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Old 11-23-2008, 01:00 AM   #13
daniellealberta
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Alberta
Posts: 186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by belindaY View Post
Most reasonable people will learn to let the dog sleep with them, and if that's not possible, give him up to someone who can have him in bed with them.
Boy, did this comment annoy me. I am angered by the implication that people who don't allow their dogs into their bed are somehow bad owners. What a load of garbage.

I got Spike when he was 5 months old (he is now 2 years), and he has NEVER slept in my bed. Although I considered having him sleep with me when I first got him, my bed is quite high, so there was no way he would be able to get down without assistance if he wanted to. Also, I didn't want my sleep disturbed if he decided to get up in the night.

He sleeps in the room with me, he has his own dog bed on top of an old comforter. His food and water dishes are nearby, and he has (quiet!) toys to play with if he doesn't want to sleep.

Unfortunately, the only solution to this problem is persistence and patience once you've decided on ONE solution. If you want him to sleep in his crate in a specific location, then that is what you will need to do, starting tonight. Don't move his crate to somewhere where he can see you unless that is where he is always going to sleep. Don't move the crate to another room to get away from the noise, unless you always want him to sleep in that room. Consistency is the key, and you have to stick to your guns!

I know it's hard, especially since your pup has been so sick in the past. Trust me, when I first got Spike he cried too, but I had to harden my heart because I knew it would be best for him (and me!) in the long run. Now, I am absolutely sure I did the right thing.

A couple of tips that worked for me. I found that having a toy that he loved but had to 'work on' helped to distract him until I was asleep. In Spike's case, I filled a kong with some kibble which I would plug up with some wet food and freeze. He LOVED working on that toy and it would keep him busy until I was asleep. I found that if he heard me moving around he was more likely to cry, so when I was asleep he tended to settle down. Earplugs were also a Godsend!

Good Luck!
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