Anna Westhoff
Shortly after we adopted Pippi, Anna and I moved into our apartment in suburban New Jersey. Soon after that, we got a new couch. And not long after that, we created a new rule: No Pippi on the couch.
If you could see how pretty this piece of furniture is, you'd probably understand. (Not to mention the fact that it's worth almost as much as I am.) Yet we know many folks who give their pooches free range. In many of these cases, this stems less from a relaxed attitude than the perception that enforcement is difficult.
Indeed, for us it sometimes is. When Anna and I eat dinner in front of the TV, Pippi often tries to wiggle her way up onto the couch next to us. We gently repel her, just as we do when she attempts entry onto the chair Anna inherited from her grandmother, or the bed. (Most of the time, that is. Anna can be a weak link when it comes to the occasional canine snuggle under the covers.)
There is one piece of furniture on which Pippi is allowed. It's the beige chair in the living room. A hand-me-down Anna inherited years ago from a former roommate, it's a wood-framed camelback armchair upholstered in heavy jacquard fabric that Pippi nevertheless has rubbed pretty raw.
Pippi lounges on that chair while I work during the day, but when Anna comes home in the evening, Pippi springs forth to greet her before spinning around and coming right back to it. (She's into running circles when she gets excited. Is that odd?) Her nails, combined with the amount of time that she spends on the chair and her wrestling around have basically destroyed the covering to the point where I wouldn't be surprised to see stuffing emerge before too long.
Nonetheless, it's nice for Pippi to have her own furniture domain. And we've found that she follows our strange house rules even when we're not in the room. Her chair makes her feel like she's part of the family, I believe, and time she spends there is time she's not spending where she doesn't belong. Still, she often longs to hang out with us on the fancier furnishings.
What do you think of our strategy, readers? Do you think pets get confused by a system like ours? Have you ever decided to relegate one of your lesser pieces of furniture to a pet? Can they tell the difference between "their" furnishings and "yours?"
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We don't even allow our children on the furniture! The only way we would even consider allowing a dog onto our couch would be if it was one of those hairless mexican dogs.
you are correct about letting childlren on the furniture. The only beings allowed on my 18th century furniture ARE the 6 dogs and 4 cats. At least they won't destroy it.
We allow 3 retrievers to choose any furniture that they choose. I admit I do not like dogs laying on any beds since I do not want to feel dirty grains so I put door gates not to allow dogs into bedrooms often. Once in a while we allow them to sit on beds. Dogs find comfort once and want to sit on....3 big dogs means more dirty around home even cleaning sometimes.
This year I had the absolute pleasure of allowing a young golden retriever puppy to pick me has his designated human. I love him to pieces, however, I have kept him off of all the my furniture simply because out of respect for those that enter in, I am certain they do not want there clothes covered in dog hair simply because they sat on my furniture. I do allow my dog on my bed anytime he wants, though I will close the door during the day if he is covered w/ dirt or soaked from swimming. A few hairs on the bed spread pales to the joy that he brings me. He sleeps on the floor right next to my bed. If by chance he does quietly gets on the bed during the night, so be it. I got him to keep me young, thus far he has done a great job! I am now approaching 60 and I am ready to be a kid again
I am lucky if they (my dogs) let me sit on the furniture!
My dogs have the couch and they only let us sit with them if we let them lick us, lay on us, chew on our hair - it is really their couch. And we are okay with that. We have great big lazy boys for us - and only once did one of our dogs decide she can sit on mine. Our male will also move the kitchen chair out and step up and lay on the kitchen table. We go through a lot of cleaning supplies!!! PS - they also sleep with us at times. Our oldest dog sleeps with us most of the time - cuddled right in the middle. We love it - we wouldn't have it any other way!!!
I have a sweetie labradoodle who unfortunately sheds, so no, she can't get on the furniture, especially since it's new. She did however, get on an old chair before we got the new stuff, and she thought that was her chair. I really had to vacuum that chair!She definitely knows the difference between "hers" and "ours", she only plays with her toys, she never bothers with anyone else's things. One funny thing she does do, is put her front half on my bed, with her back feet on the floor, because she knows she's not allowed on it!
Yes, they are allowed on the furniture, but I keep the furniture covered. I got leather because I thought that it could not be damaged by either dog or cat claws........well, the leather can be damaged by them. But I love them so if you have animals you'll have to accept some damage.
We have 4 dogs and only one dog at a time are usally on the couch with us at a time , because they r so big. The mother dog is the only one that sleeps with us and she knows where she sleeps , at momma's feet .
i just lost my Jesse 2 wks ago and yes she was allowed anywhere she wanted to sit or lay or sleep and she did sleep in the bed with us.. we miss her soo she was part of our life.. we still have our other dog he is over 100 pounds and yes he sits lays and sleeps where ever he wishes too .. always with us .. we love them.. wouldnt have it any other way.. if u come to our house the dogs r part of us...
I believe this is everybody's individual choice. We do allow our dogs on the furniture.
Being dog owners my wife and I do not purchase furniture "worth as much as I am" so they have free range. Plus I make more of a mess on the furniture than the dogs do, spilling things etc..HA!
Hell yeah my dogs are allowed on the furniture. My red nosed pit sits up in the lazy boy recliner just like a human. It scared a couple of friends a few times cause she looks almost human sitting straight up with her belly sticking out! LOL
My dog is not allowed on the living room furniture or any beds. However, the kids let her on the various sofa's upstairs which is fine. She also has a futon in her bedroom that she sleeps on - it's faux leather junk, so that's fine also.
The cats, on the other hand, are allowed anywhere but the kitchen counters and table.
This is probably seen as huge discrimination by the dog.
i have no furniture
R I P ...MY SWEET JESSE.....
I don't think it is confusing to have a designated piece of furniture for your dog. Some dogs may get confused and think that if one piece of furniture is okay, they all are, but every dog is different and I think most dogs will get it. You made a good compromise.
Sephi & Maya are not allowed on any piece of furniture because they are big and they shed so much. But they have doggie beds layed strategically throughout the house so they can be anywhere we are and rest comfortably. Both are prefectly content with this arrangement.
Our dogs have always been allowed on the couches/chairs, but not the bed. They've had their own beds that were either in our bedroom or in the hallway. When we bought a new couch, I just covered it with an old comforter so I could have them sit next to me. There is nothing like reading, watching TV, or doing some kind of craft & having one of our babies next to me, being able to reach down and scratch, rub, or pet them. Like Jason, being dog owners, we've never owned a piece of furniture that is worth more then me or them.
I wouldnt have it any other way, my furbabies are allowed on all the beds ( they choose not to get on the couch) all my dogs are shelter dogs i think they deserve to live the good life from here on out.... and since my husband is gone a lot with work its nice to know they are close by or in with the kids....... BTW, having pets ( i have cats too) I wouldnt own furinture worth more then myself or babies ( oh and the kids are allowed on the furinture as well)........
All of our kids (3 canine & 5 feline) can sit anywhere they choose. We do not own a piece of cloth furniture, everything is upholstered in leather.