# Getting my dogs out of my bed - Advice needed



## richs52 (Oct 2, 2007)

Hello everyone, 

Just found these forums and am sure glad that I did! I'm Rich from Albany, NY and I have two Dachsunds, Zeke and Rex. They are both smooth black and tans, Zeke is 3 and a half and Rex is 2 and a half and we've had them both since they were 8 or 9 weeks old. 

Both Zeke and Rex have slept in our bed with us since night one. We've come to accept the fact that we haven't been able to lay right next to each other in 3 years (they both sleep right in the middle of us!) But now it's getting to the point that they are interupting our sleep a lot, and we are waking up frustrated and not rested. 

I was hoping for some advice for transitioning the pups out of the bed. We tried this once before a two years ago. During that time we had neighbors right above us, so we had to give in when the howling began. Now we have a home so we do not need to worry about that. I will also say that last time they chewed a hole through a gate to get back into the bedroom, and then wouldn't stop trying to jump up on the bed!!!

Just wondering if folks think we ahould leave them in the same room with us, in another room, or downstairs? In case this helps, they have never been crated and are used to having free reign around the house. Any suggestions/advise would be much appreciated! Looking forward to reading about the rest of your pups!

Rich


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## FriendsOfZoe (Aug 7, 2007)

I would invest in some really comfy cozy dog beds. You could try getting them to like them during the day by having them in the living room with you or something. Give treats when they lay on their beds. You could also get a play pen or x-pen and put it up in your bedroom (you can adjust the shape of a playpen, so it might fit better, with the dogs and the beds in it...that way they are in the room with you but have to stay off the bed.

I would think this transition would be easier for them, especially if you don't mind them in the room with you but just off the bed. They will also hopefully love their beds and you will not be so much kicking them off your bed as giving them their OWN beds! 

I know the Drs. Foster and Smith catalog/website has ways of deciding which type of bed (they have 3 different basic bed styles) to get for your dog, based on how they usually sleep or lay down. Of course, you may have dogs like mine who sleep in all different positions and technically fit the descriptions for all three kinds!! If so, you could try buying a couple of different, cheaper beds, and see if they like them. Once you know what they seem to like, you could invest in a nicer, more expensive bed (like the Drs. F & S) that you know they'll love (Zoe has a $20 petsmart bed right now, but will be getting a Drs. F & S bed for christmas!!...shh, don't tell her!)


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

I'd get a large wire crate, a VERY comfy dog bed (doesn't have to be expensive, Costco has great ones), and set them up in your room. 

the Albany Obedience Training Club has some GREAT classes, and I *think* they actually offer some materials and info on crate training. I don't have a link for them, but I bet your vet will have contact info.


Dogstar (who lived in Chatham and worked in Albany for almost 2 years)


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## bluesbarby (Apr 10, 2007)

Riley slept with us until the cats started waking him up in the middle of the night and thus waking me up. I had him in a crate for awhile on the floor next to us but the cats would surround the crate and tease him and he would start barking. So my DH came up with a rather unique idea. We have one of those bed tables like they have in hospitals from when my MIL lived with us. I use it now for grooming. We secured the crate onto the table which was at it highest point and rolled the table under the bed so it hung over the foot of the bed. It's about a foot above the bed so it doesn't bother our feet and he feels like he's in bed with us and the cats don't bother him. Kind of extreme but it works.


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## Alpha (Aug 24, 2006)

Roxy slept with me until she was too big.. Then when I moved in with the bf, he insisted on having an 85lb and quickly growing THICK APBT sleep with us.

Then his back problems started, and the dogs had to go.

Will they be sleeping in the bedroom?

I also have two, large, comfy dog beds. Roxy's is a large, plastic "bucket" almost, with high sides. I think she likes it because it makes her feel safe. Then there's a large, heavily padded bed inside. Hades also has a bed, smaller size, the same way.

You can also put something like a dirty shirt of yours in their bed if you think it would help them settle better.

When you introduce the beds, (I like to make sure my dogs DO NOT go in each other's beds. They have their own bed, and it's for them only) make it a HUGE deal. 

"WOW Foxy! A brand new bed JUST for you! Wowzers! What a comfy bed! etc etc".

It sounds silly, but it really works. Get them in there, praise them, use the word "bed", get it in there positively as much as you can.

Then when it comes to bed time (I don't know your dog's names lol) "Roxy, Hades! Everyone to their beds! Bedtime!".

If they don't go by themselves, escort them. Tell them to lie down and stay. Maybe give them a bedtime cookie. 

If you happen to wake up to them in your bed, gently escort them to their own bed, tell them "This is your bed", get them to lie down and praise.

Surprisingly enough for Hades, who is a total love bug, the transition period was short and sweet. Now they both run off to their beds after a long walk, or they notice me getting ready for bed. It's nice for them to have their own space and I think they really enjoy it.


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## meeegun (May 8, 2007)

i have one additional suggestion: and that is to begin the transition on a weekend so that you do not have to give in to thier whines in order to get sleep for work! it sounds like the transition is going to be kinda rough. like the others said, make those beds SPECIAL. feed them thier favorite foods in there, leave a couple of treats in the bed for them to sniff out and find on thier own, put all of thier toys in the bed so that if they want to play, they have to get them from thier bed, and give them a special bedtime cookie that they ONLY get at night time in thier bed. if they whine and jump at your bed at night, ignore them. don't even tell them to stop, just completely ignore it. roll over in bed with your back to them and lay quietly. when they stop, put them back in thier bed and praise them. keep doing this until they stay in thier bed. they will figure out very quickly that you won't respond to thier cries and they will give up and go lay down. the first night it might seem like it will never happen but it will. i had to do the same thing with my dog. she used to scratch and bark at the door when she wanted inside (usually after only being out for 5 minutes...what a princess). it took a few times, but she realized rather quickly that the scratching and barking wasn't working so she stopped.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

Start teaching those dogs an "OFF" command!!!! This will be invaluable, because I think, even if you get them beds, you will still have issues with them jumping up on your bed, and refusing to get down; plus, with Doxies, back problems would concern me with them jumping up and down off of a bed...so, yep, they would be staying off my bed for sure. 

Start with putting a leash on them, when they jump on your bed, grab the lead and put a treat in front of them and tell them "Off" if you have to, put a bit of pressure on the lead so they get the idea they have to move. When they get down, Praise the ****ens out of them, and give them more treats. Continue this until they are consistent in getting off your bed when you ask them too; eventually they will know it is just off limits. 

When they DO get off the bed, and you have praised them and treated them show them their new beds, and the kennel if you have chosen to get a kennel for them, and tell them "Bed", and toss some treats in there. When they go in, Again, praise them Alot. They will eventually learn that your bed is not their bed, but the kennel, or the beds on the floor are. Take your time...they have 3 years of 'your bed being their bed'...this will not be an 'easy switch'..but then, with some it can be, others it isn't. Be consistant, though, because that is the best way to get there. 

I would say for the mean time, if you have to, Let them sleep on the bed, until they have the off command learned, and their beds learnt; this really shouldn't take more than a few days, seriously; if you are consistant; and if you have a kennel; the kennel will really help this move along faster...Just, now, when you have them on the bed, make them sleep on the foot of the bed; and don't take no for an answer! Simply move over together, and 'onto' the dogs...don't literally 'squish' them of course, but convey the message that they are no longer going to 'own' the bed...period. Toss some treats at the foot of the bed, and tell them "Move Over"! When they get there, tell them "Stay"...


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## richs52 (Oct 2, 2007)

Thank you for all of the advice. I'm off to look for comfy beds for the pups. Since we are gong on vacation in a few weeks, I think we will wait until we get back to start this, as consistancy is probably key. Thank you again. 

Rich


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