Quote:
Originally Posted by lillymae  No small dog should be allowed to jump off of furniture as it will usually eventually cause disc issues. My little ones have all been taught to wait for me to remove them from the furniture, once in awhile they will jump off on their own but for the most part they wait for me. I have been rescuing dogs for many yrs & lots have had spine issues caused from jumping off of furniture so this is something I'm firm about in my house. And it's not just the tinies this happens too as the ones I have rescued were all between 8 & 15 lbs of all diff breeds. Also I prefer a ramp vs steps as steps still allow too much of a jolt to their spine. |
I see where you're coming from, but honestly, they're dogs. I see no reason to have an 8-15lb dog that is perfectly capable from jumping on/off the couch being forced to wait for you. Now if the dog physically cannot, due to size, or health, or whatever, or already has health issues, or is a breed prone to back probs (i.e. Dachshunds). That is
of course understandable. And of course it can't "hurt" to lift a dog on/off, but I would never
make a perfectly willing/capable dog do this personally. If anything, I would think a dog would become weaker and more prone to accidents if they're never allowed to jump on/off something as simple as a couch, or are carried all the time. I work very hard at making sure Jackson is in tip top physical condition, he does a lot of swimming, a lot of balance work, perch work, uphill running, etc, and I believe it is because I allow him to USE these great muscles that he has. Now if you'd prefer to have dogs going up ramps/steps, and train it from the beginning, that's wonderful. I'm not saying it's not. But try getting a dog like Jackson to use them, you'll see what I mean, LOL....