Let’s talk about furniture – to snuggle or not to snuggle

All you want to do is snuggle and play with this new little fur baby you’ve brought home, but is that the best thing to do? 

Dogs like to keep their home clean. If they are immediately allowed on the furniture, it becomes their home and the floor is their bathroom. If they are not allowed on the furniture, the floor become their home and the outside is the bathroom. 

It makes logical sense when the trainer explains this to you.

It is cemented after you stop allowing your new fluff on the couch and they are potty trained in two days. 

But what about snuggles?

I snuggle with my human best friend; I want to snuggle with my furry best friend.

Is there anything softer or more loving than a new puppy? How can you not want to snuggle with her? 

Especially when each time you sit on the ground and all she wants to do is climb into your lap.

What if my dog doesn’t want to snuggle with me when I decide she’s old enough to be on the bed? What do you do when she grows and can jump on the couch? What if she unlearns her potty training when she’s allowed on the furniture?

These thoughts tumbled around in my brain for weeks. Especially the one about her not wanting to snuggle with me when I let her on the furniture.

I gave in. I lasted about 6 weeks (I did cheat a few times, of course), but I gave in. Because that face is too cute and too full of love. 

The first month she was with me, I took her to pee every hour, when she woke up from a nap, and after each play or training session. She had started going to the door when she had to go and slowly, I stopped being as diligent.

After a few days of allowing her on the couch, she peed on the carpet. She hadn’t had an accident in a month and then she had two in two days. She stopped waiting at the back door to be let out and started peeing on the rugs near the door.

Pinot has taught me that nothing is linear. You take steps forward followed by steps backwards. You ask yourself what’s important and figure out how to make it work for the two of you.

I went back to being super diligent about taking her out constantly and started training her to use the doggie doorbell.

Guess what? It’s worth it for the snuggles (and she did want to snuggle even after spending six weeks on the floor).