Is anyone here a dog trainer? Got a pooch question…

[Captain Lee Bishop]

I’d like to run this by a pro dog trainer for any tips they could suggest.

I have a 8-year-old mini dachshund, the only pup we have (since 2006, anyway). We’ve kenneled him in the kitchen with two baby gates, one across the door and the other wedged between the fridge and the counter (it can’t be a permanent one in that location). In the past, he was always fine with being in there at night, he’d cuddle with my wife (who always goes to bed before me) then I’d get him, put him in his area, then go to bed. All was fine with that until a few months ago when my deck and roof was being extended and he could see people at the door adjacent to him, and a few times he’d push the baby gate over (or try to) to get to them as he’s a very sociable pup.

After that, he must have learned he can punch through the bigger gate at the fridge. In fact, I found a wooden gate he couldn’t push aside and he took to chewing on it. Nothing we put on the gate to deter chewing had any effect at all. He completely ate through the bottom and destroyed it. I have tried two plastic gates he couldn’t chew through since then and he’s been able to defeat both of them. I can’t put up a permanent gate there. Now he sometimes punches through the gate so he can try to get back to the bedroom to be with us. We’ve put him right back and done some discipline which does work in the short term but he doesn’t seem to be learning anything from this other than not bugging us again that specific evening.

Stranger still is when in the mornings and I have to go to work (I leave after my wife does), I just have to look at him and say, “Okay,” and he’s off like a shot for the kennel and he’s rarely ever tried to get out when it’s in the daytime. It’s only at night.

My wife think it might be because it’s cold now and he’s warmer in the bed, so I’m going to put more blankets on his bedding in case it’s that. I’d be fine with letting him snooze with us, but he has to get up to get a drink and such, and he’s way too short to get onto and off of the bed on his own.

We need to hit this at the root of the problem instead of working around it, I’m positive of that as he spent years in this setup with no problems until recently. But I guess for now, it’s all about consistency. My wife trained him to sit in one place and not touch his food until told to do so. I’m sure in time, we’ll get him out of this habit as well.

Last night, he was out of the kennel twice within 25 minutes of me putting him in there. My wife’s original tactic of smacking a rolled up magazine and saying “No” forcefully seems to be the only thing that has worked so far. The second time I put him in there I was pretty ticked and he could tell as the magazine got used. He didn’t try that again. He won't jump up on the gate anymore with usstanding there and he used to that all the time, so swatting the magazine hasat least helped with that. But I shouldn’t have to go to that extreme. I hope to God this is just a phase. My plan is to try to find a dog trainer locally (I’ve already e-mailed the details to one of them) to see if they can think of anything we haven’t done.

It’s to the point that sometimes I don’t even sleep well because I’m convinced I might be hearing him try to push down the gate (but it’s impossible to know for sure through the walls). Is anyone here a pro dog trainer by any chance, who could give some advice on how to attack this problem?

[G. P. Cobb]

Get a cat.

[Yukon Charley, SASS Life #14739]

I sure ain't no pro dog trainer, but Mrs. YC has "crate trained" our little dogs. They sleep in the pet carriers at night & all she has to say is, "Get in your box" & they head in. She always gives them a dog treat when they go in. She puts the pug's crate next to our bed. Been working fine this way for a lot of years. On cold nights, she does put a towel over the top of the crate.

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

We have a collie thats crate trained. All we have to say is 'crate' and she goes in. Melody retires at 8 PM usually and doesnt get up till my wife does at 6 AM. Or she sleeps till she wants to face the world! The crate is the only way to go. She uses it as her 'den' during the holidays when the house gets a little too crowded for her.

Tascosa

[Seldom Seen #16162]

Easy. Quit fighting it and let her sleep with with you and your wife. She probably wants to protect you at night.

 

S.S.

 

(Who has three JRT's and two Pugs sleeping in our bed right now).

 

(We are very well protected).

 

(Let it be your wife's idea and let her be the one to let pooch out in the middle of the night).

 

(It worked for me).

[Filthy Harry, SASS #24924]

I guess I qualify for the dog trainer thing. My daughter is a Pro Handler, my 9 year old grandaughter just made her first owner-handled champion Golden Retriever, and my Wife is a top show dog groomer.

Having said all this, I'd for sure, go with a crate with a nice warm blanket. The treat idea is good. My wife's Pom is crated along side our bed, but the Doberman is on the couch. They're all different. I've gor six different breed right now and a number of Goldens. Everyone but the Dobe sleeps quietly in a crate or kennell.

[Texas Lizard]

I guess I qualify for the dog trainer thing. My daughter is a Pro Handler, my 9 year old grandaughter just made her first owner-handled champion Golden Retriever, and my Wife is a top show dog groomer.

Having said all this, I'd for sure, go with a crate with a nice warm blanket. The treat idea is good. My wife's Pom is crated along side our bed, but the Doberman is on the couch. They're all different. I've gor six different breed right now and a number of Goldens. Everyone but the Dobe sleeps quietly in a crate or kennell.

 

 

I guess the Dobe sleeps pretty much where he chooses...I don't have any dogs, wife not an animal lover...But I did have a squirrel that shows for peanuts at times...Would knock on back for its hand out...He must have been a liberal...

 

Texas Lizard

[Pit Bull Tex]

Both my pit bull and my lab sleep in crates.I dont any more but I used to leave the door open with the lab.The lab (male) trained the pit (female) when she was young, when I said kennel he would take her to the kennels,when she got in hers he would get in his.The lab has trained me also. He can get me to do anything he wants.

[Spanish Bit Bobb]

I'm not a professional dog trainer but I dew play one on tv.

Gotta agree with tha others 'bout crate training.

Our Jack Russell Terrorist prefers her crate as her own lil' space,

fer her naps or when she haz had enuff of the lil' newphews n' nieces.

Jes remember...It shud NEVER be used for the purpose of punishment.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Eight years old? Sometimes older dogs get a feeling that they need more attention and closeness. All but one of mine has been that way when they got up about 8-12 years old. It takes a bit of training and some extra love and attention, but it's fixable.

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Easy. Quit fighting it and let her sleep with with you and your wife. She probably wants to protect you at night.

Oh we’d do that if he didn’t want to get up every few hours to go do his business or get a drink. He can get a drink in his kennel area in the kitchen but he doesn’t “go” until the morning. He also snuggles up next to my wife and kicks her with his little pup paws all night and that of course drives my wife nuts because then she can’t sleep at all. There have been nights when the wind is screaming against the back of the house which really freaks him out (me, too) and we’ve had him with us. Only when he’s freaked out does he stay put in bed, but also makes life heck for my wife even then.

This is the response I got back from the local dog trainer. I don't know if I agree with the "discipline is counterproductive" thing:

Until the first time he got out, he did not know it was possible. Once he has succeeded, his level of determnation will be much stronger, as you have seen.

Discipline will not work and can often be counterproductive. For a dog, to be kept away from his people when they are around is very much like being banished from the pack. In the wild this is often a death sentence and for our pets can lead to lots of emotional issues and anxiety.

For those times when no one is home, I suggest using a crate. A plastic one will be best because it has smooth sides and very little to be chewed from the inside. A wire one will offer lots of possibilities for chewing and he could actually injure his mouth.

Generally speaking, dogs dislike isolation. When you are home, let him be with you guys as much as possible. Try a small dog bed at nite and let him sleep in your room with you. If you are worried about nighttime adventures around the house, shut the bedroom door. If he has water freely available throughout the day, it would not be a problem for him to go without at night. This will minimize the chance for accidents in your room. Make sure that he has a couple of chances to go out between supper and bed and he should have no problem waiting until morning to go outside for relief.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Discipline will not work and can often be counterproductive. (?)

 

Sounds like so many Child Psychologists I've worked with over the years, and look where that has taken us.

 

Gentle, firm discipline is necessary. You don't have to abuse or punish the dog in order to discipline him. For the most part dogs will do what you expect them to if they understand the instruction and the insistence that they do as they're told if you're consistent and be patient.

 

Kinda like kids.

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Discipline will not work and can often be counterproductive. (?)

Sounds like so many Child Psychologists I've worked with over the years, and look where that has taken us.

Gentle, firm discipline is necessary. You don't have to abuse or punish the dog in order to discipline him. For the most part dogs will do what you expect them to if they understand the instruction and the insistence that they do as they're told if you're consistent and be patient. Kinda like kids.

That's for the most part what I said after reading it. I'm sure there are good insights there, but we have gotten him from jumping up onto the gate while we're standing there, my wife and I are pretty convinced that if we keep up with him with negative reinforcement every time we jumps through the gates at night (so far the whacking the rolled up magazine into the palm of the hand seems to be working), I'm hoping that will help.

I can't imagine he'd sleep on a pup bed in our room, I can so easily see him wanting to go outside (knowing he never had the optiion in the kitchen penned up alone) or worse, wanting to jump up onto the bed (not a chance, it's about 3+ feet up and no dachshund has that kind of leap) and driving us bonkers all night.

I found a XL plastic kennel box which we could put in the hole the baby gate fits in, would face into the open kennel area he's knownfor years, could just put his bedding in there and we could deal with that. It ain't cheap, one that size, though, and I'd hate to think I might spend a lot of coin then him just not having it. Dachshunds can really be set in their ways, more so than a lot of dogs I've seen.

Some people are suggesting a pup pal. We're really trying to avoid that, though.

[GunClick Rick]

Eight years old? Sometimes older dogs get a feeling that they need more attention and closeness. All but one of mine has been that way when they got up about 8-12 years old. It takes a bit of training and some extra love and attention, but it's fixable.

 

 

Forty are you saying you need to be petted more frequently these days

 

 

 

 

And a blanky is a duachshounds best friend.The more the better..Dang crickets don't get by me at night,one chirp and ole Rustys gives a nice low grrrrrrrrr.. He plays during the day and sleeps at night and he don't like to be woke up niether!

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/gunc...ick/Saywhen.jpg

 

ok where's my blanky???

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/gunc...andRusty010.jpg

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

That first picture should be in the dictionary next to "inscrutable".

 

Petted more often? Yeah, how 'bout any at all?

[Deja Vous]

Being very honest, my dog has trained me.. kinda scarey but it is Deja after all.. lol.. She pretty much does as she wishes. last night at about 1:45 AM she decided to run over me.. loll. And today in the car on the way to the grocery store she jumped in my lap and told me I needed to go home.. lol.. And I did.. She owns me.. totally.. so I can't give you any instructions on dog training.. lol.. Cuz RatDog rules the roost.. She is going to Daddys this weekend.. and up there she will be in my "space".. they have a bedroom, bathroom and living space set aside for me and my crazy rat dog.. lol.. Oh, gosh I will need to pick up my gold pan and boots and some tools.. I gotta get a duplex or house cuz this is not working for Rat at all.. I wish she would get a job, but hey, she refuses.. lol She says she is a lady of lesure.. lol

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Rick, So cute! This is Charlie, taken a while back but he hasn’t changed other than a few grey hairs. We used to have two pups, but we had to put Brandy down because her spine gave out totally in 2006. Oddly, Charlie didn’t have any issues with suddenly being a lone pooch then. My wife has been very clear that she doesn’t want another dachshund when we eventually get another dog (which by my plan is after Charlie goes to that great kennel in the sky, hopefully after a very long and happy lifespan as he should be good for more than a few years yet), but I can’t imagine any other kind of pup. When that day comes, it’s going to be a battle royale, I know that already. Her whole family is into poodles, which I utterly despise and have made it clear that I will have NOTHING to do with one.

 

Here's the plan.

He's now taken to busting out in the daytime as well and now there's simply no way to keep him there.

So, as of tonight, we moved everything into our bedroom, where the baby gate will work (because it's a normal door frame and he can jump on it to the end of time and not push it over, along with his water and everything he had in the kitchen.

I'm kind of dreading the night part, as I just know he'll want to go to the bed thinking he'll be able to get up. I'm not anticipating a well-rested evening, but my wife pointed out it was best to do tis now as we'll hae a couple of nights like this before it's a work night and we'll more need our sleep.

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Charlie's experiences last night penned up with us was interesting. Of course he had no clue what was happening when I came to bed, pulled him out of our bed and put him in his doggy bed on the floor, he got right out. My wife had the same result minutes later. He tried to jump up a little to the side of the bed (no chance of actually getting up to us) and whined like I thought he would. But to his credit, he didn't whine as bad as I thought he'd do, or as long. After about an hour, we heard the jingle of his tags as he eventually wanted over to his bed, and started to nest. We lay still, almost wanting to do the happy dance that he finally figured it out. He got up a couple of times in the night and we had to firm to say, "go to bed, Charlie" or no, but he coped. It wasn't the most rested night I've had, but it wasn't quite the nightmare I had envisioned.

When we left for her parent's for Christmas stuff this morning, we kenneled him in the bedroom. He wasn't too clear on that either, but I figure after a few days he'll take to it as routine. At least, I sure as heck hope so! One thing's for sure, he didn't have chance of getting out this time as the baby gate was well-fitted in the door jamb this time.

I expect another not-so-restful night tonight, but I hope it'll be better than last night was...

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Well, Charlie has been a little craphead. He whined a lot last night and kept walking around the bedroom (his tags and collar jangle like a pair of spurs) and he laid down on his bed but maybe for an hour at a time. We put the gate up in the same room when we went to town today and he chewed on that baby gate. If he gets through that, we're going to have get a crate for him and keep him in there most of the time. I can't think of anything else to do with him at this point.

I swear I have no idea how this got so bad, he was always a spirited pup but was minded himself for the most part. It's like in the space of a few weeks he's turned into something else.

I feel like someone with a newborn baby, I sleep terrible now, haven't gotten a good night sleep in a very long time.

[LEAD BANE, SASS 70197]

Well, Charlie has been a little craphead. He whined a lot last night and kept walking around the bedroom (his tags and collar jangle like a pair of spurs) and he laid down on his bed but maybe for an hour at a time. We put the gate up in the same room when we went to town today and he chewed on that baby gate. If he gets through that, we're going to have get a crate for him and keep him in there most of the time. I can't think of anything else to do with him at this point.

I swear I have no idea how this got so bad, he was always a spirited pup but was minded himself for the most part. It's like in the space of a few weeks he's turned into something else.

I feel like someone with a newborn baby, I sleep terrible now, haven't gotten a good night sleep in a very long time.

 

Put his butt outside where disobedient animals belong.

[J-BAR #18287]

A crate (fully enclosed travel kennel) has been recommended by a number of posters. Why do you refuse to take their advice?

 

Wild animals seek a confined space in which to hide. Domestic dogs are no different. Once they get used to it, a dog will seek its crate on its own. Get over the idea that you are punishing the dog by putting it in a crate overnight.

 

The first week will be the hardest because you will want to respond to the dog's cries to get out. Don't respond. You are training the dog. Do not let the dog train you. Dogs do not want to be around their feces any more than we do. Pick a small enough crate that he can just turn around in. If you put him in a big crate, he will sleep in one corner and crap in another. After he has to sleep a few nights in his own feces, he will figure out that he has to hold it. He can go all night without food and water, too. Put the crate someplace where neither you nor your wife can hear him act up. Ignore him.

 

The secret is to enforce the routine. Do it the same way every day and every night. No exceptions.

 

(24 years small animal veterinary practice, training pets and their owners in basic obedience and housebreaking.)

[Rowdy Yates, SASS #141]

If this was my 8 year old pooch and he took a corner like this, I'd get him checked out at the Vet to make sure something like arthritis or cancer wasn't paining him.

[Captain Lee Bishop]

Put his butt outside where disobedient animals belong.

Too many owls, hawks and coyotes outside for that. he may be ornery ometimes, but I'd sooner lose all my guns forever than lose him due to me being irresponsible.

Amazingly, he did very well last night, walked around the room for maybe 5 minutes, then went to his doggy bed and slept almost all of the night there. He didn’t whine at all until this morning when it was almost time for my wife to get up anyway. I hope this is a sign that he’s coming to terms with the new arrangement!

The crate is the next step if he won't handle the way things are now.

[Sierra Jack Cassidy, SASS 14336Life]

We went through it with a 6-year old German Shepherd but it was because we moved. He couldn't find a place he liked to sleep in the new house so he wandered around the bedroom at night, jingling and whining.

 

I finally bought a big crate or kennel for him. I put it in the bedroom and put an old blanket off the bed into it (I bought my wife a new replacement blanket for the bed to keep her happy). We started telling him to go in his kennel at night and rewarded him for doing so. We also gave him a new chew toy every few days, but only in the kennel. If he came out of the kennel with it, the chew toy disappeared.

 

After a week or so he started sleeping in the kennel in the bedroom every night.

 

After a month I moved the kennel to the kitchen and he continued to sleep in it... it was "his bed".

 

Good luck.

 

Cassidy