I went through the same thing with my adopted 2 1/2 yo boy. He slept on the bed with his prev. owner but, was NOT allowed to sleep NEXT to them. Every night when we went to bed I would take him and hold him against my body, as soon as I took my hands off him he would scoot to the other side of the bed. I did this for 8 months, then one night after he scooted away he sneaked to the top of my pillow barely touching my head, progress, for 4 weeks this is what he did. Then one night he sneaked next to me, I stroked him said good boy. It took 10 months for him to learn it is ok to sleep NEXT to me. Then I started to put him under the blankets, he sports a puppy cut 365, it gets cold at night, that was a fast do lol, now he sleeps under the blankets, if he gets to warm he'll come out but he still will sleep pressed against me. We are a team for 3 years now. You cannot undo previous training over night. It takes time, persistence on YOUR part and lots of patience and praise. He was CRATE TRAINED to sleep in his crate, every night put him on your bed, hold him, tell him he's a good boy is a soft soothing voice, release him, if he hops off that's fine but continue this routine EVERY NIGHT, it will take time you just have to kinda "re-program" him. Him sleeping on your night stand he is getting CLOSER to you, testing you to see if it's ok for him to be that close to you, praise him saying good boy, take him from the night stand and place him next to you on the bed, show him it's ok to be close to you.
The same with cuddling, obviously he didn't get this from his prev. owner, when ever you want to cuddle place him next to you, hold him and cuddle him, talk to him in soft soothing voice telling him he's a good boy, release him and see if he stays, persistence, patience and praise are key factors in re-training. Please do not be depressed, they sense this.
Retraining is NOT an over night thing, it can take months to undo what prev. owner TRAINED him what THEY wanted from him.
Lots of praise and treats when he does what you want him to do.
__________________ Joan, mom to Cody  RIP Matese  Schnae  Kajon Kia  forever in my  A House Is Not A Home Without A Dog |