Moving House

[zoozoo]

Hi everyone

I'll be moving house soon and would like to teach Zeus to sleep in the living room of the new house. He's been sleeping in my bedroom since I got him at 12 weeks (he usually sleeps on his bed/blanket next to my bed-he'll sleep on my bed on really cold nights).

Has anyone got any tips? I'd like to avoid crate training for now and try to get him to stay on his bed all night.

We'll be moving in April so I probably couldn't implement anything until then but I'd like him to sleep in the living room as soon as we move in.

Thanks in advance!

[Miss B]

Is there a particular reason you want to avoid crate training? You could have a crate set up with comfy bed inside? Or if you didn't want a crate you could have his bed set up in a puppy pen. Depending on how open-plan the new house is, you could also just lock him in the living room by closing doors and using baby gates etc.

[chuckie500]

I wouldn't do it all at once. Moving home will be stressful enough on him. Let him settle in his new environment first and find out where in the new house he likes, as in a favourite spot here or there, and then try to get him to sleep there. I just got some DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) from the vet for my dogs in case we have a storm again. Dr Harry talks about it all the time. It might also help in this situation I think.

[Gayle.]

I tried it when we moved last year, but in the end I couldn't do it.

Dusty has always slept in our room, and Benson varied between our room and outside. He never cared where he slept, as long as he was cool and comfortable so when we moved he was happy enough with the rumpus room as he had a leather couch to lie on or tiles.

Dusty, on the other hand, hated the rumpus room despite having a nice comfy bed in there, or another couch. She'd look at me like I was killing her when I shut her in there each night.

It lasted 2 weeks, then I caved and she came back into our room, so did Benson, and we all slept happily ever after. Now we have 4 Aussies and they all sleep in our room, sprawled out on the floor, lucky we've got a big bedroom.

I am much happier when they are with me, even during the night.

[Rozzie]

Why not crate train? You have plenty of time before you move.

[poodlefan]

The only way you'll get the dog to stay on his bed all night away from you IMO is to use a crate.

Since you seem reluctant to go that path, I don't have any suggestions to offer. In a new environment, without a den such as a crate would provide, you will be the only familiar thing. The dog will want to be with you.

[skip]

Instead of waiting to you move I would start now. Moving is a big thing without changing stuff as well.

I rented and my dogs have been moved round sleepwise. Laundry first then on the floor in bedroom. I used a puppy pen to keep them on floor and eventually took it away all together.

Moved again and dogs allowed on bed as room too small for beds on floor. And they are still there..

[aussielover]

If he is generally well behaved and not destructive- just shut your bedroom door and put his bed in the lounge room.

[persephone]

poor dog

Anyway.... start him BEFORE you move, as has been suggested . It will be much less stressful. I would also suggest crate training him What's the difference in him sleeping on a blanket beside your bed...and sleeping on a blanket inside a crate alongside your bed? Then move the crate to the bedroom door... then outside ...then to the livingroom .. all can be done happily before April Make sure the crate is not one of those enclosed all plastic ones- him being hairy, and in WA you would be better getting a crate large enough for him to stretch out/sit up ..and one with flow-thru ventilation ,IMO.

[raineth]

I have had my lovely mastiff x for over a year now. From the start we had him sleep in our bedroom. But a few days ago, after 14 months of sleep deprivation (he is the noisiest sleeper in the world), I decided that he would have to sleep in the loungeroom because I was just so so tired. I was falling asleep during the day!

I took his bed out of the room (it was about 2 a.m.) layed it in the lounge room, gave him the command to go to it and.... voila! One dog who now sleeps in the lounge room :rolleyes: and one happier and more lively me ;)

So all I'm saying is it might not be as hard as you think. Especially if he has his own bed and you have taught him a command that tells him he has to be on it.

If you don't have that I'd work on it before changing him over.

Another suggestion I heard (if he has his own bed) is to very very slowly move the bed. It might take a couple of months but eventually they'll be in the loungeroom.

For example: Every few nights move the bed half a foot closer to the loungeroom. You may have the bed in some funny spots for a while (like the hallway or something); but eventually you'll end up with the dog where you want it, without them getting upset. Obviously the trick with this one is to go slowly.

[zoozoo]

Thanks everyone

The only reason I wanted to avoid crate training is because my partner thinks its cruel (I have no problem with it , used it to toilet train Zeus). M partner is already talking about just letting him sleep in our bedroom so I think its more about partner-training than Zeus-training.