle). Then this morning when I woke up, I peeked into the crate and she was sitting up looking out, apparently waiting for me to get up but not whining. What a good pup! I think we really wore her out yesterday with play.

Well this is good info. Now that she is little and can't jump on the couch when she puts her paws up and tries to jump, I can make her sit. And if she can do that nicely then I'll say ok good girl and pick her up and put her on the couch. That way when she gets big enough to jump on her own she will already be aware that there is a process. 

I think being a first time puppy owner I have this fear that if I don't do everything right, Sophie will be unruly. And I want her to respect me and of course family, friends, etc. But Sophie is so good natured. She does listen to me. And I can see that as long as I am consistant and patient that she is going to be such a well trained dog. The other concern for me is that I plan to take Sophie with me places. For example I want her to be welcome at my parents and my sister's houses, and friends when I go to hang out, so I want her to have really good manners. I already know that my mom is not going to want her on the couches ( about 8 yrs ago when I was living with them I brought home a cat who ruined their $3000 leather couches with scratches lol ). Now they are in my living room  

My parents live close, have a fenced in backyard, and my mom has a pretty flexible work schedule, so she is going to be looking after Sophie occasionally during the days (when I'm at work) or when I go out of town. 

Full grown Sophie should be 35-40 lbs but she is def on the smaller side now, I got her at just about 8 weeks and she wasn't even 5 lbs. Now at just over 9 weeks she is 6 lbs. Everyone thinks she looks bigger in pics -- she is a soft coated wheaten so she has a lot of soft fur (so cuddly!)


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

As long as you teach her the basics - Bite Inhibition, socialization, Sit, and Come - you're be fine. If you have the patience, teach her much more. When you socialize her with dogs after she has all 3 sets of shots, be sure to socialize her with big dogs and small dogs, puppies and adults.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

personally, i do not allow dogs on my furniture, sure its cute now but when they are bigger (depending on what kind of dog you have) some people deside that they dont want the dog to be there anymore & thats now problems arrise. i have a heeler & a jack russell terrier & neither have ever been on furnitire (they are 7 & 10) nor do they have any desire to be there, they are perfectly content being at our feet o the rug or in their doggie beds.


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## jenjen (Jul 21, 2010)

I have one set of couches the dogs are allowed on, and one they are not. The set they are not allowed on, I have never seen either of them on them, but the cushions are mysteriously squashed and sometimes on the floor when I get home. The set they are allowed on, they jump up on at will, but get down immediately and stay down when we tell them 'off', which is usually only when we have company. Neither of them sleep in our bed, but then I didn't even have my kid in my bedroom when she was a baby (crib in her own room from day one). I like my space when sleeping.

I think it's 'to each his own' whether or not dogs 'should' be on furniture. Just decide what you want, then clearly & consistently communicate it to your dog. But do be aware they are likely to do what they want when you're not home, so if you don't want them somewhere it's best to prevent them from being able rather than try to rely on them 'behaving'.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

We've always allowed all our dogs on the furniture, as has my entire family, which has ranged from Labs, to Pit's, to GSD's and Golden Retrievers. It's never bothered me. I don't make Jackson ask, he's allowed to jump on any couch, chair, or bed whenever he wants. It's just not something I care about enforcing. I like and prefer him to be laying with me, so I don't discourage it. Often times, he will go lay in his dog bed on the floor and be much more content, or underneath my bed. He's small and non-shedding so it's not really a problem here. But like I said, when we grew up with a GSD and Golden, they were also allowed and clearly shed alot, LOL. I think it's more of a preference thing really, I don't believe a dog sleeping on the bed causes any issues. Unless a dog is guarding a bed, THEN you may need to reinforce other issues.


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## Darcystheone (Apr 30, 2008)

Angela said:


> Hahahahaha... that is such a great photo.
> 
> Yeah, I am crate training Sophie and don't plan to have her on the bed until she is fully potty trained. She is just 9 weeks now. Last night she slept 7 1/2 hrs without asking to go out (miracle). Then this morning when I woke up, I peeked into the crate and she was sitting up looking out, apparently waiting for me to get up but not whining. What a good pup! I think we really wore her out yesterday with play.
> 
> ...


She's an absolute doll!


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Jacksons Mom said:


> We've always allowed all our dogs on the furniture, as has my entire family, which has ranged from Labs, to Pit's, to GSD's and Golden Retrievers. It's never bothered me. I don't make Jackson ask, he's allowed to jump on any couch, chair, or bed whenever he wants. It's just not something I care about enforcing. I like and prefer him to be laying with me, so I don't discourage it. Often times, he will go lay in his dog bed on the floor and be much more content, or underneath my bed. He's small and non-shedding so it's not really a problem here. But like I said, when we grew up with a GSD and Golden, they were also allowed and clearly shed alot, LOL. I think it's more of a preference thing really, I don't believe a dog sleeping on the bed causes any issues. *Unless a dog is guarding a bed, THEN you may need to reinforce other issues.*


THIS is why I make Frag ask. Just to enforce NILIF because it would SUCK if an 80lb GSD decided to start guarding the bed or couch. 

Oh yeah, and apparently starting yesterday we made a new rule. Frag's allowed on the couch. We got a pet vaccum cleaner, I needed something to clean.


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## RoscoeThe Pup (Aug 17, 2010)

When I first got my puppy he wasn't allowed in the bed and I tried to crate train. But I ended up breaking habit and now Roscoe sleeps with me and my boyfriend every night. 

I love it. He doesn't pee or make a mess on the bed and since he's warm he sleeps the entire night. He's NEVER wet the bed. He does dream bark sometimes but I usually don't even wake up. I think I've just come to the conclusion that every dog is different and you have to research everything and take every piece of advice with a grain of salt. If it isn't working, fix something and always make adjustments in according with what works with YOUR dog.

If you don't want the pup up on the furniture, make that the law. But if you enjoy him/her cuddling up with you while you watch t.v., then maybe that dog is just going to be a good couch dog. =]


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## sulla88bc (Jul 27, 2010)

Lil' Cato sleeps in his bed in the kitchen at night and has never cried when left. During the day he sleeps on the couch or on me! He knows he is not allowed to jump up on the couch when I am eating though..he's fine he gets it and he is only 14 weeks.


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## JuneBud (Feb 17, 2010)

I put my puppy on the bed for the first time yesterday morning while my hubby was still in bed. It was soooo funny. Puppy got so excited he practically licked my husband's hair off his head (he doesn't have all that much to lose). He was snuffling the pillows and sheets, digging under the pillows, then back to lick my hubby some more. He was so excited. He's not going to be allowed to sleep there, though, until he gets older and will settle down and sleep.


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## Kazza1981 (Sep 6, 2010)

My puppy is allowed on my Bed and couches .. My puppy is such a lovely girl!!!!


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## Loki Love (May 23, 2010)

Loki is allowed up on the couch downstairs, and on our bed when invited. I admit, it can be a pain in the butt sometimes having a 120 lb Great Dane in bed with you, but I wouldn't change it for the world


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## Mercy Medical (Jul 6, 2010)

Vincent is allowed up on our bed. He actually sleeps A LOT better through the night when on our bed compared to if he's sleeping on the floor. Sometimes he will start out on the bed, but eventually go to the floor. He even has his own bed, but more often then not chooses to sleep on the floor right in front of our door...haven't quite figured that one out.

He's not allowed on couches, though...well, at least our main couch. We brought home another couch maybe a month or so ago and even though we try, he tends to jump up on it a lot. He won't actually stay or lay down, but he just jumps up on it if he's energetic and playing or if he wants to look out the window (the couch is right next to it). I'm starting to become a little more lenient with him jumping on that couch because it's a futon and just has a cover on it, so it's not as nice as the other one and he tends to end up laying on it if we leave him out of his crate when we leave for a few minutes. I figure I'd rather have him on that one then the other, so I've been letting it slide.


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