The dog climbs on the bed – how to wean humanely?

One of the most popular requests from owners is how to wean a dog from jumping on a bed? Let’s figure it out.

Sometimes this happens when the owners take a small puppy to bed, they are touched by him, and when the pet grew up, the person suddenly didn’t like to see him next to him in bed. And the dog starts to chase away. And she resists in all available ways, not understanding why the rules have suddenly changed. And it can be understood.

How to wean a dog to sleep on a bed?

The easiest way is not to teach it. But they usually catch on when it’s too late. So, alas, not everyone is destined to follow a simple path.

If the habit has already been entrenched, you need to understand, firstly, that you will not achieve anything by prohibitions alone, and secondly, honestly answer the question: why does the dog climb onto the bed? What need does it satisfy? After all, you will not help the dog satisfy his need by prohibitions, but this must be done.

Does your dog miss interacting with you? Analyze how much time you spend with your best friend. And increase this time to the required. After all, this is one of the components of the minimum well-being of a dog. And you brought her for communication, and not for her to decorate the interior.

Does the dog like to lie on the soft? Equip her with a comfortable couch in a convenient place. The “bed” of the pet should not be located in a draft, in the aisle or near heating appliances. It is important for many dogs to see from their place what is happening in the apartment – this must also be taken into account. Create pleasant associations with the dog’s place, for example, give her favorite treats there (preferably long-lasting), praise when she is in her “bedroom”.

Is the dog cold? Fix this issue.

Is your dog anxious at a distance from you? This is a sign of insecure attachment, and it needs to be worked on: improve contact, reduce the anxiety of the four-legged friend and increase his self-confidence.

And so on and so forth. But the dog should be able to satisfy the need in a way acceptable to both of you.

The second step is to remove the reinforcement that the dog has to do with lying on the bed. It depends on what need the dog satisfies, that is, on the correct answer to the previous question. Most likely, you will have to close the dog’s access to the bed in your absence. Remember that variable reinforcement is even more effective than constant reinforcement, and what is allowed (or obtained) sometimes is always possible for a dog.

In general, “weaning” a dog from something is the wrong question. After all, there is no void in the place of some behavior. There must be a different behavior. Acceptable. The third step is to think about what you want to teach the dog instead of climbing on the bed. Teach her the right behavior.

Finally, acceptable behavior needs to be reinforced. What the dog likes. And don’t skimp on reinforcements!

Another useful skill is to teach your dog to jump in and out of bed on a signal. You tie this behavior to a cue, and then give the command to jump onto the bed less and less often. Until finally the action disappears altogether.