# To couch, or not to couch, that is the question...



## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

Sorry, couldn't think of a better subject title...

We have an 11 week old White GSD pup....we started off not letting her on the couch, which wasn't a problem when she was really small and couldn't get up there. Just a few weeks later, she's getting big fast and can jump like a little bunny. She gets up there now...and the more we yell to get down, the more she jumps down only to jump up again as if it's a great game. I personally have always let my dogs rest on the couch if they don't chew on it....but my hubby thinks we should keep her off them. Is allowing them up on them going to cause future behavior issues? 

Just so you know, this is what I'm dealing with...the conversation around this moment went something like...










Me: "Jemma, get down off that couch"
Jemma's thought bubble: "But why, you guys sit up here? Plus, if you don't let me, I'm gonna do my cute head tilt to get my way...here it goes..."
Me: "Oh all right, sheesh"


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

I don't know how I could say no to that face.... 

As for your question - my dogs can sit on the couch as long as no human wants to and if they want to share the couch with a human, that's fine, but the human picks the space or chooses not to have the dog sit on it with them. This rule hold true for the cats, too, but the cats have taught the dogs this. And by that I mean, if the cat wants the couch, the cat gets the couch. So it's human's couch first, then the cats and the dogs get the leftovers. 

I don't think allowing them on the couch will cause a behavior issue on its own, no.


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## sharkey19 (Sep 25, 2011)

I think its ok if you are careful with it. As kittilicious said, there needs to be rules. Dax is allowed on the couch when I tell him its ok for him to sit on it. And he must get off if I tell him to get off. If he ever stopped listening to me he wouldn't be allowed on. Also, if your dog ever starts showing aggression about it, or anything really, you shouldn't let her on the couch.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

It would be a personal decision to have your dog on the furniture or not. There isn't going to be a mental break down if you never allow her to get on the furniture, and she isn't going to take over your household, steal your credit cards and shop on ebay if you do. 

But....since she really enjoys jumping up and down on the couch, use that to your advantage. Teach her "Load!" (or what ever word) and signal her to jump on the couch (reward big time!). Then teach her "Off" (or what ever word) and signal her to get back down (reward big time!). 

Then she learns that she can only "load" on what ever you give her permission to. You can use the command to teach her to go into her kennel, get into your car, get on the scale at the vet's office etc. etc. "Off" would be the opposite. Get out of the car, out of the kennel, off of the scale etc. etc. 

When she is older and bigger, you still have the capability to make the decision if you want her on your furniture (couch, bed, chair etc.) or not. Or if you want her up there for cuddle time and then want her off again. She'll learn it's a reward for her and might appreciate it more!


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

I don't let Wolfie on the couch per my breeders instructions. Here's her reason..
If your dog sleeps in your bed and sits on the couch with you, they are then looking you eye to eye,
that can mean for some of the more dominant pups/dogs that they are equal to you and you are no
longer the alpha dog, if you *don't believe* this can happen than you can allow your dog to sleep in your 
bed with you and sit on the couch with you, but don't call me when your dog starts growling at you
and begins pushing you around,_* I'll only say I told you so.*_
*This behaviour doesn't happen with all dogs,* but once in awhile it does, and it turns into a behavioral 
problem that needs to be addressed>
_*DON'T SPOIL YOUR DOG, *(too much food, too much coddling, too much babying, no discipline...)_
*TREAT YOUR DOG WITH RESPECT AND REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE A HUMAN
AND YOUR DOG IS A DOG, AND DON"T FEEL BAD, YOUR DOG LOVES BEING A DOG!!!*


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

I know one of my personal struggles with dogs has always been letting them get their way when they are sweet about it...and that face, ahhh  

But in all seriousness...I don't want a full grown adult dog that thinks she can do whatever she pleases so I really like the idea of adding it into the training with a LOAD command then off with rewards for both. I find that, with other things, when we start making it a command type thing, she seems to lose interest in doing it while not being commanded to do so. It happened with our mulch...she would grab a piece and run, because she knew we'd tell her no (worried she would choke on it). I started taking a large piece and getting her to fetch and suddenly she lost interest in it. Same with digging in the sand box....just like a child...once they are allowed and asked to do it under certain circumstances, it seems to lose it's mystique...


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## sharkey19 (Sep 25, 2011)

TheVintageAngel said:


> I started taking a large piece and getting her to fetch and suddenly she lost interest in it. Same with digging in the sand box....just like a child...once they are allowed and asked to do it under certain circumstances, it seems to lose it's mystique...


So true, Dax is exactly the same way. They just want to get a rise out of you, naughty doggies!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

My dogs are all allowed on the couch. They also know to get off on command. Letting a dog on the couch doesn't automatically create any leadership or behavioral issues, so long as they know it's *your* couch and you just let them sit on it. That said, if it's a nice couch and you don't want dog fur on it, don't let your dog on the couch.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Wolfiesmom said:


> I don't let Wolfie on the couch per my breeders instructions. Here's her reason..
> If your dog sleeps in your bed and sits on the couch with you, they are then looking you eye to eye,
> that can mean for some of the more dominant pups/dogs that they are equal to you and you are no
> longer the alpha dog, if you *don't believe* this can happen than you can allow your dog to sleep in your
> ...


I'm not saying that this isn't logical thinking. It sort of is, but honestly the first thing that popped into my head was me laying in bed or on the couch and them walking up and looking me in the eye....


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

TheVintageAngel said:


> I find that, with other things, when we start making it a command type thing, she seems to lose interest in doing it while not being commanded to do so. ..


What you did was took all of the fun out of it. With a pup you have to make everything fun. You'll hear the term "Throw a party!" That means make entirely too big of a deal out of it. "Whoo Hoo! Good girl! Hey! (treat, praise) Whoo Hoo!" Your pup's gonna think, I'm not sure what I did, but I'm sure as hec wanna do it again!"

Your family members, friends and neighbors are going to think you've lost your mind. But you pup is going to have a great time learning!


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Kittilicious said:


> I'm not saying that this isn't logical thinking. It sort of is, but honestly the first thing that popped into my head was me laying in bed or on the couch and them walking up and looking me in the eye....


:laugh:


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

I can see how certain dogs might respond to being on the couch with aggression if they get too comfortable with a spot being theirs, etc. Good advice all, thank you!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog is allowed on the furniture. i didn't allow him on
the furniture untill he was a year or 1&1/2 years old. i wanted
him trained before allowing him on the furniture because
i wanted control of him. now i can tell him to jump on
the sofa or bed or jump off. if our dog jumps on the sofa
or bed without being invited sometimes i allow it. if i want
more room i can say "get down Loki", "no Loki", "no, get off the bed",
"come on, "get up". i can say any of these things and my dog
will get off the funiture. once i have control of my dogs i don't
object to them being on the furniture.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Wolfiesmom said:


> I don't let Wolfie on the couch per my breeders instructions. Here's her reason..
> If your dog sleeps in your bed and sits on the couch with you, they are then looking you eye to eye,
> that can mean for some of the more dominant pups/dogs that they are equal to you and you are no
> longer the alpha dog, if you *don't believe* this can happen than you can allow your dog to sleep in your
> ...


I think this is good breeder advice. For one thing it diminishes their liability, for another (to me) is just makes sense. Why go looking for trouble by allowing a puppy on furniture when you might later on have to fight him/her for it? 
As for me, we have never allowed dogs on furniture. They have the entire floor space of the house to lay in/on. We only have the furniture.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

our dog sleeps on the bed with us and lays down
on the sofa with us. sometimes our dog will sit
on the sofa while we're laying down and look out
the window. our dog has never growled at us for
any reason. i'm not a true believer in the dominant
dog, alpha dog theory.



Wolfiesmom said:


> I don't let Wolfie on the couch per my breeders instructions. Here's her reason..
> If your dog sleeps in your bed and sits on the couch with you, they are then looking you eye to eye,
> that can mean for some of the more dominant pups/dogs that they are equal to you and you are no
> longer the alpha dog, if you *don't believe* this can happen than you can allow your dog to sleep in your
> ...


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## Scarlettsmom (Jul 12, 2011)

We share in our house. Scarlett knows "off" and she is quite obedient. The office couch is just the right size for a GSD and a person...but if two people want to sit there, that takes priority. 

If Scarlett were guarding the couch or unwilling to share, that would be an entirely different story. As it is, I LOVE having a foot warmer.


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

I think it's much easier to keep your puppy off the furniture and then later decide that you'd like to start inviting them up with you when they're an adult, than it is to let them on the furniture when they're cute little puppies and then decide later that you don't want them up there anymore when they get big.

I generally prefer to err on the side of stricter rules early on with the option to change my mind and relax the rules later if I want to. In any case, I think it's a good idea to have some criteria, such as only letting her on the couch when invited and making her get off when you tell her to rather than letting her "own" it.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Scarlettsmom said:


> We share in our house. Scarlett knows "off" and she is quite obedient. The office couch is just the right size for a GSD and a person...but if two people want to sit there, that takes priority.
> 
> If Scarlett were guarding the couch or unwilling to share, that would be an entirely different story. As it is, I LOVE having a foot warmer.


You have worked out a partnership with your dog. What could be better?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I've never had one of my dogs growl at me or challenge me for couch space, and there's no way in Hades I'm letting my arthritic senior lay on the cold hardwood floor. 

In nearly 10 years of foster dogs, only one has ever challenged me over the couch. I picked up the end of the couch and flipped it over with him still on it. We never had another issue over the couch again.  After that incident, he was not allowed on the furniture.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

In 40+ years of having dogs of several different breeds, some of which were more "alpha"type dogs. I have NEVER had one challenge me over couch space. They have all learned from day 1 that if I tell them to move or get off, they are to do just that.


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## Runswithdogs (May 8, 2010)

Our dogs are allowed, but they need to be invited and they need to get off when they hear "off!" if they start forgetting that, they lose privileges for a bit.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

I've never been challenged for couch/chair/bed space. If I was challenged, I know who would win. When I want to sit down if a dog is there, the dog must come off and that's that. Fighting me over my furniture is just not something I would ever put up with. If it became an issue, I'd probably not allow the dog on furniture again for months... but again, thankfully, hasn't ever been an issue.

I'm working a rare nightshift tomorrow and I'm already looking forward to cuddling with Bails in the bed tomorrow morning. 

Also, we bought some pretty cheap furniture last time we needed to replace. That was done pretty intentionally. Sure, I love nice furniture like anyone, but I like my dogs to be comfy and cozy on cold winter nights, too and don't want to worry about how they might scratch or cause damage to high dollar leather, etc.


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## TaraM1285 (Sep 24, 2009)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> I think it's much easier to keep your puppy off the furniture and then later decide that you'd like to start inviting them up with you when they're an adult, than it is to let them on the furniture when they're cute little puppies and then decide later that you don't want them up there anymore when they get big.
> 
> I generally prefer to err on the side of stricter rules early on with the option to change my mind and relax the rules later if I want to. In any case, I think it's a good idea to have some criteria, such as only letting her on the couch when invited and making her get off when you tell her to rather than letting her "own" it.



This. 

I haven't had Tara since she was a puppy, but she wasn't allowed up on the couch or bed for at least the first year we had her. She is now, rarely, allowed up on the couch or bed if invited. She has her own beds and plenty of floor space. One of the side effects of doing it this way that when we're traveling and visiting family or friends (who may not welcome a 70 lb GSD on their furniture), she already knows she is not allowed on their couches and beds.


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

Haha, we let Sheldon on the bed or couch ONLY when we tell him he can come up, and he HAS to get down when we tell him. He doesn't seem to like being on them though, so we don't have too many issues. =]


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## rgollar (Dec 19, 2010)

Beautiful looking dog Vintage Angel. I got to say I am a sucker to those puppy looks. I just cant say no lol.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

I agree with most here in that we let Abbie on the couch, but she _MUST_ get off when asked. She does not get to sleep with us in bed though, so the couch is like the comfy soft place she sleeps when we all retire to the back...


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## GSD84 (Apr 27, 2011)

We actually allowed Isis on the couch when she came home. But we have brand new cloth couches, and I was starting to notice after she came in from being outside in the rain, she would jump on the couch and it was gross. I gave them a good cleaning, as they started to smell like wet dog lol. So now she is not allowed on the couch. She will look at it and look at us... We say no and she walks away. When we arent looking she will jump on them but we will instantly tell her down/off and she jumps down. She is only 15 weeks old and already would take up a good space of the couch, so I definately couldn't imagine a full grown dog on it. And when people come over I don't want them leaving with dog hair on their pants and back just from sitting on a couch. The last reason for us is that is the one place my kids can "get away" from Isis, without her wanting to jump and play with them. When they are on the couch she knows she is definately not allowed to get on.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

GSD84 said:


> And when people come over I don't want them leaving with dog hair on their pants and back just from sitting on a couch.


Wait. . . no dog fur? On. . . _clothes?_ What language is this you speak?


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I think with a face like that you're just SOL lol! 

In all seriousness, Sasha has been allowed on my couch and it has not created any issues. If I want her off the couch she'll get off. The only thing I don't like about having her on the couch is it just adds to the areas that are covered in her hair lol


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Wait. . . no dog fur? On. . . _clothes?_ What language is this you speak?


LOL this is funny but it's true. I went to school the other day, after defuring my clothes at home only to be sitting in class picking Sasha hair off of me. It was in the car so it was on me again by the time I got to school. It's a battle I've learned I've simply lost.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

NewbieShepherdGirl said:


> LOL this is funny but it's true. I went to school the other day, after defuring my clothes at home only to be sitting in class picking Sasha hair off of me. It was in the car so it was on me again by the time I got to school. It's a battle I've learned I've simply lost.


 My dog is white, so it's easy... don't ever wear black.  You're right, it's a losing battle, you can't win.


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## GSD84 (Apr 27, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Wait. . . no dog fur? On. . . _clothes?_ What language is this you speak?


lol its called my obsessive cleaning behaviour lol....I vaccum constantly but Isis has yet to shed...not looking forward to that day lol....but i would hate for family to come over and leave with tons of fur on their clothes....


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

My FIL still talks about his visit up here last year. He went home and his suitcase has a hair ball in it.

All 3 of my dogs are laid out on our couch now. It's a sectional. Perfect sleeping place for 3 stretched out adult GSD's. Usually they will jump down after awhile and stretch out on the floor.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

Emoore said:


> I've never had one of my dogs growl at me or challenge me for couch space, and there's no way in Hades I'm letting my arthritic senior lay on the cold hardwood floor.
> 
> *In nearly 10 years of foster dogs, only one has ever challenged me over the couch. I picked up the end of the couch and flipped it over with him still on it. We never had another issue over the couch again.  After that incident, he was not allowed on the furniture*.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: This is TOTALLY something I would do. I love the people that freak out OMG he/she growled I'm too afraid to get close to correct the puppy what can I do to enforce the rule. I have no problems acting a fool to get my point across regardless of if it's jumping up and down like an idiot to show the dog they did something great or dumping couches to get my point across that the behavior was NOT acceptable.

As for Jinx she's allowed on whatever I truthfully don't care. 99% of the time if I'm laying on the couch you can rest assured shes not only up there with me but actually on me! She loves to lay on her back in the crook of my arm between me and the back of the couch. I don't mind she makes for a nice warm blanket and is super soft to cuddle however if I say "ok thats enough" she knows to get up.. sometimes takes a few extra seconds if shes in a deep sleep lol. She aso knows while I'm arranging the blanket she has to wait until I tell her ok although she does test this a few times and I have to make her get down.

Come bedtime if she gets up there first and gets in MY spot I don't even fuss with a command I simply get into my spot and it pushes her out of the way I'm not even gonna mess with her ever deciding to ignore the command and if she has a problem with it I have no problem laying on her until she gets ticked off and moves lmao. I understand peoples reasons for not allowing them on furniture (hair etc..) however I'm with doggie dad on this one I'm just not sold on the whole dominance/alpha thing on everything. I understand sometimes you get a dominant dog but I don't think it happens nearly as often as people think and I really don't think the furniture is going to cause aggression issues. Personally I believe a good breeder would pair you up with the dog so the dominant pushy dog doesn't go to a house that can't handle it where being on furniture would be an issue. Just my 2 cents as I lay on the couch typing this with Jinx in my lap sharing some fruit snacks with me


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

I have not let Viktor on any of the furniture, but it has only been 24 days and we are still developing our relationship. I can see if the future allowing this, but not yet.


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## Rooney10 (Nov 7, 2011)

Yeah I let my dog on the couch but only when I say,, he's just not allowed to jump on it when he feels like it,, and it's cute when he just sitting there waiting for me to invite him up


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