Dog scratched expensive leather chair - need help ASAP

Please help, I'm afraid that my dad will put him to sleep.

My Mom pulled that crap a couple times when I was younger. She didn't put my dog to sleep, obviously, but she threatened to once or twice, and regularly threatened to get rid of her. I always countered with a threat of me leaving, and a couple times I actually did leave. The problem there is you have to have somewhere to go. I went to my sister's, or just walked around for a couple hours (and we somehow always got in the nasty fights late at night). But that's the benefit of an aggressive dog. []

Oh, I'm not advocating running away, just sharing what I did. My Mom and I have actually pretty much always had a good relationship, contrary to how this sounds. Things can just get pretty tense during those teenage years, especially if the kid and parent are both really bitchy (in a female dog way! []) and stubborn as mules.

If I was in your position, I'd either tell the truth prepared for the dog threats, or else I'd say it was my fault in some vague way, so you're not lying, but not coming right out and saying Riley did it. Don't offer information that wasn't asked for. []

My moms dog Minnie scratched my leather car seat pretty bad.  I wasnt happy about it but Im sure I was WAY less upset than your dad will be.  Anyway, Im telling you because my dad said it would dissappear... and it did.  Is it a scratch or an actual hole where you can see inside?  If its a scratch it really will just go away (you will be able to see but only if you showed someone).  If its a tear I would do what you think is best for Riley.  Lying or not one day your parents may see that you were responsible for a life (your child or sorts) and did what you had to do to protect that life.  Good luck...

I hate to say that you should lie...but I would totally go with the " I tripped and had ____in my hand" or the rivets in jeans thing. I know I would say that if my husbands chair was ruined or something! LOL! Its easier than the fight we would have about it! So sad, but hey....pick your battles!

ORIGINAL: loveukaykay
 Is it a scratch or an actual hole where you can see inside? 

 
It's just a million scratches!  But they are pretty dull, and you have to actually look to see it.  It probably will go away.  It was the kind of scratch (kneading, actually) that animals do sometimes before they lie down.  I'm gonna go with the rivets idea!  Besides, when my parents bought it, they took the floor sample, so it would already have been somewhat used, right?
 
News Update
Okay, so my parents are home, and they've been home for a while now, and no one has noticed the scratches! 

Thanks everyone for the advice tonight!  So far so good! [] I was crying a little at the thought of my Lil' Riles leaving me...[]

Ehh..being a teenager myself, I think you should tell him the truth and offer to repay/do chores unless you're REEAALLLYYY good at lieing because he'd be more angry if he found out you were lying..[sm=2cents.gif]

Have a plan for prevention. 1.) Are Riley's nails short? 2.) Use a dremmel to shorten nails or if you use clippers, use a nail file afterwards.
 
Mistakes are much more forgivable if you have a plan of action to make good for damages and to prevent future occurances.
 
It is all part of having a dog. 

I just read that its a bunch of surface scratches . . . . I've got a leather coat that I've had for years and is made of pretty high quality leather.  As a result it gets scratches on it very frequently . . . its natural and adds to the character of the jacket and I would think the same of a chair.

However, I also have a leather re-conditioner that will make them all go away . . . . its a cream that you rub into the leather.  Remember that leather is animal skin, it gets dry and when it does, it scratches more easily just like your skin.  Try finding some reconditioner (hell, maybe even buy it for your dad as a christmas gift) and give it to your dad as an option.  My guess is that it will get rid of them quickly . . . and if not, its still good for the chair.

P.S. you MUST be sure that its real leather though . . . if not, you'll just end up with a greasy mess.

I can't believe how easily some people suggested lying to your dad.  To me, that speaks volumes about the ethical standards of young people today.  What a shame.  Ultimately, all you really have in life, that amounts to anything, is your integrity.  Don't compromise your integrity, especially over something so insignificant as a scratch on a chair.

ORIGINAL: probe1957

I can't believe how easily some people suggested lying to your dad.  To me, that speaks volumes about the ethical standards of young people today.  What a shame.  Ultimately, all you really have in life, that amounts to anything, is your integrity.  Don't compromise your integrity, especially over something so insignificant as a scratch on a chair.

I gotta admit that I thought the same thing . . . but I didn' say anything because its not like I never lied to my parents. [&:]

I admit I've lied to my Mom, but thinking back never about anything like a scratch in a chair! lol...
 
I spilled black hair dye on the carpet once, right out in the living room...and then tried to bleach it out...which made an even bigger mess....the bleach was the lying part, I was trying to cover it up. Had it magically worked...I wouldn't have said a word about it, lol.
 
Of course there's no hiding a 2 foot wide bleached out black spot...lol! I told her what happened, cried like a baby, and I got the cold shoulder for a while, then we bought a round rug and covered it up. Fine after that...

ORIGINAL: Shohin
I gotta admit that I thought the same thing . . . but I didn' say anything because its not like I never lied to my parents. [&:]

 
I imagine I have lied to my parents too although frankly, I don't remember doing so.  I always thought that getting caught in a lie would result in a worse punishment than the transgression I lied about in the first place.
 
OTOH, if she didn't actually SEE the dog scratch the chair, then she really doesn't know for sure how it happened.  []

To be honest in this case I don't know how against lying I am...
The OP is very clearly scared her dad will put the dog to sleep for this incident. Since we don't know her or her family, or if that is a valid concern, I'd rather not encourage her to tell the truth if the dog is going to die for it. In every other case I absolutely think honesty is the best policy when dealing with parents even if it is difficult, but if there is possible danger to yourself or your pet I would suggest doing whatever it takes to keep yourself or your pet safe even if that meant lying about how it happened or rehoming the dog yourself to protect it. I truly hope the OP is worred for nothing but hers would not be the first parent to punish the dog to punish the child.

I was under the impression she was joking about her dad putting the dog to sleep.  I fully support a parent shooting their own kids, but not their dog.  []

Somebody mentioned not lettin g the dogs up on the couch or chair unless their is a throw blanket down. If you start incorporating that rule the dogs will catch on.
Rory will come and whine at the bed and she knows she cant jump up until I pull the blamkie at the foot of the bed up.
Well i hope he didnt freak out to bad? How'd it turn out?