[paulag1955]

Up until now, we've kept Shasta confined to the areas of the house where we have hard-surface flooring. Now that she's completely house trained, I'd like to start allowing her into some of the carpeted areas of the house, but only on invitation, i.e., I'd like to be able to have her in the living room with me, but only when she's invited in. Unfortunately, I can't close off the living room. If I allow her in there under my supervision, am I just going confuse her into thinking the living room is no longer off limits?

 

[chicagojosh]

you'll confuse her...or she might not be confused, but will still want to enter on her own.

the couch started that way with us. if we patt the top of the couch cushion and call their name that is the invite to come on up. we'll as soon as they realized how awesome a couch is they just started giong up...

sure we could have prevented them from getting up. my point to you is if you really want to keep the living room off limits "most" of the time i would not try this invitation only thing. give an inch and they take a mile right? lol

 

[paulag1955]

That's kind of what I was thinking. It's not that I won't ever want her in there, but it will just have to wait until she can be trusted not to chew on the furniture.

 

[mssandslinger]

well maybe unless you do some real fast corrections it might work! my grandpa had his lab trained never to step on any carpet unless he and only he said ok, i would call that dog with a burger in my hand and he would stay on the tile.. my dogs cant go on the couch unless called, they dont even try anymore because i constantly would say ahah off.

 

[Deuce]

i'd think it would confuse her, personally. Either you want her in there or your don't...there isn't an in between in her mind.

 

[CaseysGSD]

Growing up we had a fancy living room that the dogs were not allowed into unless invited, it worked for them but in part it was because no was allowed in there unless it was a holiday and we had company and those were the times they were allowed as well. If you will be in this room a lot sometime having her allowed to join and sometimes not I think yes, it may be confusing.

 

[AbbyK9]

I do not think it would be confusing to your dog IF you have very clear rules and stick to them consistently.

In other words, if you want to only allow your dog in the living room when you are in it AND invite her in (such as by calling her), then you need to be very, very consistent in keeping her from entering when she is not invited.

My dog is allowed on both the couch and the bed IF she is invited up by either myself or my husband. If she were to decide to just jump on the couch, I would tell her "off" and send her to her pillow. If she "asks" to be allowed on the couch (she will come up and stare at me, hoping I will ask her up), and I don't want her on the couch, I will send her away.

This only works, of course, if your dog is supervised and you can correct the behavior you do not want (coming in without permission) and if you have a way of correcting her for the behavior, such as having her down/stay off the carpet or sending her to a rug or pillow until called.

It can be done without confusing the dog, but it has to be CLEAR from your end. This means you have to be consistent. You can't let her get away with it sometimes and not get away with it other times. Your family members can't allow her to get away with it, either!

 

[DJEtzel]

If you're worried about her chewing the furniture, why don't you just let her in there while you're supervising? You should always be supervising anyway, right?

Crate her when you can't watch, otherwise watch her and correct/distract for chewing the furniture. Do you even have a reason to think she will?

 

[paulag1955]

If you're worried about her chewing the furniture, why don't you just let her in there while you're supervising? You should always be supervising anyway, right?

Crate her when you can't watch, otherwise watch her and correct/distract for chewing the furniture. Do you even have a reason to think she will?

A reason to think she'll chew on the furniture? Yep! She will still try to chew on my desk chair when I'm sitting in it and she's never been allowed to do that. She just likes to chew on wood and other really hard things.

The point is, of course, for her to never be in there unless invited. Right now, she's very good about staying out of the living room. My concern is that if I start letting her in while I can supervise, she'll start sneaking in while my back is turned in the kitchen. Right now I can work in the kitchen and she'll stay with me, even though the living room is just around the corner.

I'd hate for it to set up a situation where I'd have to crate her more, just as we've gotten to the point where we're crating her less.

 

[KZoppa]

you can always spray a bitter spray on everything. Have a friend who used it when her brothers dog was visiting. That stuff would keep everything from chewing on it. I'll ask her what the stuff is. Its NOT the bitter apple. her brothers dog loves that stuff but even her dog who doesnt chew anything thats not hers (ha yeah right her dog is a PITA with a capital P) but my point is this stuff works. Problem is, if YOU touch it and then forget and touch a glass or your mouth YOU taste it too. Its very effective.

 

[paulag1955]

you can always spray a bitter spray on everything. Have a friend who used it when her brothers dog was visiting. That stuff would keep everything from chewing on it. I'll ask her what the stuff is. Its NOT the bitter apple. her brothers dog loves that stuff but even her dog who doesnt chew anything thats not hers (ha yeah right her dog is a PITA with a capital P) but my point is this stuff works. Problem is, if YOU touch it and then forget and touch a glass or your mouth YOU taste it too. Its very effective.

I think that will probably be a last resort. I'm pretty sure my husband won't want to spray anything all over the furniture.

 

[Caledon]

We allow Dakota free reign on the basement, and most of the first floor.

Off limits are the living room and dining room on the 1st floor (new expensive hardwood flooring). The living room is where we have our Christmas tree. Last Christmas we invited her in for Christmas Eve. She hesiated but came in. She has never tried to revisit that room and will stop at the boundry. This Christmas we will invite her in too. I think she gets it.

Upstairs is off limits too. This is where our two cats have a dog free zone, plus new carpets. Every once in a while when only my son is home, she will sneak up to his room. She will great him with her ears back and looking very submissive. He just tells her to go back down stairs. This has happened maybe 4 times in two years.

I have taken her up to bath her, but I leash her.

My point is that it has worked for us.

 

[paulag1955]

Everyone, thank you for your feedback. I think I'm going to start by letting her in the living room, but only to lay on her blanket when I'm sitting in my favorite chair. My hope is that once the blanket is removed. she'll understand that she can't go in.