Letting My Girl Inside And Outside At Night

[Justchillin]

Good evening fellow dog lovers,

My girl Lucy is not really an indoor dog because of a few reasons; I am renting a house with floor boards throughout the house and she will scratch them, secondly she is just so active and will either bump things breaking stuff, leave dog hair all over the lounges and floors and because I live with 2 other people she licks them to death and it's not nice to leave dog hair everywhere for them.

I am more often though letting her in for a few hours of a night especially now that it's cold and when it's been really wet I have let her sleep in my room. The problem is now that I am letting her in more she is expecting it more and because I am a shift worker I can't always let her in because I'm not home some nights and she has been starting to stand at the door and bark to come in so my house mates have told me and I am noticing she is being more demanding when I am home also. I mean it's a normal thing for a dog to act in this way, of course she would rather be inside but I don't know what to do to stop her barking etc when I am not here, will I just have to stop being so soft and have her sleep outside (kennel and shelter) all the time or is there something I can do?

Also when I am letting her in the loungeroom for a few hours she goes straight for the lounges and won't go near the expensive bed that I brought her even when I try with treats etc, where do your dogs stay inside and how have you got them to sit there?

Thanks in advance

Ben

[baifra]

Hi Ben,

My dogs are both inside and outside dogs. They have a doggie door and can come and go as they please so i cant really help you with your current situation, but i just wanted to say that your dog is beautiful and i love the pictures of Lucy in your signature.

[Justchillin]

Hi Ben,

My dogs are both inside and outside dogs. They have a doggie door and can come and go as they please so i cant really help you with your current situation, but i just wanted to say that your dog is beautiful and i love the pictures of Lucy in your signature.

aww thanks

[jaybeece]

Good evening fellow dog lovers,

My girl Lucy is not really an indoor dog because of a few reasons; I am renting a house with floor boards throughout the house and she will scratch them, secondly she is just so active and will either bump things breaking stuff, leave dog hair all over the lounges and floors and because I live with 2 other people she licks them to death and it's not nice to leave dog hair everywhere for them.

I am more often though letting her in for a few hours of a night especially now that it's cold and when it's been really wet I have let her sleep in my room. The problem is now that I am letting her in more she is expecting it more and because I am a shift worker I can't always let her in because I'm not home some nights and she has been starting to stand at the door and bark to come in so my house mates have told me and I am noticing she is being more demanding when I am home also. I mean it's a normal thing for a dog to act in this way, of course she would rather be inside but I don't know what to do to stop her barking etc when I am not here, will I just have to stop being so soft and have her sleep outside (kennel and shelter) all the time or is there something I can do?

Also when I am letting her in the loungeroom for a few hours she goes straight for the lounges and won't go near the expensive bed that I brought her even when I try with treats etc, where do your dogs stay inside and how have you got them to sit there?

Thanks in advance

Ben

If you have floorboards is there any reason why the dog hair would be such a big problem? If you give her a good brush and vacuum/sweep a couple of times a week it'd be pretty minimal really. Do your house mates like having her around or is she seen as a nuisance? If so would it be possible to look at living somewhere else where you have a little more freedom with her? It'd be pretty rough owning a dog that was not liked much by the other inhabitants of the house.

How much exercise does she get? Do you do any training or exercise with her that would challenge her mentally? How old is she?

If you want her off the lounge it's best to have her associate a word with it. I used to just gently shove mine off while saying "OFF" sternly and then praising afterwards when he was off the couch. They pick it up pretty quickly, especially if you remember to praise for doing the right thing (in this case it's not getting up on the couch in the first place).

I find it's easier to get mine to stick to a dog bed if it's comfier than the couch too. He picks the softest place to sleep so if the dog bed is it he'll be there. I've used a blanket on one of them just to give it extra padding and he adores it now.

I'm not sure about the barking at the back door to be honest as I've never had to deal with it, but I guess now she knows what it's like being inside she wants more, especially since it's getting colder at night. I'd say it wouldn't be a bad idea to practise NILIF (Google Nothing In Life is Free and it'll give you a heap of results) as it can teach her that she only gets what she wants when she behaves herself. Mine knows that he will not get inside/fed/attention unless he's sitting and quiet so he's a saint even when he wants in or is excited over dinner.

Hope some of that helps at least a little

[Justchillin]

If you have floorboards is there any reason why the dog hair would be such a big problem? If you give her a good brush and vacuum/sweep a couple of times a week it'd be pretty minimal really. Do your house mates like having her around or is she seen as a nuisance? If so would it be possible to look at living somewhere else where you have a little more freedom with her? It'd be pretty rough owning a dog that was not liked much by the other inhabitants of the house.

How much exercise does she get? Do you do any training or exercise with her that would challenge her mentally? How old is she?

If you want her off the lounge it's best to have her associate a word with it. I used to just gently shove mine off while saying "OFF" sternly and then praising afterwards when he was off the couch. They pick it up pretty quickly, especially if you remember to praise for doing the right thing (in this case it's not getting up on the couch in the first place).

I find it's easier to get mine to stick to a dog bed if it's comfier than the couch too. He picks the softest place to sleep so if the dog bed is it he'll be there. I've used a blanket on one of them just to give it extra padding and he adores it now.

I'm not sure about the barking at the back door to be honest as I've never had to deal with it, but I guess now she knows what it's like being inside she wants more, especially since it's getting colder at night. I'd say it wouldn't be a bad idea to practise NILIF (Google Nothing In Life is Free and it'll give you a heap of results) as it can teach her that she only gets what she wants when she behaves herself. Mine knows that he will not get inside/fed/attention unless he's sitting and quiet so he's a saint even when he wants in or is excited over dinner.

Hope some of that helps at least a little

Thanks for your feeback I appreciate it greatly. Here is some more info that might help:

1. She is 1 1/2 years old border collie x lab

2. She is walked 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day with me now that I am in training for the police academy. She gets to swim in the beach, chase the ball, play with other dogs at off leash park and beach.

3. The house situation is like this until Decemeber when I move to Gouburn with her and they love her just find her a bit full on a times. Yeah the dog hair thing isn't a major problem with the floor boards, I have a special mop for it.

4. I got thinking as a wrote the post and I have 2 lounges, one small one that doesn't really get used to I am going to make it her lounge and have thrown a big blanket over it. If she tries to get on the other lounge I will do like you suggested and see how that works. I have done like yourself and only let her in when she is calm and tried (it's very hard !!) to get her out if she becomes too much and it's slowly getting there I think.

5. training needs improvement, I have been slack, it's been hard not having a car lately and working so much at various times has made it hard but I definately want to improve in this area. She has been to puppy preschool but obviously she needs a lot more training than just that.

Cheers

Ben

[jaybeece]

It sounds like you just need to keep persisting She's still young and silly so sometimes things will take a little while to sink in, especially if she's excited. It could be good fun to for both of you to join up with an obedience club or school though, not to mention good for her manners and a great socialising experience. It's one thing to get physical exercise, but mental exercise like obedience is altogether different. If you can give her some good mental challenges every day you might find she's a little more settled and more eager to listen to you.

There are also dog sports like agility she'd probably enjoy so that's worth looking into. You can build your own backyard agility equipment pretty easily which would give her a good reason to enjoy being out there (especially if you're there with her).

You might also find clicker training to be a bit of fun for her, especially if her lab half gives her a love of food. Some dogs will do anything for a click/reward and it's a really positive and fun way to train them.

[4 Paws]

what about a crate?

We're renting as well so the dogs aren't supposed to be inside but i let them in but them must go in their crates.I don't always shut the door but they know that if they wonder around they go outside

[Justchillin]

what about a crate?

We're renting as well so the dogs aren't supposed to be inside but i let them in but them must go in their crates.I don't always shut the door but they know that if they wonder around they go outside

yeah i'll see how I can go training her first though, I don't really have much room to put one in the house. What size is the create, where did you get it and how much?

Cheers

Ben

[4 Paws]

what about a crate?

We're renting as well so the dogs aren't supposed to be inside but i let them in but them must go in their crates.I don't always shut the door but they know that if they wonder around they go outside

yeah i'll see how I can go training her first though, I don't really have much room to put one in the house. What size is the create, where did you get it and how much?

Cheers

Ben

cheapest online like ebay.Here's one similar to mine http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LARGE-36-COLLAPSIBL...1QQcmdZViewItem

You may like to go the next size up depending on her size.Once she's crate trained though you can change to one of these which i use as well.I also use this one in the car http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LARGE-SOFT-DOG-CRAT...1QQcmdZViewItem

Easy to move around.Just need to make sure she's fully crate trained otherwise they can shred the door pretty easily

best thing i ever did was crate train my lot

Edited April 17, 2008 by 4 Paws

[Justchillin]

what about a crate?

We're renting as well so the dogs aren't supposed to be inside but i let them in but them must go in their crates.I don't always shut the door but they know that if they wonder around they go outside

yeah i'll see how I can go training her first though, I don't really have much room to put one in the house. What size is the create, where did you get it and how much?

Cheers

Ben

cheapest online like ebay.Here's one similar to mine http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LARGE-36-COLLAPSIBL...1QQcmdZViewItem

You may like to go the next size up depending on her size.Once she's crate trained though you can change to one of these which i use as well.I also use this one in the car http://cgi.ebay.com.au/LARGE-SOFT-DOG-CRAT...1QQcmdZViewItem

Easy to move around.Just need to make sure she's fully crate trained otherwise they can shred the door pretty easily

best thing i ever did was crate train my lot

I like the idea, that one look a bit small but maybe the large one might be an option.

Appreciate your help

Ben

[kateykateykatey]

Hey Ben!

I have a BC x as well, and he's been known to do the same thing in the past, so I know how frustrating it can be.

With regard to the couches, I wouldn't let her on one at all, I'd just reinforce the bed thing a lot. So, at night if you want her to come inside, make her sit (hard to do if you have a solid door, perhaps try doing it with the door open a crack) and wait till you tell her to come inside, with a release word like "inside".

When she's inside, tell her straight away to go to her bed, if that's where you want her to stay. The command then should be "BED" or something similar. I point at the bed so it's absolutely clear where I want them to go, but initially you'll likely need to start by standing right next to her bed and getting her to sit on it. Reward her for this, with pats or treats. When she gets off her bed, call her back on, and praise her when she returns. This'll again probably mean you'll have to go over to her bed and call her to it initially, but eventually she'll be able to go to her bed with just being told, but without you going over there every single time.

IMO (and anyone, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) putting her outside when she's being silly inside is only going to make the barking worse, because you're using outside as a punishment... if that makes sense. If she gets silly inside, try instead to divert her attention to things that you want her to do, such as going to her mat, sitting properly, and then laying down.

Generally speaking, I don't reward "silly behaviour" from my dogs with attention, because it's not something I want to perpetuate. It also means I don't go mental with pats and hugs when they do come inside, if this makes sense.

To help her stay on her bed and make it somewhere to enjoy, give her a kong stuffed with peanut butter. This will keep her occupied and in one place for a while.

Sounds like she gets lots of exercise, which is great, but work on a few obedience things with her to keep her brain occupied, as this is really important to wear her out... and tired dogs are quiet dogs. :D

ETA: A crate is a good idea, too. I don't have the space for them, but I think they're incredibly useful. Another suggestion is to keep her confined to a room with a baby gate, particularly while you're working on getting her to stay in one spot (her bed).

Edited April 21, 2008 by kateykateykatey

[Justchillin]

Hey Ben!

I have a BC x as well, and he's been known to do the same thing in the past, so I know how frustrating it can be.

With regard to the couches, I wouldn't let her on one at all, I'd just reinforce the bed thing a lot. So, at night if you want her to come inside, make her sit (hard to do if you have a solid door, perhaps try doing it with the door open a crack) and wait till you tell her to come inside, with a release word like "inside".

When she's inside, tell her straight away to go to her bed, if that's where you want her to stay. The command then should be "BED" or something similar. I point at the bed so it's absolutely clear where I want them to go, but initially you'll likely need to start by standing right next to her bed and getting her to sit on it. Reward her for this, with pats or treats. When she gets off her bed, call her back on, and praise her when she returns. This'll again probably mean you'll have to go over to her bed and call her to it initially, but eventually she'll be able to go to her bed with just being told, but without you going over there every single time.

IMO (and anyone, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) putting her outside when she's being silly inside is only going to make the barking worse, because you're using outside as a punishment... if that makes sense. If she gets silly inside, try instead to divert her attention to things that you want her to do, such as going to her mat, sitting properly, and then laying down.

Generally speaking, I don't reward "silly behaviour" from my dogs with attention, because it's not something I want to perpetuate. It also means I don't go mental with pats and hugs when they do come inside, if this makes sense.

To help her stay on her bed and make it somewhere to enjoy, give her a kong stuffed with peanut butter. This will keep her occupied and in one place for a while.

Sounds like she gets lots of exercise, which is great, but work on a few obedience things with her to keep her brain occupied, as this is really important to wear her out... and tired dogs are quiet dogs. :D

ETA: A crate is a good idea, too. I don't have the space for them, but I think they're incredibly useful. Another suggestion is to keep her confined to a room with a baby gate, particularly while you're working on getting her to stay in one spot (her bed).

Thanks some great advice there !!! :D

[kateykateykatey]

aaw, thanks. There might be better ways of doing this, this is just what's worked for me.

I meant to add, something I've learned with my dog is that if he barks at the door, and gets let inside, he will almost definitely bark more the following night, and usually earlier. If I'm going to let him inside anyway, I make sure he's quiet for a few minutes before letting him in, because I don't want him to reinforce the barking at all. Barking like that is best if it's ignored completely, but I understand this is hard, particularly when living with housemates.

Edited April 21, 2008 by kateykateykatey

[Justchillin]

aaw, thanks. There might be better ways of doing this, this is just what's worked for me.

I meant to add, something I've learned with my dog is that if he barks at the door, and gets let inside, he will almost definitely bark more the following night, and usually earlier. If I'm going to let him inside anyway, I make sure he's quiet for a few minutes before letting him in, because I don't want him to reinforce the barking at all. Barking like that is best if it's ignored completely, but I understand this is hard, particularly when living with housemates.

I think it's great to have a forum like this where people contribute their knowledge, ideas and experience as well as their time to help others contribute to making their animals lives better.

It's great to get different ideas to try out, I definately need to work on training her more, she's as fit as a fiddle and looking great and I wish I had done more work training her to do things earlier but I guess it's better late than never.

Thanks again :D

Ben

Edited April 21, 2008 by Lucy'sRun

[Tatelina]

If I was a dog and I had the option of a new unused sterile bed or the place where my owner sits... I would definetly choose the one that smells like my owner. :D

[sas]

My dogs are inside dogs.

I have floorboards but they're already buggered from the previous tenants dogs.

Your dog could wear socks or booties inside to protect the floor boards.

Grooming everyday can help with the shedding, however if you have floor boards it's a pretty easy clean up.

If she doesn't know how to act inside just teach her what is appropriate, you can tether her inside on a bed and teach her that when she's inside she needs to stay in a certain area. Of course using lot's of calm praise when she's doing well.

I have baby gates in my house, they're pretty use full.

Crate Training is great too, you can have your girl inside to sleep in a crate at night.

Edited April 21, 2008 by sas