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dogs and alone time in the bedroom
I have spoiled my dog to no end, and now we have a problem. When she was a puppy, she was crated when we were not home and overnight. When my FI at the time, now my husband started working the overnight shift, I let her sleep in our bed. Eventually his shift changed, but we didn't crate her again. So now, she is never in the crate. She is a lab/shepherd mix and almost 3 years old. Anyways.... now we are having trouble with her when we are looking for alone time in the bedroom.
First we tried closing the door and leaving her in the hallway, but then she scratched at the door and cried to come in, to the point where we are just not into it anymore. So we started freezing peanut butter in her kong to distract her. That would last for about 10 minutes, but just as things were getting started for us, she would be back at the door scratching and crying. If we let her in the room she jumps up on the bed and cries and paws at us to make us stop. Any suggestions???
Re: dogs and alone time in the bedroom
BFP 11.8.12 * EDD 7.17.13 * MC 12.20.12
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over!
Depending on whether you are ok with her being in the room, you can either teach her that she is not allowed on the bed, or you can shut her out of the room and put her in a safe place such as a crate or baby-gated into another room. If you allow her in the room, teach her the "off" command, and every time she jumps on the bed, tell her "off." If she doesn't have one already, I would put a dog bed in your room so you can tell her "off" and then direct her to her own bed.
If you want her out of the room, re-crate train her or find a safe room to baby-gate her into. Give her a special treat as you have been doing. I would also make sure she's getting enough exercise and mental stimulation, which could help easy her stress and help her rest while she's in another room/the crate. If she is still too destructive to be loose, you may have to start with the crate and work up to the baby-gate. Either method will take time and consistency (i.e. every time she gets on the bed, she must be told to get "off," as she won't understand if she is allowed on sometimes but not others). Also, it's important not to give in to her when she's scratching/whining/barking because then she will learn that those behaviors get her what she wants (out of the crate/into your room/etc.). GL!
One time while DH and I were in the middle of the act my lab/shepard mix started doing the flea bite on DH's toe!!! The look on his face was priceless.
We have to just sternly tell him no and down to get off the bed. It might take a bit but locking him out has never worked. The curiosity just kills him!!!