hbwright

Okay, I'm torturing my puppy right this very minute. He's getting over his little depression from the kids being in school and getting used to his new schedule so we get the kids off to school, spend some time playing and walk and then I try to get some down time to get things done around the house, computer time, etc. He typically lays down if I'm with him but if I'm on the computer seems to get so angry and starts tearing up the house for something to do. First I thought he needed some exercise so that is when we started the walking and fetch first thing. If I'm cleaning the kitchen he sleeps. If I'm doing laundry he sleeps. If I sit down on the couch and do nothing he sleeps. If I get on the computer he tears up the house. And, only if I'm on the computer. Anything else he's fine with.

Soooooo, this morning I think, you know what? It's so nice outside that I think I'm going to leave him out here. Summer loves the mornings outside just laying around enjoying the nice weather. Jordan loves it when I'm out there with him, even if I'm just sitting there watching. When I come in you'd think I'm abandoning him. He does better in his crate (which he still hates) then he does in the nice outdoor weather. All of my dogs have always loved being outside. He considers it a form of torture.

He's also so darn sneaky. I've been training him to stay off the bed at night. My back can't take it anymore and hubby is complaining. For the first 6 days he did so good. Then he even stopped trying to jump up there at all. Now, it's a constant struggle. I'm always having to lug him off the bed and put him in a down on his bed. He will not off himself. He is right there beside me and he'll immediately sit up and nose nudge me to death before jumping up on the bed to start all over again. I still wake up at 4:00 and there he is sleeping comfortably at the bottom corner of the bed. Honestly I don't mind him being there curled up in the corner because it is not in my way and I can sleep comfortably with him being there but the problem is that he considers it okay and then thinks he can jump up there and sleep right there in the middle, take up all the covers and push us off.

Okay, here it is. Novelty is now officially worn off. I'll stop complaining now though because I'm so lucky to have him in my family. I just felt that after 6 months I deserved a little pitty party. (You know it's really about my uninterupted computer time right?)

Chaz

I don't have that problem because I sleep on the floor.

Mensa's bed is way softer than where I sleep.

I've tried to get Mensa to sleep next to me but she would rather sleep in her crate, where it's soft.

hbwright

LOL. If I'm on the floor he'll cuddle right up on me. I'll admit that I'm much softer then his bed because he's chewed up all the beds in the house, his and Summers. So until he quits chewing the corners of the beds he'll have a towel as his bed. I've thought about buying one of the more expensive, supposedly non-chewable beds but I'd be so mad if he broke the laws of non-chewable and proved them wrong.

Jenny

Isabelle chewed up an non-chewable bed - so I'd save your money & wait it out. The last time we got her a bed was about two years ago & she ate it. Weird becuase she doen't chew up anything else - so we decided that she is not a dog-bed kinda girl.

jdmomkb

Sounds like Jordan and Reese must be long lost cousins. Reese does the same things. I ended up with a pinched nerve from trying to sleep on 6 inches of bed and finally put up a baby gate so he can't get in. Now he comes to the gate to get a kiss & pat on the head and trots off to sleep on the couch. As for the computer...Reese starts out with a low growl, then I get a couple smacks with the paw. He progresses to pinching my leg with his front teeth and then he gets 4 inches away from my ear and barks nonstop as loud as he can. Now as soon as he starts I put him on a leash and he lays down with a toy or bone and stays that way until I'm done on the computer. I don't know what it is about the leash but it works everytime.

Burns

I know how it can be frustrating some days, and some days so happy. I guess we're lucky because Red LOVES staying outside by himself. He's stay out there and entertain himself all day if you let him. He's been doing this for a few months now, where I can trust him to be out there by himself and not be getting into any trouble. Only problem is now that it's getting cold out, especially in the mornings, he doesn't like it as much. Which is why I'll be buying him a fleece jacket and booties for winter

Anyway, when we first started leaving him outside by himself, he'd always give him a yummy chewy, like a pig ear, or other long-lasting chew treat. That would usually keep him so occupied that he wasn't worried about where we went. Then we'd go out there off and on and play fetch a couple times, then make him stay while we went back inside. He's never seemed to mind being out there alone.

Thankfully, Red respects my computer time. He knows when I sit down in this chair that it's time to leave me alone. Sometimes he comes over and nudges me for petting (which I sometimes oblige because he's so damn cute), but mostly I try to ignore him so I'm not reinforcing this behavior. Once he's given me up as a bad job, he'll go find a chewy and entertain himself.

I can see where the bed thing would be a problem. Is Jordan allowed on the furniture too, or just the bed? Maybe keep the bedroom door closed when you're not watching him, that way he can't invite himself onto the bed? This is exactly why Red has never been allowed on the furniture or beds. The two cats hogging the furniture and bed is enough without a giant dog on it too!

Feel free to vent all you want! That's what we're hear for! Just don't rip too much of your hair out during the puppy phase

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Gorrmae's Fantasy Red XIII CGC TDI
DOB 2/17/07, red/rust, male neutered Doberman

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JavasMom

Java has her diva moments where it's not enough that we're in the same room, she HAS to be on my lap. Naturally it's always when I need to get some 'puter time in and all I want to do is get work done asap. I find that bringing out a chew toy she esp loves ONLY during that time has helped. If she persists (which isn't often), she goes into her crate for the 20 min of quiet time I need. She would whine a bit at first but as my husband reminds me: she's a DOG, plus she's safe, she's fed, she's exercised and well loved - she has a better life than some children in this country, so I refuse to feel guilty and respond to the whining. Java will knock it off after she hears 'hush', will give an indignant groan and then, 9 times out of 10, have a nap.

Getting your puppy into an evening routine of going outside for his final pee/poop and then right into his crate for sleep might help. I wasn't above the 1/2 milkbone bribe to get Java into this routine. The nights that hubby was out of town and son was away at school I really loved having Java curled up at the end of the bed - if only she would stay there! Since I need my sleep more than she does, she would be back to the crate the following night.

Dobes are too smart for their (and our) own good sometimes, and I know Java would run the show if she had the chance.

hbwright

I've never kept my dogs in the crate at night. They've always slept in my room with us. Cleo would lay right by my side of the bed and sometimes jump up when Walt was not in there. When he came in she would jump down. Summer lays at the foot of the bed on the floor or in front of the door. I would feel so bad having to make him sleep in the crate after sleeping with us for 6 months. I'm hoping that he'll realize after time that he is not sleeping in our bed with us anymore.

He also does get on the furnature. I can't stand that Summer doesn't anymore. She does try when it is thundering outside but we have to help her now. It is one of Jordan's favorite places.

I'm going to see if I can slowly get him used to being outside more now that it is cooling off, even for just 15-20 minutes. Maybe that will be his beef bone place.

Jenny

Isabelle doesn't like to be outside by herself. She will paw a the door. She also keep an eye on me to make sure I didn't escape back into the house. I think the most she's been outside alone is like 10 minutes which is usually a warm day so she can catch some rays She respects computer time unless she needs to go outside or for her evening walk then she either whines or paws at me or both. Once she's been out she comes back in she lays down. We started walking again - it is finally cooling off - in the evenings so she knows when the sun goes down it's walk time. Computers were not nearly as fun back in the day when she was a puppy. She sleeps in our bed. She usually sprawls out. Once in a while hubby heads for the spare room. In the summer she starts off on the bed then heads for the tile when she thinks I have fallen asleep. By morning she's back in bed

Scoob

Take her for a walk and wear her out. Give her bones and toys. I think the most distruction occurs when the dog needs some excercise. My dog at 6 months still gets where he bites my hands and jumps. The best control for me is to put on his leash and keep him with me out of trouble. Use bones or toys, although he likes squeaky toys and tends to run with them. Then sometimes I give him a time out in his crate -- never really used it too much. Kept him with me most of the time but need the crate for when I shower, bathroom, grocery etc... I owe him today. I told him we are walkng tonight. As a puppy he is either very active or asleep, and manageable the other time. He sleeps on top of my bed. A few nights ago he kept biting me. I gave him a firm look and told him that if he didn't quit biting, he'd sleep in the sunroom crate -- I put him there. He barked some, my mom told me, but she sleeps downstairs. 7 a.m. the next morning I went in the sunroom, he looked great, no pee, no poop, just waiting to get out, then we went out! Other times we have so much exercise outside -- I live on 15 acres -- when it comes time for bed, he's ready! My main suggestion: Make sure you play with her during the day so she is tired at night.
Scoob (Jim)