I have been trying forever to get my credit built up. I only have one credit card. Well, I have been wanting new furniture forever and I fill out a credit app. for Lacks furniture store. Some of y'all might not have ever heard of it because it is Texas based. But anyways I got approved. YAY!!!!!! Only for a thousand though. Which kind of sucks because I wanted leather. But I can at least get a new couch. I am so excited. I figured for only being 23 its pretty good.
Anyways I do have a question. How in the world would I get Oscar to stay off the couch? He is the reason I need new ones. The ones we have are like 4 years old. Would that be mean of me to ban him from the couch?
Rocky acts hurt because he can't get on ours, he sneaks up once in awhile to ciddle with us, but it took about two weeks of telling him no and booting him off and he knows not to get up unless invited. I am not sure how hard it would be with Oscar though! lol Personally, I don't think it is mean at all. JMO
None of my animals have ever been allowed on any of my furniture. I would say it is a matter of how you think about things, not what the dog thinks. As I am relatively horrified by the idea of animals on my furniture, I guess they pick up on it, and don't attempt to push the issue, if it ever enters their minds. They don't sleep in the dirt, or on cement, like most, so they feel priviledged, I hope. My dogs/cat are all housepets 24/7.
When I was younger and adopted my first 2 dogs, Daisy (who I still have) and Billy (who has passed) my mom and dad refused to let them on the furniture. Here's what I did. I covered all of the furniture in aluminum foil. My mom, dad, brother, and I would just remove the pieces where we wanted to sit, after we got up, we put it back down. It did not take long at all. To this day, even though I let my dogs on the furniture now, Daisy will still not get on the furniture on her own. I have to pick her up and put her there with me. Dogs want warm, soft, comfortable places to lay. If you give them cold crinkly places they won't like it as much and he'll choose the floor over the sofa. The only differences were Daisy and Billy weren't quite 1 when I adopted them so it may take a little longer for Oscar to get the idea. I also taught Tucker to stop jumping on the counter tops with aluminum foil. Once he realized that when he jumped up and it made that horrible noise, he didn't do it anymore. HTH
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Saving just one dog won't save the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog. -Richard C. Call
Congrats, Paige!! I have no idea how you would get Oscar to stop getting up on the couch. We just got a new couch in September and it already looks like we've had it for at least 5 years!! Stupid lady at the furniture store had us buy a warranty on it, that (she said) would cover anything an animal could do to the couch. WRONG!! I was reading the pamphlet that came with it and it said it would only cover animal blood/body fluid stains!! I was soooooo P!ssed!! And I told Brad that we should cover the couch up with sheets or something to keep the dogs' claws from ripping it up and he was like "oh, no, we don't have to do that. she said it would cover everything an animal could do" and now look what happened!! We'll know for sure next time to cover up the furniture and not get taken by the stupid warranty thingy that's not good for even pilling, or regular wear, or anything like that!! I told Brad that we should just tear into it with a knife, since it does cover cuts and tears in the fabric, lol. They'd prolly figure out a way to screw us on that too, though.
Congrats on the approval - you're right, that's pretty good for being only 23.
None of my dogs prior to Farley & Chloe were allowed on the furniture. Consistency will be the key to retraining Oscar. To be on the safe side for awhile until you are sure he is following the new rule I'd definitely suggest covering the new coach with something to protect it.
That's a good idea with putting a water gun on it and the aluminum foil is a super trick as well & usually works pretty well. Another thing you can try if they fail is to get a couple of the regular wood mouse traps, set them, lay them on the couch & cover with a couple of sheets of newspaper. Should Oscar try to get up there when he hits the paper (the paper will protect his paws from the traps) it will set off the traps & generally the noise & movement will deter them.
My mom used the mouse trap idea for her Boxer and it worked. I would try it but I don't want to with a 3 year old in the house. I will probably try with the water guns first. Another thing would just be to buy a lot of pillows. Oscar won't lay anywhere if there is something in the seat.
