Should dogs be allowed on furniture
Should dogs be allowed on furniture:
Deciding whether or not your dog has access to furniture is a very important thing. If you have a big dog, it's an even bigger deal. Access to furniture is a matter of importance for two reasons: first of all, because it is a great inconvenience to have to fight for space on your own couch; and secondly, because it is strongly related to the question of domination, which is of paramount importance in regard to a harmonious dog/owner relationship.
Your dog knows that furniture, especially your bed, is your turf. If you are allowed to go to your personal and private territory routinely and whenever you want, that gives you a very important point; Especially since it's rarely a two-way problem (when was the last time you invaded your dog's own lawn and snuggled to sleep a nap in your bed?). It's best to know these things before you make a final decision about accessing your dog's furniture.
If you decide to allow unimpeded access, you will need to make sure that you are very strict with the other facets of Alpha dominance to avoid having a feeling of self-importance too exaggerated.
In general, it is a good idea to prohibit your dog from direct access to furniture, until at least five or six months. When a puppy is growing up, he is forming the basis of his conceptions of what constitutes proper conduct, and is deciphering his own classification in the social hierarchy of the family. [Post: Dog disobedience training]
If you are allowed to jump over beds, sofas and armchairs (the three most precious furniture in the house for any dog) at will and from day one, you will have a distorted view of your own rating. You will not see it as the privilege it is: you will see it as your God-given right, and something you must take for granted. This does a lot to match your dog's rank with yours, which, as far as your role as an owner is concerned, is definitely not a good thing. To maintain a good relationship with your dog, you not only need to be the boss, but you must know it is.
To prevent adolescent attitude problems from developing, it is generally best to keep your puppy as humble as possible, which means you should appreciate being allowed to "level up." Rule number one, as far as this problem is concerned, is consistency. You must be consistent! Once you have made a decision on whether or not you will be allowed on the furniture, you will have to follow that decision, or whatever that decision may be, you will not have the hope of applying it.
So, if you are allowed to go up to the couch but not to bed, for example, you should never be allowed to go up to that bed, not even for a moment. If you decide not to allow any kind of furniture, you should make sure that no one counteracting your decision and invite you there.
Changing the rules according to human whims and impulses is not fair to your dog. He'll only confuse him. It cannot distinguish between a new expensive couch and an old and dirty one, or between clean legs and muddy legs. This can have a detrimental effect on your own tranquility (not to mention your dry cleaning bill), and if you take away that frustration from your dog, it is confusing and annoying for him. This is why, if you are going to be allowed access, it is a fantastic idea to impose limits: to teach you that you cannot simply jump when you want, but you must wait for an invitation. [Post: How to treat a lone dog home]
Inviting your dog to accompany you on the couch is easy enough. All you have to do is pat yourself in the seat next to you and, in a cheerful and friendly tone, say, "Up, there you are!" Most dogs need little more stimulation than this, and they will be ready as a bullet before the second syllable even passes through your lips. You will also need to apply the "off" command: This allows you to relax knowing that when you want a leg space, you are there to take it; And it also reminds you of your dog, in unequivocal terms, that access to your furniture is not a right, it's a privilege!
As you would expect, most dogs are less enthusiastic about obeying the "off" command than "up": Sometimes you may be asked to resort to physical force to maintain obedience. Don't worry, it's not inhumane in the slightest, it's just highly effective.
Here's what you have to do:
Deciding whether or not your dog has access to furniture is a very important thing. If you have a big dog, it's an even bigger deal. Access to furniture is a matter of importance for two reasons: first of all, because it is a great inconvenience to have to fight for space on your own couch; and secondly, because it is strongly related to the question of domination, which is of paramount importance in regard to a harmonious dog/owner relationship.
Your dog knows that furniture, especially your bed, is your turf. If you are allowed to go to your personal and private territory routinely and whenever you want, that gives you a very important point; Especially since it's rarely a two-way problem (when was the last time you invaded your dog's own lawn and snuggled to sleep a nap in your bed?). It's best to know these things before you make a final decision about accessing your dog's furniture.
If you decide to allow unimpeded access, you will need to make sure that you are very strict with the other facets of Alpha dominance to avoid having a feeling of self-importance too exaggerated.
In general, it is a good idea to prohibit your dog from direct access to furniture, until at least five or six months. When a puppy is growing up, he is forming the basis of his conceptions of what constitutes proper conduct, and is deciphering his own classification in the social hierarchy of the family. [Post: Dog disobedience training]
If you are allowed to jump over beds, sofas and armchairs (the three most precious furniture in the house for any dog) at will and from day one, you will have a distorted view of your own rating. You will not see it as the privilege it is: you will see it as your God-given right, and something you must take for granted. This does a lot to match your dog's rank with yours, which, as far as your role as an owner is concerned, is definitely not a good thing. To maintain a good relationship with your dog, you not only need to be the boss, but you must know it is.
To prevent adolescent attitude problems from developing, it is generally best to keep your puppy as humble as possible, which means you should appreciate being allowed to "level up." Rule number one, as far as this problem is concerned, is consistency. You must be consistent! Once you have made a decision on whether or not you will be allowed on the furniture, you will have to follow that decision, or whatever that decision may be, you will not have the hope of applying it.
So, if you are allowed to go up to the couch but not to bed, for example, you should never be allowed to go up to that bed, not even for a moment. If you decide not to allow any kind of furniture, you should make sure that no one counteracting your decision and invite you there.
Changing the rules according to human whims and impulses is not fair to your dog. He'll only confuse him. It cannot distinguish between a new expensive couch and an old and dirty one, or between clean legs and muddy legs. This can have a detrimental effect on your own tranquility (not to mention your dry cleaning bill), and if you take away that frustration from your dog, it is confusing and annoying for him. This is why, if you are going to be allowed access, it is a fantastic idea to impose limits: to teach you that you cannot simply jump when you want, but you must wait for an invitation. [Post: How to treat a lone dog home]
Inviting your dog to accompany you on the couch is easy enough. All you have to do is pat yourself in the seat next to you and, in a cheerful and friendly tone, say, "Up, there you are!" Most dogs need little more stimulation than this, and they will be ready as a bullet before the second syllable even passes through your lips. You will also need to apply the "off" command: This allows you to relax knowing that when you want a leg space, you are there to take it; And it also reminds you of your dog, in unequivocal terms, that access to your furniture is not a right, it's a privilege!
As you would expect, most dogs are less enthusiastic about obeying the "off" command than "up": Sometimes you may be asked to resort to physical force to maintain obedience. Don't worry, it's not inhumane in the slightest, it's just highly effective.
Here's what you have to do:
- -First of all, give it an attractive alternative. Being asked to get off a comfy couch to lie on the floor without ornaments is not something he answers with enthusiastic obedience: Prepare him for success, not for failure, giving him a comfy dog bed. You can make one yourself, without towels or pillows, or you can buy dog beds made in a variety of sizes and materials from the pet store.
- -When it is time to disembark, point the dog's bed and say, "off" in a calm and authoritative voice. It is not necessary to raise your voice or shout: Use a sensible but pleasant tone.
- -If there is no immediate response, do not repeat yourself. Keep your arm pointed to the bed and keep eye contact. If you have a perceptual dog, it is often enough to simply intensify your expression (raising your eyebrows or squeezing your mouth).
- -Wait 30 seconds (it will feel like an eternity!).
- -If there is no response after 30 seconds, you can use a physical fulfillment of your request.
