Dog trouble

[Applewhite]

She is a very hungry dog And sleepy! While we are out during the day, or even when I am in, she will sleep all day. Then at night when we go to sleep, she will wake us up in the middle of the night to beg for food usually. She will settle for being let out, but what she really wants is food and she will get back up again and not let us sleep until it is time to feed her.

 

Do you have any ideas on how to keep her occupied and awake during the day so she is tired and sleeps during the night? We do take her out walking (but not in very cold weather because we all get cold). But that only sometimes helps since she is sleeping all day. She is up at 3:00 AM anyway after some walks.

[ButterflyWrists]

give her her meal in the evenings. then she wont pester you all night.

[Scorpion Fury]

how often and how much do you feed her?

[Applewhite]

Well she gets her meals twice a day. One at 6 am in the morning, one at night 6 pm. And she has her treats some time after her meals.

[hughvane]

A small meal activates a dog, a large meal makes a dog sleepy (usually). You need to regulate the amount of food and the times that you feed her. A snack in the morning, perhaps another one (eg. a training treat) about the middle of the day, and then, after you've let her out at night to relieve herself, her big meal. It helps too to feed her in the vicinity of her sleeping basket/bed/whatever.

 

If she's going to be a nuisance in the night, perhaps she needs some retraining to praise and reward her when she's quiet and settled which - hopefully - will encourage her to maintain that behaviour. Use rewards/treats only when they're earned, not on a whim. Can you shut your dog in the laundry when you feed her and overnight - some place like that?

 

And don't be afraid to growl, even severely, at your dog when she shows behaviour that is not acceptable. Dogs by nature are pack animals, and *you* have to be what's known as 'alpha dog'. In a pack, a misbehaving animal is severely scolded, sometimes beaten up, by senior dogs, in order to teach a lesson. Once the 'naughty' dog conforms, all is well.

 

[PS. In case you're wondering, yes, I train dogs for other people, it's a very rewarding activity.]

[Applewhite]

I don't think my boyfriend would ever approve of the methods you suggest. I don't even think he is open to closing the bedroom door at night. He will only do this if he is REALLY tired. I am sure he would do it if I asked him too, but I don;t think he would like it on a regular basis. I think he spoils her. She just comes right to the bed and whines for an hour begging for a treat.

[hughvane]

She just comes right to the bed and whines for an hour begging for a treat.

 

Which is why the behaviour continues. "If I whine, I'll get a treat, and so I'll whine some more, and then I'll get some more treats." That's the logic that a dog uses. Quite like humans really

 

Given your circumstances, all I can add is "if it were my dog and it whined by my bedside, it would get such a telling-off it would not come back for more" (hopefully). Good luck!

[Applewhite]

Which is why the behaviour continues. "If I whine, I'll get a treat, and so I'll whine some more, and then I'll get some more treats." That's the logic that a dog uses. Quite like humans really

 

Given your circumstances, all I can add is "if it were my dog and it whined by my bedside, it would get such a telling-off it would not come back for more" (hopefully). Good luck!

 

I agree with you completely. She whines because she can, and theres a possibilty he will give in, so why not. I've told him this several times. I hope it sinks in soon. I know she can learn, even if she is old. Like if I am eating alone, she will never come to the table anymore, she knows I don't like it. I don't even have to say anything anymore. She just knows. If we are both eating, she will be right there staring at the food hoping she gets something. It is all because he allows it.

[jcrisph]

train your dog dont let it train you. Be strong dont give in.

[lostandhurt]

This isn't hunger but a behavoir problem. The dog should be punished for waking you unless there is a fire or something. if the dog continues then simply put him out side in the cold for a while everytime. It won't take long before he stops.

 

lost

[Applewhite]

This isn't hunger but a behavoir problem. The dog should be punished for waking you unless there is a fire or something. if the dog continues then simply put him out side in the cold for a while everytime. It won't take long before he stops.

 

lost

 

Even I wouldn't want to do that to the dog. That is almost like torturing her. I think even if he just yelled at her a couple of times in a row when it happened and made her settle down on her bed, she would stop doing it. But I don't know if he even wants to do that.

 

I don't mind as much waking up at 5, because she has to go out and its almost time for us to wake up anyway (Although I would SO MUCH prefer her just waiting until we get up) but waking up at 3 and never sleeping again is a problem. He is aware it is a problem. Why isn't he doing something about it I don't know.

[lostandhurt]

It isn't torture. My dog

 

lost

[striker_dude]

My dog is "free fed".

 

It's one of those gravity feed food bowls, as she eats more food drops. And no, she doesn't over eat, and she's not overweight. Most of the day the food is untouched..at night, around 9:30 or 10 pm, she's in there chomping away.

[hughvane]

You're lucky you don't own a Labrador - it'd eat all the food you'd put in the bowl, plus the container!

[striker_dude]

You're lucky you don't own a Labrador - it'd eat all the food you'd put in the bowl, plus the container!

 

 

Yeah, no she's not a labrador and I know you can't free food all dogs, but with her..she never used to eat all the food in her bowl, it would just sit. So I figured why not get one of those gravity feed things, and it's worked out fine.

 

I do the same with the water bowl, it refills as she drinks and it only has to be filled up every couple of weeks.

[JadedStar]

Yeah, no she's not a labrador and I know you can't free food all dogs, but with her..she never used to eat all the food in her bowl, it would just sit. So I figured why not get one of those gravity feed things, and it's worked out fine.

 

I do the same with the water bowl, it refills as she drinks and it only has to be filled up every couple of weeks.

 

I can do that with the water bowl. However, if i did that with my dachshund with the food bowl she would eat the entire thing in one sitting.

 

She will literally eat until she explodes. She almost did that once. She got into a huge bag of food at my daughters house (dog food). My daughter didn't realize it wasn't safe to leave on the floor, large bag. She chewed a hole into it and ate until she was lying on the floor bloated and could not move.

 

Yeah i have had a lot of vet bills. LOL Most dachshunds love to eat but this one in particular is a real nightmare with overeating. I have to really stay on top of her.

[hughvane]

I like dachshund dogs (and I hate them being called dash-hounds). There's a neat video I saw of one that had learned to activate an electronic tennis ball chucker, including putting the ball on the metal throw arm, and then nosing the trigger button. Now that is/was a smart dog. I also saw a vid of a dachshund that had learned to tow a seriously handicapped and retarded baby about in a small cart. Can't do that with most breeds.

[Applewhite]

So today at 5 AM she was whining again. And HE was complaining! So I explained to him she would keep doing this because she didn't know it was wrong because he wasn't letting her know. That is all I said. I didn't even suggest anything in specific. He got all defensive and said she was doing it because she had anxiety, beause her whole environment changed (he moved downstairs in the same house about 8 months ago) and she wasn't allowed on the bed anymore (this is because of me). But the truth is she only whines until she is let out and fed. Then she sleeps soundly and never whines again! How is that anxiety??

 

He got so defensive I cannot even suggest at this point to do anything to train her. I've never owned a dog, but isn't this a simple one, reward dog for good actions, punish for bad. He will give her treats randomly and when she whines he calls her and pets her!!!!! She will stop for a while when he is petting her (he thinks she has anxiety and he has now relaxed her) but then continues whining after a while, until fed and let out. I am going crazy.

[JadedStar]

I like dachshund dogs (and I hate them being called dash-hounds). There's a neat video I saw of one that had learned to activate an electronic tennis ball chucker, including putting the ball on the metal throw arm, and then nosing the trigger button. Now that is/was a smart dog. I also saw a vid of a dachshund that had learned to tow a seriously handicapped and retarded baby about in a small cart. Can't do that with most breeds.

 

 

They are very smart but stubborn. My little baby (God rest her soul she was only four when she passed) would have done what you are talking about with the tennis ball. She LOVED to play fetch and never tired of it. She would bring the ball to me and put it in my head and sit and wait so sweet for me to throw it (God i am tearing up just writing this! I miss her so much!). I know she would have learned ot operate something like that in no time to play fetch with herself LOL.

 

 

As for the towing anything in a cart, that was not good. Their backs are very prone to seroius injury - they should not have pulled anything at all.....that was dangerous business for the dog...

[hughvane]

I explained to him she would keep doing this because she didn't know it was wrong because he wasn't letting her know. ... she wasn't allowed on the bed anymore (this is because of me). ... she only whines until she is let out and fed. Then she sleeps soundly and never whines again! ... I've never owned a dog, but isn't this a simple one, reward dog for good actions, punish for bad.

 

Oh dear, this is developing into more than a dog-behaviour issue. I think you're being even-handed in the descriptions of how each of you is dealing with the dog's pestering.

 

The dog has developed a behaviour that earns it either a) food or b) attention. It's not going to drop that until it learns that it isn't going to get either. You don't necessarily have to "punish" the dog (other than what I've suggested before), just withdraw whatever it thinks is a successful result from whining. Put another way, a dog feels secure when it knows that its 'good' behaviour is both expected and normal, and only exceptionally good behaviour earns a treat.

[i spent more than 3 months retraining my mutt to poop off the property, on waste land, where her mess was inoffensive. I had to use the reward of praise and treat PLUS giving her a verbal barrage when I caught her breaking the rules. Now she knows. I don't have to praise her anymore, it is standard behaviour for her to do as she should. Mind you, I still give treats when she's being just a great little dog.]

 

It isn't your dog, but his, and all you can do is suggest and demonstrate. If he has respect for your decisions and actions, then he should imitate them - the sincerest form of flattery. But if your partner is determined to use his own methods to deal with the dog, there's not a lot you can do.

[Monanovp]

What about helminths?

[Applewhite]

Thanks. This did give me a cleared perspective on things. We talked about it and mostly he agrees to what you are suggesting. He claims this behavior is recent because her environment changed and she has anxiety. She is no longer alowed to sleep on the bed, and he has a lot of attention directed at me etc. I don't know if any of this is relevant but the important thing is he realizes it is a problem. And agrees with praising good behavior and punishing bad. And he agreed that petting her when she whines in the middle of the night is not a great idea. (Previously he believed since she has anxiety it calms her and makes her feel better. But in reality even though she likes the attention, she keeps whining till she gets her meal)

 

But he has a valid question. He says in this situation the 'good behavior' is laying on the couch and sleeping. But how do you award this behavior? The point is to keep her that way and you can't wake her and give her a treat, she will get all excited and start pouncing around. He also has trouble punishing her because she is old and no longer can hear as well. It is dark at night, and he doesn't want to be loud either. I suggested closing the door but he said that will make things worse and make her louder.

 

I agree it would be easier to train her not to do this if she could hear better, but is he just making excuses?

[JadedStar]

Dogs like and need routine. He needs to establish a set morning time to let her out, walk her and feed her. It can't be TOO late even if he feels he wants to oversleep. Dog ownership isn't for the lazy. If she is young and she needs to begin to learn what her routine will be. If he is inconsistent with this, yes she WILL continue to whine. If she is old, she is whining because she has no CLUE what her routine is.

 

The clock needs to be set to get up and feed her, take her outside to do her business, then back in the house. What you do from there is up to you guys. If she doesn't have accidents in the home or chew things up she has likely earned run of the house when you are there so she wno't necessarily have to go back to her crate. Once she has eaten and been let out to go to the bathroom she likely won't keep whining. This isn't so much BAD behavior as it is that she NEEDS something. Just like with an infant who cries, they cry as that is their only signal that something needs tending. The dog is whining because she wants her morning meal and she needs to relieve herself. If no routine has been established she doesn't instinctively "know" when to expect this.

 

If he doesn't get a better routine established he can forget it. She isn't really being a bad dog wtih this morning whine. She is letting her owner know she needs to get out to go to the bathroom and would like her breakfast. Dogs don't know if the owner wants to "sleep in" one morning. She sounds like a dog who has NO CLUE what her routine is and nothing more serious than that.

 

As for mention on other posts about treat training, treat training is likely not the answer in this instance. A treat won't empty her bladder and will just throw off her breaksfast appetite. This is not an instance for treat training this is a case for routine establishment.

[Applewhite]

Well just to point out, she is not young. She is actually pretty old. According to him, this waking up at 5 AM is a new thing. And occasionally it happens even earlier, until she gets what she wants.

 

Before this she had a routine and she would not whine. She wouldn't even wake up until he was getting ready to leave for work.

 

Also a lot of times she will go to the door and whine as if she needs to go out. And as soon as he gets up, she will race to her bowl or the kitchen! So she is a little devil, sometimes even lying to get a treat.

[JadedStar]

But he has a valid question. He says in this situation the 'good behavior' is laying on the couch and sleeping. But how do you award this behavior? The point is to keep her that way and you can't wake her and give her a treat, she will get all excited and start pouncing around. He also has trouble punishing her because she is old and no longer can hear as well. It is dark at night, and he doesn't want to be loud either. I suggested closing the door but he said that will make things worse and make her louder.

 

I agree it would be easier to train her not to do this if she could hear better, but is he just making excuses?

 

 

In this case he has some old habits to undo, and no it won't happen overnight.

 

What time is he getting up to tend to his dog? Is it consisent each morning? Like i said in last post she isn't able to predict when a morning will be a sleep in one. He needs to set that alarm clock every morning at same time and get his butt out of bed to take her for her walk to relieve herself and feed her. Then he goes back to bed and either puts her in her crate or if she has run of house hopefully she quiets and goes to lie in her bed.

 

It sounds like her entire life has been inconsistent and that is not the dog's fault. Has he ever used any crate training? If not, it is very difficult to now establish where she will sleep if it has always been on the bed.