# Do you allow your dogs upstairs?



## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Just curious on what others do with their dogs regarding restricted areas in the house. We live in a split level house where all of our bedrooms are upstairs and the kitchen, lounge and living area is downstairs. 

The advice I got from my vet (who has a GSD herself) during Juno's first visit was to not allow Juno upstairs for two reasons. 1) Stairs are bad for young puppies joints, so avoid them to avoid injury. And 2) Restricting Juno downstairs shows our dominance over her by not allowing her where we sleep. Initially, we followed her advice. However, lately I'm wondering about the necessity of this. 

Since Juno loves being where ever we are, she tends to follow us from room to room and has attempted to come upstairs several times this week - especially if she's seen the cat go up there. She has her own room and space downstairs, so she knows where her "den" is. But does restricting your dog from going into certain parts of the house really teach them who is "Alpha"?


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## Lesley1905 (Aug 25, 2010)

We don't have stairs, but if we did, they could go anywhere their hearts desire.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

I agree with puppies should be restricted or limited on stairs due to joints. I do not buy into a lot of the "alpha" type things...so I can't offer a unbiased opinion on that.
We live in a 3 level home. Kaos has always been allowed free roam (of course as a puppy we limited it to necessity), with age and arthritis we do now restrict him to the main level, unless my husband is out of town, or it is storming...those are 2 times he thinks he needs to sleep next to my side of the bed. Our 9 month old puppy is limited on the stairs as of now, for his joints....and for the safety of our belongings I figure by about the time he is 2 he will also be allowed free roam. Hope that helps


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## GSDGunner (Feb 22, 2011)

Nope, not allowed and he doesn't even try.

I have two cats who aren't too fond of Gunner. My female cat tolerates him and allows him to lick her until he gets too rough and off she goes.
My male cat hates Gunner and is scared of him. Gunner gets swatted for just looking at him. 
So when we took the gates down to allow him free roam of the house after the puppy phase, we decided the upstairs would be a dog free zone for the cats. They don't have to worry if the big bad dog is coming.


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

Our two are allowed upstairs. Prior to our marriage and living together, hubby and I each shared our bed with our dog. This has never caused any dominance issues. Just practice NILIF and continue training and I doubt that you will have your pup challenge you.


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## spiritsmom (Mar 1, 2003)

I have a bi-level house as well and there is a baby gate the top of my stairs going up. I do not allow the dogs up there unless I myself am up there. My reason is that is the only carpeted area of the house and for some reason Nyxie loves to go up there and pee in the hallway (we keep all the bedroom doors closed). She does the same at my mom's house - she will sneak off to the only carpeted rooms and pee there. I have caught her and dragged her right outside but she still tries to sneak off. Baby gate solved that in two seconds at my house. Before her I let them all go up and down as they pleased and never had an issue.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

is your vet a trainer? behaviorist? I have to laugh at the statement by keeping her downstairs shows your dominance over her..have never heard that one before.

My dogs go wherever they please, at nite, they are all upstairs in my room, and thank god for a king size bed, cause they are usually sprawled all over it , along with the 4 cats,,real cozy..

"Alpha" smalpha, overrated and overused word as is dominance.

If your fair, consistent, you don't need to be worrying about "alpha smalpha" stuff.

Sure I think dogs can 'push buttons' at certain points in their lives, but ya deal with the issue and move on. 

Yes, if one of my dogs decided they were going to 'own' the couch, well that wouldn't fly and they wouldn't have that privelage.

Juno is a baby, and she sounds like a sweetie, unless she's causing you 'problems' by having access to certain areas, I wouldn't worry about it.

OH the stairs,,well no I don't want my young puppies racing up and down stairs all the time, and the first week or so I usually end up carrying them up and down, but once they "get it",,I let them do it on their own


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## Marnie (Oct 11, 2011)

I would get her used to the stairs while she is young, 3 - 6 months. Your vet might be right that a lot of climbing isn't good, but trust me, it's harder to teach an old dog about climbing if they have never tried it before. Getting them used to various surfaces, inclines, stairs, movement at a young age will pay off later.

My pup will sleep upstairs when he is a little older and can be trusted not to chew the rungs off my Grandmother's ancient rocking chair.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

Both of my dogs have free run of the house when I am home. The puppy is crated at night but right outside my bedroom door. I live in a three story home with a full basement. 

When I am not home, the adult has free run, the puppy is either crated of confined to certain parts of the house.

Both dogs sleep on the bed if they want, neither dog challenges me or my 88 year old mother that I live with.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

all of my dogs have had free run of the house.
all of my dogs sleep in the bedroom on their
beds or in our bed with us.

dominance and alpha is overrated.

the dog i have now started doing steps at 10 weeks old.



Rua said:


> 1) Stairs are bad for young puppies joints, so avoid them to avoid injury. And 2) Restricting Juno downstairs shows
> 
> >>>>our dominance<<<<
> 
> ...


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## Alishan86 (Oct 30, 2011)

My dog has never been allowed to go upstairs..and actually...he never even tried.

My dog has a lot of restrictions while hes in the house... Hes not allowed to go upstairs for one and while he's dowstairs hes not allowed to go in the living room.


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## mvarnell (Mar 31, 2010)

We don't let ours in the bathroom. They like to drink out of the toilet and are smart enough to lift the lid.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Knuckles isn't allowed upstairs but thats only because of his fetish for eating socks and I can't trust my 2 teenage daughters that they pick all of their dirty ones up  
If he ever gets over this fetish, he will have free run like he did in the beginning.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

JakodaCD OA said:


> is your vet a trainer? behaviorist? I have to laugh at the statement by keeping her downstairs shows your dominance over her..have never heard that one before.


Yeah, I hadn't heard that one before either. She's not a behaviourist as far as I know. At the time I just smiled and nodded when she said it, but since we've settled into a good routine with Juno, I don't really see the issue with restricting her for "Alpha" issues. I agree that term is overused a lot these days.

That being said, 10 years ago, I had a Doberman that had major Alpha issues which is why I'm very keen to get this right with Juno while she's still a pup. I was young when I had the Dobie and I made a lot of mistakes with her that I don't want to repeat.

The past couple days, I've let Juno come upstairs as long as I'm up there. But our poor spoiled cat has no safe haven anymore now that Juno has discovered his hiding places. LOL - I plan to restrict Juno a bit in the future to give the cat a break from her, but otherwise, I quite like having her follow me around the house as I do chores.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

mine normally don't bother going upstairs unless I'm up there, like Juno, mine follow me everywhere which is typical of a gsd

What I did for my cats, even tho they have no issues with the dogs, is babygate off a spare bedroom,,as in the babygate is just high enough the cats can get under it, so they could have a space of their own if they so chose..worked well when the dogs were rambunctious puppies

babygates are definately a good thing and it sounds like you will do fine by Juno


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## Marnie (Oct 11, 2011)

If you are interested in a different point of view, this alpha thing is way overrated. Being alpha is yesterday's buzz word. The latest research is leading us in a very different direction. 

Dogs evolved as scavengers and were able to form bonds with the humans they scavenged from. They understand working for reward and they understand cooperative effort in order to ensure their place with humans.

I will grant you that your dog must respect you just as you must respect it. FWIW, all these little displays of alpha status might be just a waste of time because the dog doesn't 'get' your point. Living on the top floor is important to people but to your dog, it probably just seems like a cruel and pointless exclusion from the family.


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## kitmcd (Aug 31, 2011)

My two older dogs are not allowed in living room (which we never use anyway) or dining room (also unused!). The kids (now grown) bedrooms are upstairs and we don't allow the older dogs up there as one of them lots to sneak pee on the carpet.

My 5 month puppy is crated at night in my room, boxer on my bed and beagle in a dog bed.

The finished basement is free roam for the dogs while we are home. I keep door shut when gone as again, the sneaky peeler!

I started letting the puppy do stairs at about 4 months, until then I carried her up and down to the basement room.

I thought it was good to have your new puppy sleep in your room...bonding and all?


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## PatternDayTrader (Dec 1, 2011)

Klause gets to go wherever he wants. 
He sleeps on the floor at the end of my matress, which is also on the floor. 
Alpha is the kind of person you are, and in my opinion has nothing to do with how you restrict where your dog is allowed to roam. I think, if you have to resort spacial restrictions to show dominance or prove your alpha status, then your probably not really an alpha type personality.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Marnie said:


> If you are interested in a different point of view, this alpha thing is way overrated. Being alpha is yesterday's buzz word. The latest research is leading us in a very different direction.
> 
> Dogs evolved as scavengers and were able to form bonds with the humans they scavenged from. They understand working for reward and they understand cooperative effort in order to ensure their place with humans.
> 
> I will grant you that your dog must respect you just as you must respect it. FWIW, all these little displays of alpha status might be just a waste of time because the dog doesn't 'get' your point. Living on the top floor is important to people but to your dog, it probably just seems like a cruel and pointless exclusion from the family.


I think you're right. Having Juno has been such an interesting crash course in GSD's. The experience has been very enriching, exhausting, yet exhilarating thus far. And I'm only getting started! I've never seen any other breed be so "into" her family. I love having Juno around and see her as my third child. She surprises me because I would have expected that since she's a dog, she would be happy to roam the house or garden on her own at times. Rather, she seems happiest when she is with us - no matter what we are doing. She just simply wants to be with us. It's a lovely trait!


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

I should add that our bedroom is downstairs. The only thing upstairs is our daughter's rooms, an extra bdrm/office and a bathroom. The dogs have run of the living room, kitchen & our bedroom (we have a small house). Knuckles' crate is in our bedroom. 
We have a babygate on the stairs going upstairs with enough space for the cats to get under. In the mornings I let our Golden upstairs so she can get the girls up for school


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

We have a multi-level home and the only place my dogs are not allowed is my laundry room(cat food/litterbox is in there) Now and then they get in.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Not allowed upstairs because of one cat who has claimed the upstairs the day we brought the dog home. I owe it to the cat to have have a safe area of the house. He is very afraid of the dog. 

We kept her out of the living room and dining rooms when she was a puppy and now she just respects the foundry and will only go in when invited in, which is basically Christmas, as we don't use those rooms much anymore.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

kitmcd said:


> I thought it was good to have your new puppy sleep in your room...bonding and all?


When we first got Juno I was really torn on this one. When I was young I used to let all my pets sleep in my room with me. Then I grew up and had babies, and sleep became such a precious commodity to me (due to having a baby that NEVER, and I mean NEVER slept for 2 solid years) that when I started having pets again, I didn't allow any of them in my room at night time because I am such a ridiculously light sleeper and the slightest noise wakes me up.

Juno has her crate set up with soft blankies, toys that smell like me, and her favourite chewies in her own little room downstairs, just below our bedroom. She loves it there, and I was happy to give her that space. Since I don't crate her during the day, it works for us. 

I do envy those that can have their pets in their room and sleep through it. Unfortunately, I just can't do it. I can barely cope with having to share a room with my snoring hubby.


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## Jake71 (Feb 2, 2011)

Our dogs can go whereever they want to go. If I don't want them in a room I just shut the door. They aren't allowed in my daughters room unless she is there. I want my daughter to feel like it's her room and the dogs are in there because she wants them.

Aside from that... free reign.


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

Jake71 said:


> Our dogs can go whereever they want to go. If I don't want them in a room I just shut the door. They aren't allowed in my daughters room unless she is there. I want my daughter to feel like it's her room and the dogs are in there because she wants them.
> 
> Aside from that... free reign.


That is just the way our house is run as well.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

They are all allowed everywhere, but they are all VERY clingy dogs so they are always where I am. Whisk and Puddi go up the stairs with no problem. Wiva has a bit of a stairs problem so we can working at that


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

onyx'girl said:


> We have a multi-level home and the only place my dogs are not allowed is my laundry room(cat food/litterbox is in there) Now and then they get in.


same with me.

I'm thinking of buying one of those small cat doors for the laundry room but I just know one of my dogs would get their head stuck in it.


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

If we really used the upstairs, which we don't, they would be. If I want to show my dog who's in charge, there are other things I can do to accomplish that. NILIF, teach tricks, basic obedience...


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

Rua said:


> I think you're right. Having Juno has been such an interesting crash course in GSD's. The experience has been very enriching, exhausting, yet exhilarating thus far. And I'm only getting started! I've never seen any other breed be so "into" her family. I love having Juno around and see her as my third child. She surprises me because I would have expected that since she's a dog, she would be happy to roam the house or garden on her own at times. Rather, she seems happiest when she is with us - no matter what we are doing. She just simply wants to be with us. It's a lovely trait!


That's what I love about GSDs. 




Rua said:


> When we first got Juno I was really torn on this one. When I was young I used to let all my pets sleep in my room with me. Then I grew up and had babies, and sleep became such a precious commodity to me (due to having a baby that NEVER, and I mean NEVER slept for 2 solid years) that when I started having pets again, I didn't allow any of them in my room at night time because I am such a ridiculously light sleeper and the slightest noise wakes me up.
> 
> Juno has her crate set up with soft blankies, toys that smell like me, and her favourite chewies in her own little room downstairs, just below our bedroom. She loves it there, and I was happy to give her that space. Since I don't crate her during the day, it works for us.
> 
> I do envy those that can have their pets in their room and sleep through it. Unfortunately, I just can't do it. I can barely cope with having to share a room with my snoring hubby.


Aw. xD
My current dog, non-GSD, sleeps wherever he wants, which often includes next to or on my chest or stomach, and used to always try to protect me from others waking me up. If they came over and started shaking me, he'd sit up and bark at them in a defensive way (he often seems to treat barking like growling: a warning, but a less serious one)...which woke me up anyways. I always thought it was so funny. He doesn't do that anymore.


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Joey's allowed to roam the first floor, except for the bathroom.

He can also roam the finished basement, except for the laundry/boiler room area.

Those doors stay closed.

He goes upstairs when it's bedtime (he sleeps in our room). He can also come into the other bedroom when we are getting dressed.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

We have the loft bedroom baby-gated at the top of the stairs to give our cats a place to go to be alone and not bothered by Niko (he likes to follow them around and sniff). But that's also where both dog sleep at night, so they are both allowed up there. If I go up there during the day, usually Niko follows me and hangs out on the landing watching me through the gate. I kinda like how he keeps an eye on me. 

As far as the stairs and joints, we just don't let our dogs race up and down the stairs repeatedly. It's hard to keep them from running down the stairs every morning when we get up, but I figure once a day isn't going to cripple them. But if we are playing in the house, the stairs and any hi-jinx on them is not allowed.

I find in general that vets don't give very good behavioral or training advise. I'm sure there are exceptions, but that has been my experience. Just take any of that type of advice from your vet with a grain (or two) of salt.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

It's interesting to get everyone's viewpoint on this. Good-Karma, you're right about taking the vets advice with a grain of salt. I took what my vet said seriously at first because she has her resident 10 year old GSD that stays in the clinic all day and since I'm a newb at this, I figured she knew the breed better than me. But after awhile of banishing her downstairs, I was like, "This is lame. Juno is part of our family. And I like it when she follows me upstairs and tries to steal my socks!"

On a side note regarding stairs: Is it the going up or the going down that is hard on a puppy's joints? Juno is very capable with climbing UP the stairs, but I always carry her down cuz she would tumble head first all the way down if I didn't. l


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## Fiddler (Feb 9, 2011)

I allow Gracie to go where she pleases. Most of the time she stays wherever I am. She is only 18 months old so I do keep a close watch on her if she's in another room........she plays with the funniest things!
(she thinks it's a hoot to pull my plants from the pots and let them lay 
on the floor in a heap of dirt)

I work from home so she spends a lot of time with me in my office. 

I do however make sure that I go up and down the stairs first, through doors first and into bed first.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

mysweetkaos said:


> I agree with puppies should be restricted or limited on stairs due to joints. I do not buy into a lot of the "alpha" type things...so I can't offer a unbiased opinion on that.
> We live in a 3 level home. Kaos has always been allowed free roam (of course as a puppy we limited it to necessity),* with age and arthritis we do now restrict him to the main level, *unless my husband is out of town, or it is storming...those are 2 times he thinks he needs to sleep next to my side of the bed. Our 9 month old puppy is limited on the stairs as of now, for his joints....and for the safety of our belongings I figure by about the time he is 2 he will also be allowed free roam. Hope that helps


This! And it breaks my heart. We didn't have Annie as a puppy. She came here at age two. She slept in our room for 11 years. Since spring, she has struggled with steps. I was so afraid she would fall and kill herself. At first, I put up a baby gate to keep her from coming up. She adjusted fairly quickly. I no longer need the gate. She doesn't even try to do the steps.


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## Frankly I'm Frank (Jan 2, 2012)

Max has been flying up and down the stairs since he was 11 weeks. Up and down cellar stairs also. He is almost 3 and I hope I didn't set him up for hip problems. He likes to throw things down the stairs and fetch them and repeat. I spend a good part of my day (and all night) upstairs and he is right by my side all the time.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

Stevenzachsmom said:


> This! And it breaks my heart. We didn't have Annie as a puppy. She came here at age two. She slept in our room for 11 years. Since spring, she has struggled with steps. I was so afraid she would fall and kill herself. At first, I put up a baby gate to keep her from coming up. She adjusted fairly quickly. I no longer need the gate. She doesn't even try to do the steps.


Kaos has struggled on them since about spring as well.....so either my husband or I has to be right next to or behind him to help when he wants to come up. We put a baby gate so he has to ask (whine) and then we would help him up. Although about a week ago he tried, made it up 2 stairs and just fell flat....it crushed him, he acted so upset, he hasn't even tried since then. He laid down and put his head on my lap and whined, I just cried like a baby. Heartbreaking I can't stand watching him age. I truly think they should make a course one has to go through to adopt a puppy and part of it should be shadowing someone with a senior dog for the day.....if you're not willing to commit to a time when they are no longer fun and very high maintenance.......I'll get off my soapbox now. I have heard so many people with young dogs make remarks about how much work/meds/monitoring Kaos needs and he is lucky that he isn't their dog...ugghhh


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

Viktor is able to go from the first floor to both the basement and the loft-bedroom. 

The steps to the bedroom are very steep and narrow, almost like a ladder. He is able to do them, but not at any great speed. I take my time on them as well. I suspect that when he gets older, he won't be going up there. But, I will just fix up the first floor bedroom for us.


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

All of dogs have a free run in my house the moment they arrive. We didn't have stairs when I got Zeus, Odin was all going up and down the stairs on his terms - on day 2. Koda who I got at 5 months don't have problem with stairs either. 

I let Koda sleeps wherever he wants, he has a bed in our bedroom, one by the fireplace but lately, he likes to sleep at the upper landing of our stairs- my guess is so that he can oversee what everyone is up to.


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## Knowknews (Dec 30, 2011)

Good topic. My experience is the cat gets the full run of the basement (upstairs when hubby is sleeping). Her litter box and food are down there. The dogs love kitty tootsie rolls and cat food. I have a chain lock on the basement door and it opens to the size of a cat. J The dogs learned “wait” so they can lie down or sit at the top of the stairs while I am down doing laundry or adding coal to the furnace. I totally praise them if they are waiting for me at the top and they usually are. This way, I don’t have doggie bombs to deal with and they can’t eat kitty’s poo/food. 
Interesting though, with regards to the alpha/upstairs issue, I have to add this. My husband usually drives truck at night. He leaves around 8:30pm, comes home around 8:30am, goes up to bed and puts the baby gate up at the top of the stairs. Now, during this time, the 3 older dogs and 2 young pups are out in the downstairs first floor. If they start to rumble and bumble too loud, Hubby can hear it; and it wakes him up – we all know that because he bellows out. In those cases, the pups go into the breezeway. He made a door frame between there and the kitchen and the inside of it is 1x2 fencing. Kind of like a screen door but stronger. Now – I am the one that walks, feeds, trains, and waters these dogs. The 3 older ones come up to my bedroom at night with me (sleeping on their own beds). They hardly ever see him. He comes down around 5 or 6 pm to eat and get ready for work; and, these dogs are all over him. They adore him. He speaks the command, and they do it. They act different with him. He is the supreme alpha. It drives me nuts. I do all the work and he gets all the respect. When I asked the trainer I used for the pups, she said it’s because he goes upstairs and they cannot follow him. Well, it is certainly something to think about. Now we didn’t do this on purpose, it’s just the easiest way we have come to live our lives. Although I do not think it is ‘necessary’ for everyone to practice this alpha/upstairs issue, I do believe there is some truth to it. 
I want my dogs in the house; I want my dogs to protect the house and, when they were little, my children. You really can’t have that if they are tied to a doghouse outside or locked in a crate all the time. So, they have to run the house with limited access when Hubby is sleeping. I want them to bark when someone comes to the door or skulks around my house. No matter what size the dog is (Mother had a toy poodle) it will still bark. That said, I also like the size/intimidation factor of a GSD. Their loyalty and faithfulness is surpassed only by my dear, sweet collie Harley. My toothless, faithful old man would have died trying to protect me, even though he wouldn’t bite a fly. He would bark and put himself in the middle LOL. He was almost 15. (RIP Oldielocks) 
All the dogs have been allowed to go up and down the steps on their own as soon as they screw up the courage. I found that if they learn on their own, they haven’t fallen yet. All are very good at the stairs. They even take them 3 at a time, and that makes me very jealous.  On days when I am gone out for long periods of time or we are having our 100-year record breaking rain, (and Hubby isn’t home) I actually do throw the tennis ball upstairs and let them bring it back. It is good exercise for them. The dog park is out of the question for my 3 older dogs. The 2 younger ones know the dog park and get along well there; however, it is also very wet and muddy. My yard is totally destroyed with the rain. If any of us just steps on it, the sod and 2-3 inches down just sloughs away. 
Enjoyed reading all of your posts.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

Knowknews.....I would venture to say it may just have more to do with him not being accessible to them as much as you are. Our 2 dog are taken care of soley by me...with the exception of back yard pick-up My husband works long hours and sometimes out of town. When he walks in the door, you'd think his pockets were full of filet mignon.....they can't get enough of him. 
Just my opinion that he is "cooler" because he isn't around as much....much like a child often idolizes the non-custodial parent after a divorce...because that's not the one who's there everyday enforcing rules and such. Just my thought...but as I stated I don't buy into a lot of the alpha-dominate thinking in regards the human/dog relationship, between 2 dogs, you bet your "buttons" but not in a h/d relationship.


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## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

Our upstairs is reserved for the cats, and the dogs know it. They can come up if I invite them (usually for a bath) but they don't go up otherwise. One cat will sit at the top of the stairs once in a while and glare down at us, and the dogs will mostly ignore them. Sometimes Sam whines but he responds to "leave it."

If we didn't have the cats, I wouldn't care where they wandered, but I doubt I would let them on the bed. Mostly for space issues!  They are allowed on the couch and it's never caused any issues between the dogs and us.


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## Mary&Stella (Jan 1, 2011)

Stella is allowed free roam of the house, of course with some restrictions. She can usually be found where her people are or sitting by the front door. If not visible then we find out where she has gotten to, usually looking for something to take, towel, laundry etc.
She doesnot have free roam at night yet, but our house is her house and as was previously said if she is not allowed in a room then the door is shut, although she has mastered the art of opening doors if she wants in bad enough! Stella is my 3rd dog and they all have had free roam of the house.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I currently have one full time dog, one part time dog and two full time kittens. All four of them are allowed anywhere in the house except the basement. They all sleep in the bedroom at night. 

I do keep the kittens in the bedroom when I am not home because they are too crazy to be trusted out in the house alone. 

There is too much for the kittens to get into in the basement and originally I trained Rafi not to go down there because that was where I used to keep the litter box (for Cleo) and I've just stuck with that. 

The alpha stuff is not useful, in my opinion. Fair, consistent and smart leadership is what any dog needs.


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## Knowknews (Dec 30, 2011)

angierose said:


> If we didn't have the cats, I wouldn't care where they wandered, but I doubt I would let them on the bed. Mostly for space issues!  They are allowed on the couch and it's never caused any issues between the dogs and us.


It's great how they adjust to each family and each family's different lifestyles. I love reading about the differences and the similarities.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Caitydid255 said:


> Our two are allowed upstairs. Prior to our marriage and living together, hubby and I each shared our bed with our dog. This has never caused any dominance issues. Just practice NILIF and continue training and I doubt that you will have your pup challenge you.


Good advice. Ours as well, well, 3 of them anyway, sleep on our bed. It's nice on cold nights to have built in footwarmers 
We don't have "alpha" issues and the best way to avoid so-called "alpha" issues is to be a good leader for your pet. Leadership is much better than an alpha way of thinking since we are not dogs, and aren't really a part of a "pack", but we are their humans and thus, ought to be their leaders.
The leader controls the resources and in a small way I guess you could say you can lead by controlling their space, but if you want the dog up on the bed or couch, for instance, you can ask them to "sit" before letting them have that privilege.

The simple rule at our home is "if you guard it, you lose it", so (for instance) if you let the dog on the bed, or couch, and they growl at you for coming close to the place they are lying (or "guard" their space) then they lose that privilege. Same with a toy or bone. If they guard it, they lose it.
That goes for toys and we have a lot of dogs here plus fosters, and nobody guards beds, or toys. We separate them to give them treats to avoid the same.


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## Knowknews (Dec 30, 2011)

BowWowMeow said:


> The alpha stuff is not useful, in my opinion. Fair, consistent and smart leadership is what any dog needs.


Exactly, I can't say with confidence alpha stuff is or isn't so. We certainly never intended to practice any kind of alpha training, it's just the way we live and the trainer brought that to my attention. 

I believe consistentancy and training is the best for my dogs and I work very hard at doing so. We all get along great so far. Except for them falling all over themselves to get to the "golden-one"  LOL.


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

My dogs are not allowed upstairs, but having said that my bedroom is downstairs so there is no reason for them go up there. Before putting a gate at the top of the stairs they would go up there every now and then and romp in the loft area sounding like a herd of elephants.

If my bedroom was upstairs then they would be allowed up there as they sleep in my room at night.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

My dogs have never been allowed upstairs or in the basement. The basement door is kept closed because it's not really safe down there and I definitely don't want my cats downstairs because some of the drop ceiling tiles are missing and they could get in the ceiling. Our previous cat was allowed down there until she was sick and was hiding in the ceiling so we could not medicate her, then we started closing it off from her.

Upstairs is sort of a separate "apartment" area, there is a cat door in the door to the stairs and the cats are allowed up (except not in the upstairs bedroom), but the dogs are not allowed up there. This is mostly because a family member used to live there and did not want the dogs up there, but they moved away. I still don't let Bianca up there because there's really no reason for her to go upstairs, I only go up myself to clean the cats' litterboxes. Plus the stairs are steep and slippery. The door is often open but Bianca never tries to go up. My bedroom is on the main floor and Bianca is allowed in there. My previous dog used to sleep in my bed too but Bianca takes up too much space or crushes my feet when I let her up, so she sleeps in her own bed.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

My dogs have no restrictions in my house as far as what room they are allowed in. They sleep on the furniture and several sleep on the bed at night. I don't use my upstairs much (it isn't heated), but with a puppy I would only be careful that they didn't fly down the stairs when young risking injury. I do have stairs in and out of my house.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

The only thing upstairs is bedrooms and the laundry room. Sheldon is allowed up when invited, either for bath time or snuggle movie night. It doesn't seem to bug him, as he's always hated stairs, so we don't have to do much to reinforce it. He sleeps in his crate in the living room, and knows to bark when he needs to go potty. If he were to sleep in our room, I don't think I'd get much sleep, as he's up every 10 minutes, readjusting, clomping around and being an all around butt. (we learned this when sleeping over at my moms...). He doesn't have free reign at night yet, as he tries to steal cords, pens and anything else he can get his mouth on, so it'll be a while for that...


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

We don't have an upstairs, but the only place the dogs are not allowed is the cat room, which has a baby gate to keep them out. The cats need a safe place where they can eat, sleep, hang out, and use their litterbox without being mugged by dogs!

We've always had our dogs sleep in the bedroom with us, and they are allowed to get on the bed if they want, but they sleep in crates. Keefer really doesn't have any interest in being on the bed, he only goes up there when he's chasing Halo. She likes to hang out there if I'm in the bedroom getting dressed or changing clothes or on my Lifecyle or putting laundry away, and the first thing she does every morning when I let her out of her crate is to jump on our bed and roll around on her back. Not sure why she likes to do that (marking us with her scent? immersing herself in OUR scent? or she just has a powerful itch that needs scratching?), but it's pretty darned cute! 

We've never allowed dogs on the furniture before but Halo has taken it upon herself to change that rule.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

No restrictions, except my son's room. He just doesn't want them in there because he's a neat freak. His space so we respect that.


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## Davey Benson (Nov 10, 2010)

It's not so much that they arent "allowed" upstairs as much as I prefer them not be upstairs (on the main level) because it's nice to have one level of the house relatively dog hair free for entertaining company on the rare occassion they come over. My dogs actually are allowed to be pretty much anywhere I am, and I myself am rarely ever on the main floor of my house. 

I like my dogs to go downstairs to the basement. It's ok though, because that is actually where my bedroom is, as well as other finnished spaces, and it's where I spend most my time on the rare occassion I am actually in my house. My dogs are allowed to basically follow me around which is pretty much what they would do anyway. They hang out in the kitchen, and dinning room upstairs. (hard wood and tile, very easy to sweep up) 

I used to allow my Border collie in my bed, but I have stopped that practice, because he is a bed piggy, and would constantly try to push me out of bed during the night. (that and his sucking on my blankets was a problem, sort of a turn off to grab a wet blanket in the dark and know that had been sucked on.


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