How to wean a dog to sleep on a bed?

Raising a four-legged friend is a laborious process that requires maximum patience and close attention from the owner. A spoiled pet can create a lot of problems – from torn wallpaper and shoes to aggressive behavior towards people and animals.

The desire of the dog to sleep on the owner’s bed is natural: she wants to be close to her “pack”. But once you let your pet spend the night with you a couple of times, and then it will be very difficult to fight this habit. The dog will always ask for the master’s bed. If you indulge the desire of a pet, soon he will feel on an equal footing with the “leader”. And this will certainly cause behavioral problems. What to do?

How to teach a puppy to sleep in his place?

1. It is necessary to purchase a comfortable and spacious bed for the size of the puppy. Place it in a quiet place, preferably not in the kitchen. It is very important to put a blanket or, for example, a toy from the dog’s previous habitat in the bed. This smell will soothe the pet;
2. The first nights are always hard. Most likely, the puppy will whine, mess around, it will be difficult for him to fall asleep. This is a normal reaction to a change of scenery. You can spend time with him, but don’t take him to bed;
3. If the puppy fell asleep not on the couch, take him to the place, while repeating the command “Place”;
4. Be sure to reward your dog when he goes to sleep on the bed.

There are times when a habit has to be fought, not formed. How to wean adult dog to sleep on the bed?

Re-education of an adult pet:

• Be patient. It is not easy to retrain an adult animal with already formed habits. How long this takes depends on the individual dog;
• The best training method positive reinforcement. As soon as you notice that the dog is lying down, give him a treat or praise him;
• negative reinforcement can also be used. But you should resort to it only as a last resort, if other methods do not work. At the first attempt to get into the master’s bed, the dog is sprayed with a spray bottle or a scaring rattle is thrown nearby;
• If the dog is not the only pet in the house, it is worth adjusting the behavior of her neighbors. So, for example, when a cat is allowed to sleep on the owner’s bed, it is likely that the dog will be jealous. She may try to drive the cat away and take his place;
• Don’t provoke the dog. If it is possible to close the door to the room, do it, especially when no one is at home. Send the pet to the place and use positive reinforcement;
• In the process behavior modification work pet will understand how he follows your orders. The key commands are “Place” and “No”. The dog must clearly follow them;
• Another option access restrictions – place upside down chairs on the bed or sofa. Their legs will not allow the dog to jump to the surface. Or, for example, stick double-sided sticky tape, which almost all animals cannot tolerate.

Any dog ​​handler will confirm: it is much easier to form a habit than to fight it. When you take a puppy into the house, determine immediately whether he will sleep with you, whether he is allowed to lie on the couch. Having made this decision, follow it to the end, because even one violation of the rule can provoke the development of an addiction.

March 31 2018

Updated: April 6, 2018