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Most dogs like to be perch up high so they can see what is going on. I just throw a nice quilt blanket that matches my room on the sofa and wash it twice a week, why deny them of this.

My cats climb on anything and everything, mostly because they've trained me to realize that I can't stop them. The only exception is that I don't allow them on the kitchen counters if I'm home, but I know (from evidence) that they get up there when I'm gone.

Dogs off. They aren't people. They grow up in the wild. They sleep on the ground. There are no sofas out there.

Cats. Who cares?

our two dogs area always on the furniture...we do not attempt to get them off

I keep them off for all kinds of reasons. My big hound dog doesn't even try to get on the sofa but I think we trained her well since we got her as a pup. My smaller sheltie loves to find his way on it as soon as we leave the house. What I think works (or my dog is outsmarting me again) are those plastic hallway runners meant to go over carpet. If you turn them upside down it's a little pokey so you lay it across your couch and it should keep them off of it because it's uncomfortable. At the same time, it's plastic so you can easily clean it, roll it up when not in use, and helps keep their hair/oil off the couch if they do end up sitting on it. =) Good luck.

The cats are impossible to stop, so a blanket helps keep them from sliding all over the leather. The dog is only allowed up when invited, on her dog blanket. Maybe once a week or so. The couch is just not big enough for 2 humans and a border collie all the time. I know she sneaks up occasionally when we're gone, but her time home alone is pretty limited so I don't worry too much.

My chocolate lab is all over the couch! I have a blanket which I put on a couch for him to lay on, however, he often shakes it off when he rolls over.

I don't like my dogs on the furniture....because then that means when I sit on it there will be dog hair all over my clothing, even when the dog has short hair. I have 2 boxers and they shed off and on. They know not to get on top of the sofa, and when I first got them, they would sneak on there when I wasnt looking. I figured that I f i bought them their own comfy PILLOWS and threw them on the floor...they'd stay off. AND It worked, i haven't caught them on the sofa since!


Jen Ramos
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My dog likes his spot on the couch and my bed, and he stands on the chair nearest the front windows to check out what's happening outside. He is the world's most persistent canine, though, so even when I've attempted to keep him off something, he always comes back.

My cats would be so upset if I didn't allow them on the couch. It's a prime cuddle opportunity for them (my black cat is stalking his way over to me right now) and they love to perch on the back to look out the window. The one thing they have both learned, however, is that they are not allowed on my lap if I have any sort of food or drink. They will sit next to me until the golden moment that I put the plate or glass down then grab their spot.

My bulldogs have their very own couch from IKEA that they are allowed to sit on. They know better than to get on the nice couch in the living room. All I had to do was tell them "no".

Quiltmaster Dogs don't grow up in the wild, if anything cats are more wild. Dogs grow up in homes just like people and are domesticated. Cats have sharper nails anyway and claw things up. What would you just tie a dog up outside if you had one, if you do, you shouldn't have one?

My dog is allowed on the furniture, but there's always a blanket or pillow under her. She is small (10lb) and doesn't shed so there's not problem with it.

My dog loves options (and I guess I haven't fought it too much)...he goes from sofa, to chair, to his bed, to floor, and back. He doesn't shed so I don't mind.

My 10-lb dog has a pillow-like dog bed. She's allowed to scratch, drool, eat, and snorfle to her heart's content on that pillow. Sometimes, I put the pillow on the sofa. She's allowed to sit on the pillow on the sofa. Other times (like when we have company) the pillow goes to the floor. And she follows it.

Our two dogs share 4 fancy, cushy dog beds but prefer to be on the couch. Buy stock in sticky rollers. We accept this on the den couch but not on the living room couch. To keep them off the latter, we bought a "scat mat." This is a plastic battery-powered mat which gives them a little shock (like the one you get if you shuffle on the rug then touch something metal, and yes we tested it on ourselves first). Within a few days they were giving that couch a wide berth, and we could put the scat mat away. Of couse they sleep in the bed with us, which is why we had to get a bigger bed.

quiltmaster: I don't think most people's dogs grow up in the wild. Sorry to nitpick, but that one gave me a serious HUH??

hahaha, Shilojean! your comment made me laugh; I was thinking the same thing about quiltmaster!

now that i have reached a fairly advanced age MY hair is shedding all over the place too. guess that means i shouldn't sit on the sofa anymore.

pets are part of the family. let them sit where they please.

Before I bought my vintage sofa, my dog was allowed all over my old couch. Since then she's been banned, and has been fantastic at sticking with her bed out here in the living room. The cats, of course, don't listen as well, so I'm always de-catting the couch. Thank goodness velvet has the right texture.

Looks like this bony grayhound needs a softer seat to feel comfortable. Poor thing! Maybe a larger bed also.
They like to sleep where there owner sits or sleep---makes them feel safe and loved.

It depends. I live with room mates who have rather fugly green plaid couches, complete with arms chewed by a previous canine resident. So my dog is allowed on the current furniture. When I lived with someone who had a brand new DWR sofa, the dog was not allowed on it, but we did have an Ikea poang chair that she was allowed in. It still required a lot of reinforcement to keep her off the sofa, though, and I would have to leave her in my bedroom if no one was home to be completely safe about it. I only lived there for 5 months, and I think given more time she would have been progressively more reliable about staying off it.
I also let her sleep in bed with me sometimes, but she knows that if I tell her to get down and go to her bed that she will be sleeping there that night. Usually this goes over pretty well, but again, if I'm not there she'll sleep on my bed, which is luckily fine with me.
Also, your greyhound is so, so, so cute!

Custom washable linen slip covers. I considered leather but asked myself, "why would I want to buy leather for a dog bed?" So linen it is... I sit in a club chair and NEVER wear work clothes once I enter the house -- change immediately. It works for me.

Awwww. that dog is so cute - I adore Greyhounds. Off sofa, for sure.

The boys, 2 Persians, loooove the sofa. o.k. daily rubbing w/ a rubber glove makes it bearable.

my cat lays pretty much anywhere she pleases. she especially loves the barcelona chair! my kind of cat! but i keep her off of the coffee table, counters, etc. anywhere that eating might take place...

It's impossible to keep Cat off of something once he decides it's his, so he's allowed to sleep on the couch. And for this privilege, he doesn't scratch it, so it's a win-win situation for me. If I had a larger dog than I do (she's a Sheltie) I'd enforce the no-furniture rule, but she's getting old and doesn't climb up on things that much anymore, anyway.

We tuck a giant fleece blanket over our couch. It almost matches, and we feel ok having our boston on the couch with us. If he makes any sort of mess, we toss it in the washing machine (about every 2 weeks).

Cats on. Dogs off.

As I write this, my two dogs are cuddled up on the sofa next to me. They're little and don't shed, so hair isn't a problem. They also sleep in our bed. In short, our dogs rule the house.

Poor, sad Otto. Let him on the sofa, already.

My cats are allowed on the furniture, including the sofa. Only the kitchen tables and sink area are off limits. Our pets are with us for such a short time--I can always get another sofa or chair!

My cat will do what he wants, and I cannot stop him. The dog will only climb up on the sofa when I'm not home. I can always tell when he's been there because the pillows are knocked to the floor. I'm just impressed that he can even get up there at all because he has arthritis in his back legs. I don't have the heart to stop him and will continue to let him climb up there. Thankfully the slipcovers are washable.

My 2 cats will sit and sleep where ever they want. I can not stop them.

I have a greyhound too and normally he wouldn't climb up the bed or sofa because they are not trained to jump or climb up when they were still racing. (I guess their feet are their assets) So I have no problem there.

Greyhounds need somewhere soft and comfy to sleep. Its because of their very sensitive hind legs. So I have a huge pet bed for him with soft bedding and he loves it.

Small dogs are ok on the furniture.

Cat - we don't stop him from being on the sofa. The leather sectional in the family room does not appeal to him unless there is a blanket on it. The ultrasuede sofa in the living room is just his style - and it's the only fabric he does not try to scratch up.

Dog - not allowed on the sofa. But he's a puppy and still testing his limits, so he jumps up there every chance he gets. A couple of times, I have allowed him to stay up there because it's hard to resist him - just don't tell my husband.

So do any of you "no dogs on the couch" people get on the floor with your dog? It seems strange to me you'd deny a cuddle/hang out opportunity, because they shed? We used to hang out with our dog on the floor all the time, just petting her or playing or wrestling. And she was little, and allowed on the couch. I always figured it was nice to go down to HER level and reciprocate...

Cute doggie! My dog is 5 pounds so I don't mind. He's my baby, part of the family. Why would I reject my little man?

I have 2 greyhounds and 2 cats. The greys are not allowed on the bed (it's only a full) or on the couch (there would be no room for me). I used to have to pile boxes and stuff on the bed to keep them off while I was gone but they quickly learned that they could knock them off the bed, and when I got home I could see where they had been curled up on it. So, I picked up a "Tattle Tale" from PetSmart. It's a vibration-sensitive "audible repellant" which really just means that it beeps loudly when they get on the bed (or sofa). My greys hate any sort of beeping (the microwave, coffee maker, etc) so I thought it would work well, and I was right. They don't even TRY to get on the bed anymore. It's a platform bed so it's right at their level, so that is saying a LOT.

The cats, well, they are allowed on pretty much anything except any kitchen or eating surfaces.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755431

We use scat mats on the couches. Never a problem after one or two zaps!

http://www.safepetproducts.com/training-products/scat-mat-1

Question: I want my two new 2-yr old cats to sit on the couch and Ikea chair, but I do not want them to scratch these pieces of furniture. I have purchased No Scratch spray and am waiting for scratching posts to come. Is it reasonable to expect the cats to sit on these pieces of furniture if I am also deterring them from scratching with the spray? Thanks.