Should I Allow My Dog On The Furniture?

Should you allow your dog on your furniture? Actually, opinions differ. Many people consider their dogs part of their family and, as such, they believe that their dog should be allowed on at least some of their furniture. But other people believe just as firmly that dogs should have their own places to lie and sleep which do not include the furniture. However, there are some things to consider about each position.

Most people think that allowing their dog on the furniture, whether it's a chair, sofa or bed, as being a decision about comfort. And it is about comfort, to a great degree. Your dog certainly likes being comfortable just as you do. However, allowing your dog to lie or sleep on your furniture is also a statement about your dog's position and status in the home. You may not be aware of the ramifications about status when you let your dog sleep on the sofa but your dog will be. That means that it's a good idea for you to consider their meaning, too.

For example, in your dog's eyes, you are (probably) the head of the house, the chief honcho, the pack leader, the boss - or at least you should be. You sit in the comfy chair. You sit on the sofa. You sleep in the big bed. Your dog knows these things and he associates these perks with your position since this is what the pack leader gets to do. The pack leader gets his choice of places to sit and sleep. He gets the best spots.

When you allow your dog to sit in a chair or sleep on your sofa or sleep on the bed next to you, you are elevating his status. If you elevate his status enough, you are putting him up on the same level as yourself and virtually making him a co-pack leader. Your dog is also very keenly aware of this change in status and what it means to be able to use these spaces. This is one reason why your dog takes over your space every time you leave the sofa. He's trying out the command seat.

If you slip up and your dog thinks you're not in charge anymore, your dog may decide that he's the boss. You can see this happen when your dog refuses to move when you tell him to get off the sofa or bed. If your dog growls or snaps at you when you tell him to get down then you have a problem. He's telling you that he's taking over the leader position and he deserves the prime spot.

There's nothing wrong with allowing your dog to sleep on the furniture as long as you remain in charge. If your dog does begin to ignore your commands to get down then it's a good idea to temporarily revoke his furniture privileges until he remembers that it's up to you to determine if or when he can get on the furniture. This should ensure that your dog has good manners when you tell him to move or get down.

If you prefer that your dog doesn't sleep on the furniture at all it's best if you don't allow him to get started as a puppy. Getting on the furniture is a hard habit to break once your dog has started doing it. You can provide your puppy or young dog with some comfortable dog beds in several different rooms of your home. Dog beds can be as simple or as fancy as you desire. You can also provide your dog with a crate with a comfortable mat. Lots of dogs like to sleep in a crate at night, especially if it's positioned in your bedroom or nearby.

Source:https://ezinearticles.com/?Should-I-Allow-My-Dog-On-The-Furniture?&id=8149602