To couch, or not to couch?

I get asked a lot if dogs should or can be allowed on the sofa/bed/furniture, and the short answer is, yes they can BUT not without rules or groundwork first being put in place. As you can see here on the right Minnie is super cosy and loving being able to chill out up on the sofa with the humans, but she is also in her own space, and more importantly not in mine. If you want a harmonious relationship with your furry friend, and don't want to undo all of the hard work you have put in place training them and showing them their place in your family pack, but can't resist a snuggle on the sofa or in your bed, you need to make sure your boundaries are clear. Having your pup on the furniture is one thing, having them climb all over you, taking up all the room and generally being impolite whilst on the furniture is quite another. Consistency is key when deciding what rules you want your dog to respect, so make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to what is and isn't acceptable. There are a few options here when thinking about how you want your pooch to behave around the furniture, do you want them to come up freely whenever they want, or only when they are invited? Do you not want them on at all or just want them on one specific piece of older furniture, or furniture outdoors only? It all comes down to them respecting your decisions and doing as you ask because they want to and respect you, without this first being put in place and having a solid relationship with your dog, this will be super difficult to put in place. Reach out now to find out how you can get a solid foundation with your pal and an awesome kick start to having a happy, confident and obedient dog - which will make any other training you decide to put in place so much easier!