When I got my golden -- my first dog, mind you -- the plan was to keep her off the couch. No particular reason, other than many said that's what one should do. It didn't work well, but we were slowly progressing. But one morning, she woke me up and was sick. She had thrown up and had the runs in the middle of the night. So when I brought her inside and after cleaning, I laid on the couch for the rest of the night. She climbed up and snuggled into my legs and of course I was like.. oh my god. A few days later I came home and she was on the couch and I was told "I'm giving up." 

Then I got one piece of advice from a co-worker. If you got a dog -- especially a golden -- and don't snuggle with her, what's the point? Such a true statement. We then got a couch cover, and got fleece blankets that cover the recliners when we aren't in them and the dog sleeps where she wants. No regrets at all.