The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [75]
A When it comes to sharing your bed with your dog, you’re not alone. In fact, about a third of today’s dog owners sleep with their pets, an arrangement that dates back hundreds of years. The Mexican hairless breed, also known as the Xoloitzcuintli, was valued by pre-Aztec Mexicans as a bed warmer and companion. The term “three-dog night” originated with Eskimo tribes in Alaska who added sled dogs as bed warmers based on the temperature. The colder the night, the more dogs they invited in to keep their toes toasty.
Precious sounds like one bossy poodle. She has decided that bedtime entitles her to sleep wherever she chooses, regardless of your preferences. Cute as she may be, you need to regain control of your bed, not only to enjoy a sound sleep but also to remind Precious who calls the shots in your home. You are fortunate that she has not become territorial about bedtime turf. Some dogs who view themselves as top dogs in the family will growl or even nip their human bedmates who dare to toss and turn at night.
It’s time to teach Precious that although she is welcome on your bed, you are the one who determines where she sleeps. Make her sit and wait until you call her up. Direct her to the foot of your bed and provide her with her own pillow or special blanket. If she ventures north toward your pillow, move her back to the foot of the bed. Once she is there, praise her. It may take a few nights before Precious learns your new bedtime rules, but eventually, she will roost in her own spot and let you enjoy a full night’s sleep without a pillow fight.
My Mom’s Dog Hates Me
Q My mother, who lives in a different state, owns an Italian greyhound named Maggie who seems to hate me. I admit I don’t like her very much either. She acts very upset when I visit. She won’t let me pet her and avoids me, staying very close to my mom. If Maggie gets the chance, she defecates on my clean clothes in my open suitcase. If I drop towels on the floor in the bathroom, she urinates on them. Why does she hate me, and what can we do to change her attitude? Her behavior is ruining my visits.
A It sounds like Maggie is very closely bonded to your mom and not used to visitors. Often when a dog and her owner live alone, the dog becomes wary of outsiders. I imagine that your mom doesn’t get too many overnight visitors, or even daytime guests. If Maggie doesn’t leave the house much, your mother is her entire world and she has become too dependent on a single person for attention, which makes her suspicious of others.
Because Maggie is poorly socialized, she sees you as a threat and is acting out by marking her territory every chance she gets. Urinating and defecating on your property is her way of saying, “This is my house and my mom, and don’t you forget it.” She doesn’t hate you. She simply becomes anxious when you invade her territory.
A lot of the work required to help Maggie over this attitude will fall on your mom. She needs to start taking Maggie places to help socialize her and accustom her to strangers. If your mom has friends who like dogs, she should take Maggie on social visits to their homes. To set up Maggie for success, the initial visits must be short and pleasant. Your mom should bring Maggie’s favorite snacks, whatever they are, or even introduce a delicious new treat like pieces of hot dog or cheese — anything that makes her really pay attention and associate new experiences with great rewards. Maggie will be afraid at first, so the enticements need to be special.
Your mom’s friends can make a fuss over Maggie when she visits. Chances are Maggie will be shy around them, so they shouldn’t force themselves on her physically by bending over her, making eye contact, or trying to pet her. They can talk to her in a happy voice, however, and offer her treats from their hand. If she is very nervous in the beginning, they should ignore her and just drop treats near her so she isn’t overwhelmed.