Dog Health Questions: An older dog training question. .?

What steps can you do to keep your dog from under your bed? I'm gonna ban her from the bedroom for a couple of days. She has a spot she can sleep on the floor, but for some reason she likes it under the bed. She is an 8 year old lab/pit mix. I'm not buying a new bed, so any suggestions?

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First of all, dogs are den animals and love to be under something especially when they sleep - under the bed is always a perfect place for them.

They need their own sanctuary that is just large enough for them to fit inside and feel secure. They need a "home away from home" where they can go when they are stressed. If you don't provide your dog a "den" of its own, it may make do with whatever is around -- and apparently she has found her place under your bed.

You might try a crate that is designed for indoors - like an inside doghouse that is used for brief periods of time. Its primary function is to serve as a bed or den. However, the dog is not supposed to live in the crate. Endless hours in the crate can lead to severe social and isolation problems for your dog -- and it will no longer see the crate as a special retreat.

When you are home, your dog needs to be out with you. In fact, the crate should be kept in the room where the family spends most of its time. That way, your dog can seek refuge from the hubbub of household activity, yet still feel like a part of the family.

Once your dog realizes that the crate is a sanctuary and that no one can bother it while it is in its "den," your dog will begin to seek out the crate on its own.

If a crate is out of the question, you might want to talk to your vet about pet diapers. I know there are several different types out there that are washable and or disposable and since you only need them at night, might be the answer to your problem.

http://www.petdiapers.com/

The Importance of Dog Training

• My suggestion - I know you don't want to buy a new bed - but my suggestion would be to get her a crate and crate-train her. It would help her feel secure and also prevents her from sleeping in unwanted places. They aren't really that expensive.
  
  If she pees under your bed because she thinks she won't get in trouble, simply stop punishing or scolding her for making mistakes inside. When she eliminates outside, praise her and give her a treat. When she eliminates inside, just quietly clean it up. She'll learn that peeing inside = no treat. And be patient with her, too; as dogs get older, they tend to lose sone control over their bowels and bladder. If she is peeing inside a lot, though, you might want to take her to the vet and get her checked for a UTI.


• The vet can give you medicine to help with her peeing, try buying a kennel, put a blanket or a pilow in there to make her more comftorable, feed her in there, give her treats in there make it so the kenel becomes a safe haven, it is easier to clean and she will continue to have a safe place to go to.


• you can try a spray made by Hartz that is called Stay off...I never believe in that stuff but IT WORKS!! My dogs HATE IT!! my dogs got really used to being on the couch while i was gone and there would be dirt, hair and pieces of their toys and it was aggravating! So I broke down and got a can and it is great! I just have to show the can and their out of the room


• If there is a possiblity of creating like a fencing around your bed with partical board or something that would be the best, because sprays don't last for ever, and have the potential to stain your carpets, and it may not even work for the situation at hand.


• Talk to your vet about her urinary incontinence. There are several medications on the market that work really well for this issue. she also might have an infection. It is not normal for a dog to urinate in their sleep. Your poor dog probably doesn't like being "dirty" either.


• you could get her a big pet taxi.my dog got used to going in her pet taxi so i leave the door open and every night she sleeps in it.


• You could get her a crate. She might like that den type feel.(Back to those wolf roots) I have my dog's crate covered on both sides and she sleeps in it with the door open.


• It is the one place they feel secure. Unfortunatley she also feels so secure she pees there too! See if she will take to a small blanket or put a diaper on her at night!


• Yeah, I would just buy her a crate and make it her safe and quiet place.


• Do you know the plastic that is used in carpeted area for office furniture? It has plastic pointy tacks on one side, and a smooth surface on the other side. You can pick this up at the hardware store, or an office store. Get a large sheet, place it under the bed pointy side up and see if that deters her. It will not be comfortable, so she should eventually give up and find another safe place. You will need to leave the plastic sheet under the bed for a month or two. It is critical that every time she tries to return she finds it there until she stops checking and gives up.
  
  At the same time you do this, you might put something else in your bedroom that would be desirable for her. You can buy a dog bed that is washable. Or at least a big towel for her. You might even plant a few dog treats in this new area to really make it a place she would like to go to.