Shedding EVERYWHERE!?

Question

I get annoyed when the animals (3 dogs, 1 cat) jump on our couch because they shed a lot. However, my boyfriend doesn't care and allows them to go where they please. Does anyone else have this problem? I just don't want company to come over and leave covered in fur, however, it won't work if I'm the only one not letting them on the furnature.

Answer 1

You and your BF need to come to a compromise.
Or, vacuum more. Hire a service.

Changing their food sometimes helps with shedding. You want a high quality food like Artemis, Innova, California Natural, or Wellness. They will shed though, it's just a fact of pet ownership.

Answer 2

Animals shed. That's a fact of life. There are some things that can reduce the amount of shedding though. Put them on a QUALITY pet food. Too much shedding can be a sign of poor nutrition, just as your hair might thin if you didnt eat right. Brush them daily. There is also a product available at PetSmart called "Bitter Apple". It is a spray that deters cats from furniture and the like. Do all the animals have a pet bed? Get them each their own if not and encourage them to use them. Be sure to put the beds somewhere in the house where the animals will have contact with you. They will want to be with you. If you put their bed in some room you rarely go into to, they are not likely to go in there either nor use that nice new bed you spent your hard earned money on. Finally there is a product called a Scat Mat. It can be laid on furniture and in doorways to deter animals. When they step on the mat they get a mild shock. We have one. I've stepped on it with bare feet, forgetting that it was there. It's no big deal. Wont hurt them. Works for cats for furniture but not for doorways. Cats are too smart and too agile. They'll just leap over it. Should work great for your couch for both cat and dog though. Just put it on couch when you are not home, so they'll be disciplined for wrong behavior even when you arent home to caught them. Remove it when you get home and are, thus, using your furniture.

Answer 3

You absolutely need to get together on the decision: on or off the furniture. It's not fair to the dogs to have them have to guess what the rule of the moment is. Dogs are like children. They need (and actually like) rules, but you have to be sure they know what the rules are.

Personally, I like to cuddle with my dogs, and the floor is too hard for me, so I make the decision to de-hair my furniture regularly. Also anyone that comes to my house (admittedly few) knows they will need to use the lint roller when they leave. My view: the dogs live here. The friends don't.

Some things to consider: put a sheet or blanket over the sofa for every day use, remove for visitors who aren't quite so understanding of your pets' need for comfort.

Or, designate ONE area where they can be, and be consistent on not allowing them access to other furniture. If you want you can use the sheet trick on that one piece of furniture.

Or, get them each a soft comfy dog bed for the floor. Then you won't have to feel guilty about making them get off the furniture. But remember that placement of the dog bed is important. The dogs want to be with you, so a dog bed in the laundry room will be less acceptable than one on the floor of the living areas.

Now as for the cat: cats can be trained, but you need to make them think it's their idea. My suggestion for Fluffy is to get a tall cat climber and place it near the window. The cat won't hang out on the sofa if he can be on the top shelf of a cat climber watching out a window.

Two last suggestions:
1. brush brush brush. Good grooming will limit the amount of shed hair.
2. I use the vaccuum cleaner on carpet mode on my sofas. It picks up the majority of the hair much better and easier than a lint brush. (Sometimes I use the vac first, then the lint brush. Then it really looks nice.)

The final option you have is too give in and embrace the fur.

I just reread the question and saw that this is your boyfriend who doesn't follow the rules. Whose dogs and whose house? If both of them are yours, you make the rules. Remember until he marries you, he's still on a test drive. If he can't follow reasonable requests, perhaps he is not the best choice.

Step 1, though is to talk to him reasonably and explain why it is important for both of you to give the dogs the same rules.

Answer 4

You are right. it wont work if you are the only one working at keeping the pet fur at bay!
We have 3 big dogs and a terrier. So I know how much fur there can be and how hard it is to keep them off furniture when it is only you trying.
One thing YOU can do is brush them daily to twice daily and vacuum like mad! It is what I am dealing with right now! A good bath also helps. It will help wash away some of that extra fur.
The only advice I can give is talk to your bf and try and get him in trying to keep the fur to a minimum.
Good luck!

Answer 5

My dogs is only allowed on certain furniture. You are right it will not work if you are the only one enforcing the rule. Maybe try a compromise and have only certain furniture they can be on. My Lab sleeps with me but he would never go on any of the other three beds or the coaches in the main living room. He is allowed on the coaches in the basement. But any where guests would sit he is not permitted. He learned in time ( one week ) and the other dog follows the same rules. So the dogs have their places but company would never know it.

Answer 6

I bought fake leather for my sofa and chair so the dog hairs can easily be wiped off. If you boyfriend is going to let them on the couch, just don't worry about it. You can vacuum if someone is coming over.

Answer 7

i would tell your boyfriend to start brushing the animals all the time then if he wants to let them up on the furniture!!

that or at least when you have company, lay a sheet over the furniture so they dont get hair on them! i know, i hate hairy couches! i always appreciate it when the person lays a sheet over the couch!

Answer 8

Animals shed, and that's that. You should comb them more often and get all the shed off so they don't shed all over your couch, however, u'll still find fur here and there.

Answer 9

my dog sheds quite a bit but when they want to come on the sofa, we put a blanket up because thenthey know that means there aloud. that way the balanket gets folded back up and put away and they stay of the sofa's then.

Answer 10

brush them more. wash them more. and there is a a cat and dog food that stops sheading. Trust me!(i have 5 dogs and 3 cats)