Sleeping on our bed

[Andy's Mom]

Andy's started sleeping on the bed while we're away and since I haven't caught him in the act, I haven't scolded him for it yet, but I don't like it and was wondering why he's doing it. It just bugs me that he thinks he can do this and get away with it (and so far he has!). He looks sheepish when I come home from work, so I know he knows he was doing something wrong, but short of closing the door to the bedroom (which I don't want to do because he likes to look out the window while I'm gone), what can I do?

[moondog]

Check this thread out - there's some pretty good ideas in it ;)

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/sho...&threadid=3830

[Sansano]

Originally posted by Andy's Mom
Andy's started sleeping on the bed while we're away and since I haven't caught him in the act, I haven't scolded him for it yet, but I don't like it and was wondering why he's doing it. It just bugs me that he thinks he can do this and get away with it (and so far he has!). He looks sheepish when I come home from work, so I know he knows he was doing something wrong, but short of closing the door to the bedroom (which I don't want to do because he likes to look out the window while I'm gone), what can I do?

Well, firstly, he DOES NOT know that he was doing something wrong. As for your problem I would either close the door or crate him. Good luck!

[whitney greenway]

The first month or so we got Cam, I let him sleep on the bed!

It just did not work. He was hogging the bed and nobody was getting any sleep.

He also growled at me when I tried to move him. Not good! I saw trouble coming.........SO!

That was the end of that, no more bed...he sleeps at the foot of the bed, or has the option to go into his crate.

I am the ALPHA dog, and that is the way it is going to stay!

[Andy's Mom]

I believe that he does know he's done wrong - the way he walks slowly down the stairs and up to me - tail down, head down - makes me think he does know. I did catch him once when he was a little puppy and scolded him, so he knows the difference. I figure I just have to catch him in the act.

He does not sleep "with" us on the bed - I learned not to do that with our first Rottweiler. He has his own blanky near my side of the bed.

Would he get the hint if I closed the door for a few days? Or would he just go downstairs and sleep on the couch?

[Sansano]

Originally posted by Andy's Mom
I believe that he does know he's done wrong - the way he walks slowly down the stairs and up to me - tail down, head down - makes me think he does know. I did catch him once when he was a little puppy and scolded him, so he knows the difference. I figure I just have to catch him in the act.

He does not sleep "with" us on the bed - I learned not to do that with our first Rottweiler. He has his own blanky near my side of the bed.

Would he get the hint if I closed the door for a few days? Or would he just go downstairs and sleep on the couch?

I think its a great idea that he doesn’t sleep on the bed. Some dogs have the personality to be able to do that but many Rotties don't.

I have to tell you...thinking that he knows that he has done something wrong really is giving him way too much credit and responsibility. Its is common knowledge amongst dog trainers that dogs do not know hours or minutes later that they have done something wrong. Because you scolded once as a puppy doesn’t not mean he knows the difference. He may know that he is not supposed to be on the bed but believe me (or others here..it has been discussed often) he does not know he did something wrong when you come home.

Closing the door or crating him isn't a good option?

[Andy's Mom]

The Thread suggested earlier is very helpful. Making the bed not a nice place to be is a good suggestion. I'll have to work on that.

The stories about dogs being where they shouldn't be reminded me of how I kept my Anna from the formal living room, which was accessed through a double-door wide opening (no doors). I put a little string of masking tape over the opening at her eye level and she stayed out. She was the best dog that ever lived!!

I think, short of keeping him from the room altogether (which I kind of like him being able to look outside when I'm not there), putting up somethng to make the bed uncomfortable is a good idea. Thanks all.

[KaiserNLisa]

Laerning self control is something all rotties struggle with:D
He knows he shouldnt be doing it but.....oh boy...that bed is soooooo comfy:) and who would know?
Its a bit like putting some pork chops on a plate and leaving them on the floor whilst you go out for the day.....Its just too much temptation and to be fair I think you are expecting too much here.

Either remove the temptation (ie close the door) or invest in some training discs and spend a LOT of time training him NOT to go on the bed....If you opt for the second choice expect him to relpase from time to time......Would you be able to resist those chocolate chip cookies if they were put on a plate right in front of you every day?:)

I dont think he is disrespecting you at all...hes just giving in to temptation...:p

Personally I would close the door:D

[Ilovemypuppy]

The only fair thing to do with this dog is to close that door...let him look out another window when you are not there. By leaving that door open, you are giving him every opportunity to be WRONG..close it and he'll be RIGHT. We need to be fair with dogs and set them up to do the right thing, not create situations where they are more likely to be wrong. He doesn't know he's done something wrong when you come home...what he does feel from you is that you are not pleased about something when you have come home and he's felt that a few times, now he associates your coming home with bad feelings. Close the door and let him learn that your coming home is again a joyous event, please.;)

[amya1234]

Mine knows that if me and my husband are in bed that she can't come up. My husband works shift work so on the days when he leaves the house at 5 am,and I have a day off,he takes her out b4 he goes to work, and when she comes in from outside.......she makes a mad dash to the bed, and me and her sleep in until it's time for my son to get up for school. It's kind of nice having her in bed,it makes me feel more secure, and now that it's really cooling off up here, she is really nice and warm. And vice versa, when my husband works afternoons, and I have to get up in the morning, him and her sleep in! But she knows that she has to sleep on her blanky until one of us gets out!:)

[SarasMom]

I guess you could try putting something on the bed to impede him, but I think I'd just shut the door. Correcting will do no good unless you catch him in the act.