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Beach House: {Aw! A Beach House Dog}

by | Jun 30, 2010 | Decorating Inspiration, Summer Decorating

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Beach House: {Aw! A Beach House Dog}

Traditional Home

I sn’t that a sweet little pup? I kept seeing his picture on Traditional Home’s website and couldn’t resist showing him here. As you might remember (he makes appearances here now and then!), we too have a little Westie named Winston, who has always ADORED the beach!

Oh my word, he loved the beach so much when he was a small pup. Just the mention of “going to the beach” would send him into shivers of joy! Winston is 14 now and doesn’t get quite as excited about much of anything, but he still loves a romp in the sand now and then (however, he moves much more slowly than he used to!).

Random question of the day:

Do you let your pets on the couch?

I saw this question somewhere on facebook, I can’t remember who was asking it but it got me wondering how you all feel about pets on furniture. Winston used to get on the furniture all the time and I was fine with it. But in his older, more delicate state, we only allow him to get up on the sofa if we have lots of thick blankets. Because, eh hem, you never know what might happen in the way of “accidents.” He really thinks he is a person so I don’t have the heart to make him stay on the floor.

As far as shedding, fortunately for us, Winston doesn’t shed and if he does leave some hair behind, he sheds WHITE fur and we have a white sofa! Yay for us, until we want to wear black pants!

How about you? Do your pets get to enjoy sitting next to you on the couch?
I know everyone feels differently about this topic so I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

PS. If you want to see part two of my parent’s beach house on the Oregon Coast, I’ve posted the rest of the pictures here!

71 Comments

  1. Robin All Things Heart and Home

    Yes…we have 4 that are part of the family and if I have a sofa that they can’t sit on I’d just get rid of it! Of course 3 of mine are tiny non-shedding pups so that helps!

    Reply
  2. KarenSue

    Oh yes! If we are on the sofa at Bailey’s bedtime he stares at us until we move. I have slipcovers for this reason.
    He loves his kitties to sleep with him.
    .-= KarenSue´s last blog ..Its here all the way from Italy- =-.

    Reply
  3. Lori

    Yes! Our Westie gets to be on the sofa. He is too cute and just the right size to be a lap dog. He especially loves to steal our seat once we get up – warmth!

    Reply
  4. Julie

    Yes, our two Schnauzers Edith and Mildred are allowed on the furniture. They don’t shed, and if they go outside when it’s raining, each are put in the sink for a footwashing before allowed to run the house again. They both know it’s coming and look so humiliated and forlorn when I’m spraying their paws clean. :) They are dogs who want to be close to us all the time, and we so enjoy their companionship, even if they are the yippiest dogs we know.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Edith and Mildred?!! BWAAHHAAAA!! Love those names. So funny.

      Reply
  5. cathy

    Yep, our big ole yellow lab not only loves the couch, but the leather chair and any bed in front of a window.

    Not long ago, I was cleaning for guests, had washed the slipcover. The cushions were piled two high on the couch and I walked in to find the dog on top of it all. I have no idea how he got up there.
    .-= cathy´s last blog ..What Everyone Ought to Know About Multi-tasking =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Ha, that is totally something Winston would do.

      Reply
  6. Sandy

    Our dogs are little and can’t jump up themselves, but I do let them (all 3, 2 Chihuahuas and 1 Maltese) sit with me on my chair and ottoman. But I have to say that chair could use a recovering! The sofa is velvet so I try to keep them off that.
    .-= Sandy´s last blog ..have you missed me =-.

    Reply
  7. Tara

    we have a yorkie….and he thinks he is my 4th child, so he definitely gets on our sofas!

    Reply
  8. Anita

    I guess I’m the odd ball here. Henry does not get on the couch. But he does have 3 of his own beds in the house which he loves. The boys will let him on their bed when goes in to wake them up. But I know he gets on my bed when we are out. I can either see his little impression or if I haven’t made it yet, he will move the covers around to get comfy!
    .-= Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal´s last blog ..For The Love of Paint or Me =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      So funny, we used to have a dog when I was growing up that would get up on our pillow on our bed when we’d leave. He always wondered how we knew :-)

      Reply
  9. Dana

    Oh, I feel mean – but one of my conditions for getting a dog in the first place was that he would be trained to not get on the furniture and that he would not sleep in any “people” beds.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      I feel the same way about people beds, but my husband LOVES to have Winston in our bed when I am gone. I cringe.

      Reply
  10. Liz

    We have a giant black lab, and of course when she was a tiny puppy it was lovely to have her up with us on the sofa. *BIG* mistake! She now has her own sofa LOL!
    .-= Liz@VioletPosy´s last blog ..The Gallery Week 17 – Emotions =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      HILARIOUS!!!!

      Reply
  11. Colleen

    Absolutely! They’re part of the family just like the people!

    Reply
  12. Plain Jayne

    Of course we let our Westie, “Libby Lu” get on the furniture and in our beds. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff. She is a part of our family and I would not dream of treating her like a dog…

    Reply
  13. Becky K.

    Our two dogs (both chihuahua mixes) share the couch with us. Bandit is right beside me now as a matter of fact. Chloe, however, has found a patch of sunlight to soak up on the dining room floor.

    We don’t live in a showcase but would probably allow it even if we did.
    Becky K.
    .-= Becky K.´s last blog ..Lilies and Hydrangea =-.

    Reply
  14. Andrea

    Both our four legged and two legged kids are allowed on the cough =) It certainly does help that my dog does not shed, but even when I did have a shedding dog, he was allowed on the furniture. I wouldn’t have it any other way!
    .-= Andrea´s last blog ..Kitchen Reno Part 2- The good- the bad and the ugly =-.

    Reply
  15. Shannon

    Absolutely! Both of them do. We just vacuum and use lint rollers A LOT.

    Reply
  16. linda

    Oy. We have always had great Danes. When we had two at a time they were never allowed on the furniture (they never even knew it was an option) But now THIS guy. Oh boy. Furniture, beds, laps…you name it. The middle seat of the car with his head sticking out of the sun roof…everywhere!
    .-= linda@LimeintheCoconut´s last blog ..Donuts anyone =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      OH MY …. BWAAHAAA!!!! That cracks me up. I’ll be smiling about that all day.

      Reply
  17. tina

    Oh definitely! Our pup is a member of our home and she has always been allowed on furniture. She wants to be near us and loves to snuggle up next to me on the couch and she sleeps on the end of our bed. We trained her early on, to let us wipe her feet, if she’s gotten them wet, etc. She is a yorki-poo and like your Winston, doesn’t shed. She is bathed often and is a pretty clean pup.

    tina

    Reply
  18. Kristen

    I love this picture! We had a Westie growing up and he wasn’t allowed on the furniture, which he thought meant only when we were home. We would always here him jump off the couch when we would put the key in the back door. Tricky! :) Now we have a British Lab puppy. For now he’s not allowed on furniture. We’ll see what happens in the future….

    Reply
  19. Arlene

    Great picture! With a 2 and 5 year old we have to be strict about pets on the couch, my little ones do a good job of fulfilling their job description of “making a mess of anything, anytime”
    Arlene’s latest blog Random Beauty

    Reply
  20. Ashley

    Great question! We have two Great Dane mixes that are 75 lbs and 100lbs and we have one, and only one couch, so no, we do not “allow” them on the couch. Or there wouldn’t be any room for us! However, they act like giant lap dogs and so when we are on the couch, they will come over and plop their butts in our lap as if they are sitting like a child on our lap. It is really funny and hard to push them off when they do that because it is so cute!
    .-= Ashley´s last blog ..A Planting Fool =-.

    Reply
  21. Karena

    Melissa, I adore your site I have loved that image and the fish print!!

    My cat Miss Belle is allowed everywhere except kitchen counters and dining table….I mean really how can I keep her off furniture when I am gone anyway!

    Karena
    Art by Karena
    .-= Karena´s last blog ..Pillow Mint Giveaway -amp Town Art Show 2010 =-.

    Reply
  22. Nikki

    We do. We started out with a puggle who was always on the couch with us. Then we got a ridgeback mix and we couldn’t say no either. Don’t let us have children they will be untrained as well!

    We put blankets down but I finally decided they’re more often than visitors so I don’t mind pulling off the blankets and vacuuming the couch when we do. We also have beige dogs and beige scotchguarded couches.
    .-= Nikki´s last blog ..A big week for Twihardsahem me =-.

    Reply
  23. Juliet

    We have a 93 lb chocolate lab who is all about being with the family. With that said, when we brought him home we were going to insist that he not get on the furniture, but he started getting on the ottoman for the sectional in our family room and we allowed it. It’s so funny now when we have guests and we start toward the family room, Cajun will practially mow people down to be the first to get on the ottoman! He’s learned that guests will put their feet up, or even sit on it (horrors!) and then he has to politely sit on the floor until they leave. Makes everyone laugh!

    Reply
  24. Mina

    Yes, we let our dog on the furniture. He likes to snuggle with us and we like it too so it works for everyone!
    .-= Mina´s last blog ..Home =-.

    Reply
  25. Suzanne

    Well..they don’t shed, thank goodness…because they OWN the couch!!!!!:-) Too cute to kick off, you know?:)

    Reply
  26. Cheryl Elsbree Interior Design

    We have two dogs, a white French bulldog, Oscar and a toy fox terrior named Libby and they are ALWAYS on the couch! Thank goodness for white slipcovers!

    Reply
  27. Sherry (BTLover2)

    We have two Boston Terriers (Otis and Ivy) and they have claimed all soft furnishings in our home. I used to cover everything with towels, blankets, old sheets, etc. (so afraid of my things getting “dirty”), but things have evolved (no more coverings) — they get to lay on it all and take naps with us in our bed but not all night long. Who can resist those faces? Not us!

    Reply
  28. Phillips Phamily Mama

    We used to not care, but we just invested in a HUGE sectional from Restoration Hardware, so NO MORE! Our chocolate lab weighs 80 lbs. and sheds like the dickens.

    My in-laws do let their two dogs get up, but they invested in a quilt that is almost the same color as the couch, removing it when company comes over. Unfortunately, we don’t count as company anymore!

    Reply
  29. Kate

    Oh yes, I let my 80lb Rhodesian Ridgeback up on the couch. He’s a fantastic snuggler – even if he always has to work his way between my husband and I. It’s our own little family (since don’t have kids).

    Reply
  30. Vee

    I do enjoy the cats sitting beside us, but there sure is a lot of grooming of both cats and furniture going on around here. Cute pup!
    .-= Vee´s last blog ..Sing =-.

    Reply
  31. Mona Kay at Home

    He is SOOOO SWEET!! I love the room, but I can’t take my eyes off your doggie :)

    Yes, I let my dog on the sofa. We kept her off for the first 6 months that we had her, and them we caved. She is such a sweetie, we love to cuddle with her :)
    .-= Mona Kay at Home´s last blog ..Before and After =-.

    Reply
  32. Stephanie

    I used to ALWAYS allow our two large weimeraners on the sofa until one day I looked at the two of them and realized the five humas were all scruntched together so the dogs could spread out! I then decided that our beautiful sofa had become a $3000. dog bed!! I had to put my foot down and the dogs too. They are now banned from the sofa byt do enjoy every OTHER piece of furniture in the house including their very own extra plush dog beds.
    Don’t think for a moment that they don’t try to sneek past Mom everyday and lay on my sofa.

    Reply
  33. Deborah

    ummm.. well, let’s see… since my 13 year old, 70 pound Staffordshire Bull Terrier thinks I gave birth to him ;) I wouldn’t be a very good Mommie if I made my babydog stay off the couch, now would I…I think that’s why I have leather?
    He’s also a bed hog…I’m always hanging off the edge of the King size bed while he sleeps practically right under me. When I get up, he moves right into my spot.
    I kinda love him a LOT!

    Reply
  34. Irene

    I love your beach posts. They put me in Summer mood!

    Reply
  35. Jennifer

    When she was…ahem…”little”, yes. Maggie Moo was allowed on the couch. But seeing as how she’s now a whopping 125 lb. Bullmastiff who often gets confused as human when we drive through the post gate for ID checks & manages to scare every Korean security guard half to death…that would be no.

    There’d be no room for us!

    But she’s spoiled with plenty of thick blankets & pillows on the floor – tons of chew toys & stuffed animals to disembowel of their stuffing. Believe me…the girl’s not suffering seeing as how the hubby gives her steak, peanut butter & anything else she begs for.

    Much love from an overseas Army wife,
    Jennifer

    Reply
  36. Condo Blues

    I let my Pekingese sit on the sofa but he ask to ask permission by sitting if a human is on the sofa first (leadership thing.) Of course he sheds and leaves tumbleweeds, he’s a Peke after all but a good brushing takes care of most of the fur. As for stinking up the furniture, that doesn’t happen if you bathe your dog. Tip: if the dog stinks – give him a bath!
    .-= Condo Blues´s last blog ..Please Make Lisa Nelsen-Woods the First Salada Green Tea Spokesperson- =-.

    Reply
  37. Kelly

    Until I got my dog, Coco, a Bichon, I would have said I would *never* let a pet get on my furniture or in my bed, but, gradually, she learned how to jump up onto the chairs, ottomans, and couches, and my no-pets-on-the-furniture rule went out the window. She doesn’t really shed, so that’s not a problem. I love having her sit with me in my lap or curled up next to me on the couch. For some reason, she never gets up on the “good” furniture in the living room, only the furniture in the den.

    Reply
  38. Eileen

    There is no way in heck I’d let my dogs on our couch. From puppyhood, they know they cannot set paw on furniture. Of course, my “small” dog is 80 pounds and our big dog is around 130. Bernese Mountain dogs do NOT belong on furniture! If I had a westie, maybe I’d cave.
    .-= Eileen´s last blog ..Making a Splash =-.

    Reply
  39. Jess

    Oh my goodness I cant believe how many yess’ there are!!!!! This is something I am currently struggling with! Our baby golden retreiver has grown up…and grown up some more. He now can’t fit comfortably on the sofa so he sits with his back legs up and front legs on the ground…I think it may be time to say no more. Its just soo hard!!

    Reply
  40. Marla

    We have an ‘old pound dog’ (15 year old 13-pounds of pure Lhasa), Chester. He adores the family room sofa (slipcovered thanks to mwah), and, in the living room, a very oversized chair by the window.
    Since he isn’t very big he sometimes tries to compensate, say, if you wake him from a nap to make him move. He will move alright….but not until he has given you a good growling at.LOL
    Does anybody else have a dog that loves to ‘grub’ as we call it? Chester especially like to do this with our son. 4yo son sits down, dog jumps up next to him proceeding to rub his head and ears all down the side of sons leg and lap (no ear issues, we checked). We call this the ‘G&L’. They just set each other off with ‘Grubbin'(dog) & Laughin’ (son). It goes on and on for a good 20 minutes!

    Reply
  41. Barbara (WA)

    I am a “cat person” with a gorgeous mostly white cat named Lily. She sleeps on the bed with us at night and is allowed on any furniture (she has her favorites). My sister is also a cat person and we say that other people have hobbies but we have Lint Rollers !! They work great to quickly clean up the furniture or the bedspread – haha ! Also, no outfit is complete without a couple of pet hairs, you know.

    Reply
  42. RJ

    Not t be a stick in the mud, but I think it is gross when people let their animals on people furniture. Maybe it’s because of my awful pet allergies combined with the fact that cats and dogs can’t use toilet paper- having their bare bums on the couch just seems yucky. That said, I grew up in a home where dogs were allowed on all of the furniture. I do let my three-year-old treat my couch like a trampoline.

    Reply
  43. Brenda

    Mlle Coco and Monsieur Bogart are allowed on the leather sofa and loveseat only, no fabrics.

    Reply
  44. Laurie

    Absolutely, he does! I ignored the trainer’s admonishment that allowing my puppy on the furniture would make him challenge my leadership. As soon as he was big enough to get on and off furniture on his own, I trained him to come and go on command – and to wait for an invitation. Thirteen years later, there are few things I love more in life than doing what I’m doing now – reading blogs on my laptop…and scratching the belly of my beloved dog, just inches away.
    .-= Laurie´s last blog ..And the great secret is =-.

    Reply
  45. Mandee

    we have 4 cats (yes, FOUR) and they’re all allowed on our sectional sofa. they are a part of our family, and we enjoy cuddle time with the felines in the evenings before bed time. :)

    Reply
  46. Tara G.

    We don’t have pets- we seem to have these whiplash moves from one side of the country {or world} to another and so we have none to tell that they may NOT sit on the sofa! :)
    .-= Tara G. @Mrs. Yellow Hat´s last blog ..Wordy Wednesday- Amplexus =-.

    Reply
  47. The Nester

    we would be put in jail if we let our big dog on the sofa, I’m sure he would love it but he is SO large and my boys weigh less than him. Not to mention brown hairs/white sofa.

    But in general, I LOVE the idea of dogs on a sofa. If I had a smaller dog it would be a total yes.
    .-= The Nester´s last blog ..A Case Study on Case Goods =-.

    Reply
  48. Jess

    We have cats so the answer is yes. Cats do whatever they want! :)
    .-= Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish´s last blog ..Tips for Shopping at Ikea =-.

    Reply
  49. Jenny

    We have a Great Dane and the breed is known for being couch potatoes. When we first got him he would sleep on the love seat even thought he outgrew it very quickly, he didn’t realize he outgrew it though…. We got a new sofa and loveseat and from the start made him sleep on his dog bed rather than the couch. For the longest time he would walk into the house and give an ugly look to the new furniture and then reluctantly lay on his bed. Now the only time he touches the sofa is when he occasionally does a walk and sits next to us like a human. It’s that what our dogs are anyways?

    Reply
  50. Camille Marks

    Yes, We have an older cattle dog mix that used to jump on the couch with us but she is too old to do so now :( She has a dog bed in every room of the house, minus the bathroom and uses all of them where ever we are, she is. She has white fur also! Dogs will always be a part of our family and will be able to snuggle on our furniture. We love dogs!

    Camille Marks

    Reply
  51. AD

    We don’t have any pets, but I also think it’s gross to let animals on people furniture. I really don’t like visiting friends and collecting their animal’s fur on my clothes. Or licks in the face. ICK!
    .-= AD´s last blog ..Free in June =-.

    Reply
  52. MrsB

    Love our dog, but she isn’t allowed on the couch. However, when we leave to run errands…all bets are off and she’s up there anyway. I find it to be gross when a baby is eating a fistful of dog fur from the couch.

    She has three beds in our home, but her favorite spot in the house is under our bed. Go figure!

    Reply
  53. Melissa Jane

    Over the last 3-1/2 years we’ve gone from zero dogs to 3 dogs!! Once you become a dog person, there is no going back :) Our 3 Shih-Tzu’s Louie, Lilah & Lacey sleep in whatever room I happen to be in… Usually on the floor or on their beds, but yes on the furniture too! Luckily they have hair, not fur, and I have them groomed every two weeks. They have exponentially increased the amount of housework necessary to keep everything fresh & clean….but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

    Reply
  54. Heathahlee

    People who don’t have pets don’t understand the love we have for them, do they? : ) Our pets have always been allowed on the furniture, from the couch to our beds. I just can’t help it. Windi (our Sheltie) will be 14 in September, so she doesn’t get on the furniture anymore, but our big ol’ Golden Retriever, Jonathan, does. Like I said…I just can’t help it! : )
    .-= Heathahlee´s last blog ..Silhouette Craft Cutter Giveaway- =-.

    Reply
  55. Leah

    I dislike dogs on couches. My childhood dog was not allowed on any couches; but our second dog was. It just makes the couches feel sort of grimy and no matter how “non-shedding” the dog, the fact that they’ve just been outside, and that they lick themselves while on the couch, is just gross. It also makes me uncomfortable at other people’s houses since I don’t feel that I can get away from a dog I don’t really like. I really am a dog person! I just prefer them sitting at my feet!
    .-= Leah´s last blog ..Light in the Depths =-.

    Reply
  56. Sue

    Not only do they sit on it, they have eaten it! We have two rescues-a Chi/terrier mix and a Jack Russell mix. The Jack Russell mix named Hazel has eaten my couch cushions. Its a good thing that I love animals. Anyone in the Tacoma WA area do upholstery repair?

    Reply
  57. Fiona Sanders

    My dog is 95lbs, so I don’t let him on the couch, but I do let him on my bed. He is a house dog…so not stinky, and flea free. He sleeps at the foot of the bed. I’m short, and it’s a king size bed, so it works.

    His name is “Prince Charming”. LOL
    .-= Fiona Sanders´s last blog ..The Art of Puttering =-.

    Reply
  58. Mary Jean

    I never let the bull terrier I inherited with my marriage anywhere near any of my furniture let alone my bed. He was not cuddly and he was quite rank most of the time. Bless his heart he passed over a year ago. We said we were done with pets. I {without my husbands blessing} came home with a Shih Poo 6 months ago. We feel in love with him, we love him on the couch, we love him IN OUR BED! We love him so much we got him a sister a few weeks ago and now we have 2 dogs on our furniture and bed! Never say never!
    .-= Mary Jean´s last blog ..Inspired by Board and Batten- =-.

    Reply
  59. stellans

    I too have Westies; in fact, my Charlie greatly resembles the little dog pictured above, and he will always be on the couch unless he gets hot, then he stretches out on the floor, where it’s cool on a hot dog belly. :) Abbie, my girl Westie, likes to be on the ottoman, stretched out along my leg until she gets too hot.

    Reply

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