Tipsy
Grey Puppy
Posts: 91
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Post by Tipsy on Oct 5, 2013 15:07:22 GMT -5
Booker is settling in well, but one of the challenges we're facing is what happens at bedtime. Right now, he's sleeping in his crate, just to make sure there's no potty accidents during the night. However, Booker is very, VERY lazy. If he doesn't want to get up off his cushion, there's nothing much we can do to coerce him. Even waving the tastiest of treats by his nose only gets him to lift his head - the minute the treat gets out of reach, he'll flop over again. So far, our tactic is to walk out of the room, out of his sight. He'll usually get up and follow, and then it's no problem to get him nicely settled into his crate for the night, but that's not exactly a tactic that I'd want to rely on, in case his apathy outweighs his curiousity one night.
Any suggestions? What do you do when it's time for bed?
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Oct 5, 2013 16:00:12 GMT -5
River really responds to the command "kennel up!" That phrase was the only English she knew when I brought her home. I am sure it's the command the trainers used at the track. Likewise when she tries to protest going in the crate, I find a gentle push with my hand on the top of her collar goes a long way. I try to imagine that I am a trainer with 20 dogs to bring in from the yard and I just don't have time for silly protests. It works well.
I have had some trouble getting her off her bed some nights though. She's thoroughly earned her nicknames "The Lazy River" and "River: Queen of the Lazies."
I find an elaborate display of yawning, stretching, telling her that it's time to go to bed, and even brushing my teeth where she can see me gets the point across most nights. She will get up, stretch, and kennel up when I tell her to just to escape the noisy, irritating clown that keeps waking her up from her comfy pillow sleep. If she keeps falling back to sleep on her bed though, I will make sure she is awake and then squat and gently lift up a corner of her bed, not so much as to actually lift her off, just to get her attention, all the while repeating "kennel up." After that she is off the bed like a hot potato.
Every time she goes into her crate when I tell her to, I click her, praise her and give her a small treat. Now she gets up and finds her crate pretty much as soon as I say, "Time for bed" and yawn. It's all about Pavlov's dog. She will go on her own if she thinks she will get a reward :-)
Good luck with Booker! P.s. I love his name.
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Post by angelollie on Oct 5, 2013 18:24:03 GMT -5
Just a question .... do either of you have your hounds in the bedroom at night .... either in a crate or on their own dog bed? Most hounds love to sleep in the same area with their humans. Maybe if your hounds realize they get to sleep in the same room as you, they would more excited to get ready for bed. Just a thought!!
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Oct 5, 2013 18:53:36 GMT -5
Just a question .... do either of you have your hounds in the bedroom at night .... either in a crate or on their own dog bed? Most hounds love to sleep in the same area with their humans. Maybe if your hounds realize they get to sleep in the same room as you, they would more excited to get ready for bed. Just a thought!! I have heard that. I can't sleep with River in my room because of my dog-induced allergies and asthma (I know, I know, but I just love dogs so much! I can't help myself!). That and my bed is so big and my bedroom so small that there just wouldn't be room for her unless she slept under my dresser or in my closet. I probably shouldn't present her with that as an option - she does so enjoy sleeping in awkward positions. I wouldn't be surprised if she found my laundry basket more comfortable than her bed. Sent from my SGH-I747M using proboards
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Post by GreyPoopon on Oct 5, 2013 19:44:18 GMT -5
Try putting a leash on him. I find that my greys generally respond better to the leash than the collar. My "I don't want to go to bed" dog is Cal, who is not treat motivated at all. I put a leash on and gently insist. I still have to wait through some fumbling and stretching--she is 13 3/4 after all, and none too stable--but the leash gets the job done.
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Tipsy
Grey Puppy
Posts: 91
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Post by Tipsy on Oct 5, 2013 20:03:12 GMT -5
Just a question .... do either of you have your hounds in the bedroom at night .... either in a crate or on their own dog bed? Most hounds love to sleep in the same area with their humans. Maybe if your hounds realize they get to sleep in the same room as you, they would more excited to get ready for bed. Just a thought!! Unfortunately, our bedroom is up a flight of stairs that Booker isn't thrilled about going up - it's polished wood, which is scary and slippery, so we've had him downstairs. He's slowly getting better at going up and down, and getting more confident, but we don't want to have to force him every time it's bedtime(or morning when it's time to go out). But that's a good suggestion, I'll have to keep it in mind once he's more willing to come up the stairs! whovian (excellent username!): For some reason, "kennel up" doesn't seem to make him do anything more than give me a blank stare. Darn, that suggestion sounded really promising. We've been giving him a stuffed Kong when he goes into his crate for the night, but so far the connection seems to be that crate=goodies, not that bedtime=crate=goodies. He's only been here for a week, so hopefully the full connection will solidify in time! GreyPoopon: Good idea! I'll give it a shot tonight, and see if that makes him any more motivated to move his lazy bones. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I'd love to hear more!
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Post by newtothis1 on Oct 5, 2013 20:03:27 GMT -5
I always found that my guy would follow me anywhere. I also gave him a treat every night at bedtime. I only had to rattle the marrow bone bag and show him the cookie and he would run into his crate and turn around to get the cookie. Then he was told "good boy" and I would close the door.
He no longer uses the crate but he still gets the cookie when he goes on his bed and even if he is sounds asleep when he hears that bag he makes a bee line for his bed.
So my suggestion is a nice cookie at bedtime, I hear they use this at the tracks as well.
Good luck
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Post by Sally Blossom on Oct 6, 2013 9:00:51 GMT -5
Bedtime.....Gable tells ME when it is time for him go to bed!!! I believe he has an internal clock because at 9:30 p.m. every night Gable runs to the door to have his last "squirt" of the day, runs upstairs to his bed (which is in our bedroom) and waits for his cookie and then its lights out for him. I generally stay up there with him and read (my quiet time). Liza on the other had just follows but quite often she will go downstairs again with my hubby until 11:00 then she slowly meanders upstairs onto her bed. They do have crates but they love being with us upstairs, but if we have to go out during the day I crate them (only because I have the crates so I want to make use of them). When we leave (again they are bribed) I first let them out for a "squirt", turn a radio on for them, and tell them to go to their "house" and give them a cookie - what these two will do for a cookie!!! As a matter of fact, Gable can't get in his "house" (crate) fast enough as he knows he gets a cookie. Good luck with your pup and I am sure he will get the picture soon as to whatever works best. Time and patience is of the essence. By the way, you have a beautiful looking pup.
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Post by rubylottie14 on Oct 6, 2013 10:49:43 GMT -5
Regarding your wooden stairs, I also have wooden staircase, and I got a carpet company to make individual runners which have proved wonderful in proving excellent grip for my hounds. My stairs are open tread hence the individual pieces of carpet needed.
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Oct 6, 2013 20:04:21 GMT -5
Home Depot and Rona also carry stair-sized runners that cost about $10 each if I remember correctly. You just buy however many you need depending on how many stairs you have. I think that they are rubber-backed, but I am sure that some double sided carpet tape would work to keep them 100% in place. I am not sure if Home Depot carries them in store (I've never looked) but I know you can order them off the website. I haven't owned them, so I can't vouch for quality, but they might be helpful.
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ceedee
Junior Grey Lover
Posts: 187
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Post by ceedee on Oct 7, 2013 20:28:14 GMT -5
I'm with Greypoopon. My lazy male who wouldn't come out of his crate (left open) for his nightime pee responded immediately when I clipped on his leash.
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Post by campgreyhound on Oct 8, 2013 12:28:46 GMT -5
Leash = time to get down to business.
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Post by lancer on Oct 9, 2013 12:35:14 GMT -5
you can get individual runners from canadian tire they are all of like 15 bucks for 7 runners and you need to get some "adhesive" sheets for them but we have them in our place when our greyhound lost her leg. most of our hounds will jump up and head for the stairs when we say bedtime i think because they are lazy bones they just want to be in thier beds anyways but when they lag behind we usually just walk over just a little tug on the collar , not to tighten it it doesnt really matter where we put our hand guess just as long as we touch the collar they seem to know what we're doing and what we want them to do. sometimes we dont even get close to the collar and they get up in anticipation of the tug. just 2 little fingers under the collar and up they get! but i think we started with the little leashe the GRA gave us to lead them to and up the stairs. now im not even sure where that leash is but i remember it being the perfect size!
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