Dog That Doesnt Want To Go To Bed

[Enigma]

I have had a dog for about a 3 weeks, good with other dogs seems easy going , can take food from him, but the last 2 nights when I have gone to put him in the laundry he gets very agro and I am lucky that I havnt been bitten. I dont why he would turn on me like he does (apart from not wanting to go in the laundry). Not sure what to do, he seems very unpredictable

[Nekhbet]

need a bit more info - breed, age, previous history etc

[Enigma]

need a bit more info - breed, age, previous history etc

Shep X about 5-7 yo, no history as he is a rescue

[Nekhbet]

how are you trying to get him in the laundry? Recently desexed?

Remember new home, guarding breed that may have learned how to deal with 'manhandling' (and I'm not saying you are but to the dogs mind being led somehere he doesnt want to go can count as this) is with physical force back to the handler.

He could also have been pushed into shed/laundryas a punishment as well before and could be going back to old habits. Could be the reason he was surrendered.

Feed him in there. If he has to share a bed with another dog, DONT. Make 'bed time' coincide with dinner time, encourage him in there happily with his food and give him a bone to chew as a bonus for the night. Remove the bone in the morning before he is let out.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Nekhbet

[Enigma]

He gets fed in the laundry about 4 hours before bed and he sleeps alone. I lead him by the collar which he is fine with during the day, guiding not forcing or dragging. He was desexed 2 weeks ago

[Nekhbet]

so we''ll consider him entire I would not feed him in there until bed time and hands off totally - this way he will go inside and you wont form a habit. If he snaps at you hold your ground, just ignore him or if you're more comfortable have a leash attached to him. I would see someone about his willingness to engage when he doesnt want to do something like go in the laundry before rehoming, he needs to be fully tested to see if he has real bite or he's just showing off.

[Guest DBT]

I wouldn't be leading the dog by the collar.I would attach a leash to his collar.

I would practice as in a training exercise , going in and out of the laundry on a loose lead with lots of treats. Don't make a big deal of it, just load up with treats, call the dog and ask it to sit, attach the lead, and calmy encourage him to heel into the laundry, ask him to sit and treat him. Repeat this a couple of times if he is doing well , then walk out and away from the laundry and release him with some praise, maybe a game. Repeat the exercise in short bursts several times a day. Do exactly the same thing at bed time except release and reward in the laundry and calmy walk out.

Also sometimes literally taking a different approach makes a huge difference. If you are currently leading him in from the house, instead let him outside before bedtime, and then call him in through a different (external) laundry door if there is one, and vice versa if he has been led in from outside.

Other great advice above.

[Greytmate]

Is this a dog you are keeping as your own or are you fostering it and it will be sold to another family? This information is crucial in making a decision.