Bed Time

Your dog should sleep in a room with the pack – you and your family. The dog should have her own bed to sleep on. For some dogs, sleeping on the human’s bed can aggravate dominant behaviours, so exercise caution. If your dog begins to growl or show other signs of aggression to anyone in the household, work on obedience training immediately to reestablish who is in charge.

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The first few nights, you may want to confine your new dog in a crate in the bedroom, but start teaching your dog house manners so that you can provide increased freedom. It is not unusual for your new dog to bark or whine if confined to a crate. Dogs want to be with their pack members. (This is why dogs kept outside often are nuisance barkers or destructive. They are stressed being kept apart.)

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Place the crate or bed where she can see you. If she barks at bedtime, correct her with a firm “No Bark!” Praise softly when he quiets down.

Some people find it useful to accompany a verbal correction with a spray from a bottle filled with water. Your goal, however, is voice control. Using an external object devalues the verbal command because the dog associates stopping a behaviour with the object.

– Melissa Berryman, trainer/counsellor

 

Safe chew toys (especially if teething) will give your dog something to do until she falls asleep.

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Eventually, you’ll want to wean your dog from her crate. Pick a night after you’ve tired her out and keep the crate door open. You can transition to just a dog bed from there.