Dog owners, I have a predicament..

fbmandy55

Let me start off by saying that I am NOT an animal lover. I have never wanted a pet but my boyfriend is moving in......and has a dog. I have a son and his dog is like his child so it was just a no-brainer to me that this would be a situation where I would have to give a little. My boyfriend is only here on weekends for the next couple weeks but the dog is now staying with me. I'm a bit of an obsessive neat freak and I am trying to adjust to the dog hair, the stinky breath, him tracking stuff on my clean floors, etc.

My issue as of now, I cannot keep the dog off my furniture! He is a Black Lab/Spaniel/Rot mix and has terrible long, wavy, black hair and sheds like crazy. We even had him groomed a couple weeks ago and the hair is just collecting on my couches, bed and hardwood floors. Even though I do not like animals, I do not have it in me to keep him caged while I am at work for 9 hours a day. For now I come home on lunch to let him outside and he stays off the furniture when we are in the house.. My boyfriend has suggested a baby gate to keep him confined to the kitchen/laundry/mud room. Has anyone else overcome this issue or have suggestions?

Finally, a silly question. If I take him walking for a long period of time, is he going to get exhausted? :laugh:

TylerJ76

Baby Gates work great!

No, he won't get worn out, he will love you for it!!

daffodilsoup

We use a baby gate to keep my rottweiler off the couch in the living room. Works like a charm.

He will love the long walks! Just remember to bring some water if it is hot out. My dog also loves afternoons at the park!

anthemforagirl

They have dog day care providers as well - a day there and most dogs come home exhausted.
Or you can seclude him with baby gates in the kitchen or where ever is easier for you to clean.

AggieCass09

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

fbmandy55

Thanks!

I took him on a 30 minute walk last night and I was practically jogging. He definitely walked me!

angieleighbyrd

There is an oil you can get at the pet store to put in his food each morning. It helps with shedding dramatically. Also, there are a lot of different combs you can get to cut down on shedding. Most brushes don't get the under coat. I have a husky mix that I groom almost every other day, and can make a sweater off of the hair I get off of her each time.

I had an issue with my dogs not staying off the furniture in the beginning.

Dogs are like kids, consistency is key. Eventually he will learn that the couch is not for him.

Walks help dramatically. With labs, you will either get the most well behaved dog in the world, or a crazy hyper active pain in the *kitten*. I have the pain in the *kitten* God love her.

But just like humans exorcise is very important to dogs.

Crate training isn't cruel. Any trainer will tell you that. When you crate train it becomes their little house. Never use it for punishment though. If you really feel ill about leaving him in a crate though, baby gates work good too. My youngest dog has separation issues big time. He's an angel when I am home, but when I leave he freaks out, so I put a baby gate up so he can only have access to the kitchen.

I have 3 dogs.

FaugHorn

I made my couch uncomfortable for dogs, putting some bubble wrap or paper bags down so when they jump up it's loud and uncomfortable can teach them quickly, and then you can remove it when they learn. Or if you're someone who likes the water spray bottle technique that will work too. My old Rottie hated being on the furniture because it was so hot, he really preferred the cold tile floor so that helped a lot! Does the dog have a comfy place to lay down to be in the same room with you? They are social creatures and keeping them locked away is so sad.

fbmandy55

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

jetabear10

Be firm and scold him when he gets on the furniture ~ that is unacceptable behavior (and I love dogs). He will definitely get tired from a long walk.

I used to be slightly OCD in the cleaning department and am a total germaphobe however, once I had kids, that all changed. I have had to learn to accept the dirt/germs that come with kids (and our family dog) but tell myself that it is all worth it in the end for the unconditional love that they return. I am betting he is pretty excited when you come home? Focus on that and before you know it, you won't even remember that he is a slobbering shedding pain in your rump...lol. (okay, it may take some time and a lot of reminding yourself that a little dog hair is okay

As for the tracking stuff on your floor, I purchased one of those rugged outdoor doormats (the ones with the bristly things) and I put it at the door where the dog comes in and out and it helps to reduce the dirt she brings in.

Good luck!

kwith1014

Baby gates work if he can't jump them -- also try putting things (heavy things that he can't knock off) on the furniture -- therefore he will not be able to get on there... this and training him when you are home will help. My parents used to let our dogs on the furniture but they decided with the last dog they had that they weren't going to do that anymore. -- Just remember to be consistant!!! Dogs can learn super quick with consistancy and love routine.
Also, your last question is not silly!! -- Dogs need exercise to get out the energy they have in them -- plus it gives them something to look forward to! I'm not sure how long you are talking about walking so just make sure to pay attention to the dogs needs (water and rest) but usually the type of dog you have has LOTS of energy to get out So walk away!!!

HodderAL

Baby gates do work very well!

Also, just a suggestion, but why not take 10 minutes or so, once a day, and brush him out? You will get rid of the loose fur in a more manageable/controlled way. I suggest something like a FURminator, or a deshedding tool. My husband brushes our dogs out and it helps immensely with the fur around the house!

Edited to add: There are ALOT of great recommendations in the replies I second consistency as dog's learn very quickly what they can and cannot get away with. Be firm as well, but not mean (if that makes sense). And a long walk will keep him happy, and lower his chances of getting bored (destructive chewing etc). Also, I have a towel just for the dogs that I keep at the door for wiping their paws when they come in. I'm obsessive about trying to keep everything clean, but sometimes you have to give a little lol.

DaveC29

My Lab runs 7+ Miles with me and wants to play catch when we get home! Loads of energy, and he WILL DEFINITELY LOVE YOU for it!!

As far as staying off the couches, you have to train them (them WHOLE family has to support), but they will do what you want- they are smart and only want to please you!

Good luck!

Expialidojess

If you are going home on your lunch break to let him out and walk him around for a little bit then I would say it would probably be ok to crate or gate him during the day. Luckily, my boxer doesn't shed that much, but she's a chewer, so she has to go in a large crate whenever we leave the house since she can jump the baby gates.

Ctripp86

We use a baby gate to keep my Golden Retriever a bit confined. He has access to 2 rooms and hallway so it gives him some room to roam but he doesn't have access to our furniture. All we do is lean the gate up against the doorway and he acts like he's locked in. Some dogs are a little more innovative than this. We were puppy sitting a friends springer spaniel once and 2 seconds after I set up the gate, she knocked it down and escaped. My golden was shocked that this was possible. So I guess it depends on the dog.

fbmandy55

I made my couch uncomfortable for dogs, putting some bubble wrap or paper bags down so when they jump up it's loud and uncomfortable can teach them quickly, and then you can remove it when they learn. Or if you're someone who likes the water spray bottle technique that will work too. My old Rottie hated being on the furniture because it was so hot, he really preferred the cold tile floor so that helped a lot! Does the dog have a comfy place to lay down to be in the same room with you? They are social creatures and keeping them locked away is so sad.

I have a large, oversized pillow for the hardwood until we get him a new dog bed. He usually sleeps on the carpet next to my bed or at the foot of my son's bed. During the day when he is alone, he is always on the couch. I may give the spray bottle as well as baby gates a try!

Once my boyfriend is here, he will usually be home from work around 11am, so the dog will only be home alone for 3-4 hours.

BigDave1050

Walking and playing with the dog is a great idea. it will tire him out. I have three dogs, all are kennel trained but since one is so big (Lab mixed with horse LOL) we decided to let them stay out overnight. Well the lab decided to try sleeping on the couch at night. We dont let the dogs on the furniture ever and its important that if you do not want the dog to be on the furniture, dont ever invite him up on it. To break this habbit, (Getting on the couch) we put aluminum foil on the sofa and love seat at night. It took about three weeks but now he doesnt get on it. Its been about six months now and we havn't found any evidence he has been getting back on the couch.

jetabear10

I don't recommend shaving him...his breeds indicate that he needs his fur to keep him cool in the summer. Shaving certain breeds can end up actually making them hotter.

fitniknik

Im NOT a dog person either. Tried it because my fiancee really wanted/loves dogs. Made it 3 months, I just couldn't do it. The dog actually made me miserable! Im not a bad person, and I like other peoples dogs... just not in my house! Good luck!

2triscuit

The mess- you're going to have to get used to that, I think. Good news is that spring usually is the worst for shedding, and after a few months you won't notice the dog so much... they grow on you.

As far as keeping pets off furniture- training and consistency are key. For enforcing the rules when I am not home, modified mouse traps work wonders... I made my own from this idea: http://www.amazon.com/Snappy-Trainer-Pet/dp/B000WP4R52. Works for counter surfing, trash digging and couch snoozing.

em9371

baby gates or crates work well.
make sure the dog is well trained not to go where you dont want it, ours know they are allowed on the kitchen sofa, but they wont dare go near the expensive sofa in the lounge!
dont leave him with the run of the house if you dont want him jumping and climbing on everything, ours are always shut in the kitchen when we are out.

we used to have a rottweiler and she was only allowed in the kitchen or living room as they were wood floors and easy to clean, i know what you mean with the grooming there was always black fluff everywhere even when the dog had been groomed and we had just cleaned up!

we now have 2 staffordshire bull terriers which create a lot less fur, but we have used crates with them to stop them trashing the house as they are nuts, they would stay in the crate even with the door open its like their little house with all their toys and bed in there :-)

bratgrrl

I think walking is a great idea and yes it will calm him down and tire him out. I have a lab mix and a german shepherd mix. I've learned to tolerate the dog hair in return for the unconditional love I get from my dogs. We use baby gates to keep them out of the rooms we dont want them in and they work great. My german mix is crate trained and she actually loves her crate. She goes in there all the time on her own and we dont close the door. She sleeps in there at night although she has full roam of the house. the only time her crate door is locked is during the day while we are at work. But she sleeps all day anyway, so whether she's sleeping on the sofa or sleeping in the crate, she's sleeping.

gillybumbler

i also have a black lab mix who sheds like crazy, i often wonder where all this hair comes from. But yes, baby gates work well to contain the mess.

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

You don't want to shave a lab. Their hair will grow in funny and the hair actually helps insulate and keep them cool in the summer (or so the vet has told me). You can however buy a Furminator to get a TON of hair off of him for the summer and stop the shedding. They are kind of pricy by SOOO worth it. I got 1 garbage bag full of hair off my rottweiler!

As for being on the couch you need to re-train him. get a training collar and a good leather leash and keep it on him while he is inside. When he gets on the couch tell him no (or we say "Get") and pull him down with the leash. Then make him lay down away from the couch and stay until you give him permission to get up (by saying a release word such as "OK"). It is never too late to train a dog!

hbrittingham

Baby gates and sheets on the furniture. And I agree with the NOT shaving him. Their coats actually help keep them cool in the summer.

Buddhasmiracle

Gating and confinement will work. Training the dog to stay off the furniture will work better.
Don't mean to read more into this, it sounds like the intro of a dog into your life is not something you and your boyfriend have discussed.

brybre0413

Baby gates and sheets on furniture are great ideas, please do not shave him.Brushing him is a wonderful idea.........

SirBen81

Thanks!

I took him on a 30 minute walk last night and I was practically jogging. He definitely walked me!

This is how you tire out a dog. Buy a pair of rollerblades, and have him pull you around. It is great fun.

brentrhodes

My 90 pound Yellow Lab smashed our baby gate like it was a house of cards or something. lol! Never stood a chance!

engineman312

spray bottle with water in it. or a can of compressed air, like you use on computers. at this point, all i have to do is hold and shake the water bottle, and my cats stop scratching the furniture.

Roadie2000

Have you shaved him? I want to look into this, especially with the weather starting to get hot.

Do not shave a lab! They don't have that type of coat.

Definitely get a dog bed. You need to let them know that the couch is your territory but the dog bed is theirs. My dog stopped sneaking on the couch the minute I provided him with a viable comfortable place to lay.

Gate work great, but I would try crating them if they are older, you need to start young.

My lab sheds like crazy, but he knows where he's allowed and where he's not so my house stays pretty clean. I also got a really good vacuum and a good dog brush.

fbmandy55

Gating and confinement will work. Training the dog to stay off the furniture will work better.
Don't mean to read more into this, it sounds like the intro of a dog into your life is not something you and your boyfriend have discussed.

There wasn't much to discuss. I knew he wouldn't give up the dog and I wasn't willing to give him up OVER the dog. I will say, he is very well trained to this point. He stays, sits and lays down on command (the dog that is..). I could leave food out all day and he wouldn't touch it and there is never a single thing out of order when I come home, he does not get into things he shouldn't. Unfortunately, he is used sleeping on my boyfriend's bed/furniture and I am not ok with that!