We got our lovely Labrador puppy on Thursday. She is 8 weeks old and we are struggling to get her to use her bed. She would rather go outside and lie down (although she was kept indoors at the breeders home). Does anybody have any ideas on introducing this to her please?
I wish I knew! Kyko has a lovely soft bed for his day time naps (he's crated at night) and he would much prefer to sleep on the hard floor next to it. He actually uses his bed as a toy box and a toy to be destroyed. Funnily enough though on the days I take him to work he sleeps in his bed all the time (he's actually curled up in it right now cuddling his toys), I'm thinking he doesn't like the feel of the carpet tiles at work
Hi @Clare Sexton and @leighxxxx I don't know whether you've had hot weather. Dogs sometimes seek cool earth or cold tiles. Clare, if the bed is in a crate, which it should be, then teach crating. Crating is a very useful exercise to teach a dog.
That's a bit of a statement. Why SHOULD a bed be in a crate? It isn't mandatory to crate train your dog. I see it CAN be a good idea, but it certainly isn't a hard rule.
Should as in terms of a value judgment. Easier to toilet train the puppy. Potentially reduces anxiety when the dog has to stay at the vet. When you can't tether your dog at the obedience club, you can place her in a crate in the shade.
No it's really cold here at the moment, he hates the wind so I've found out. Just seems to prefer the floor. He'll get on the couch for cuddles sometimes but then flops himself on the floor. My last 2 would never use a bed either slept on the floor next to them & used the bed as a cushion. Kyko only uses his crate at bedtime, as the only space we have for it is in the hallway. We're getting a camera this week so we can see him when we are not there & going to start on leaving him for short amounts of time
If it is just a bed, and not a crate you are using, then I’ve seen some really good videos on ‘place training’, maybe this will help, but others will know more than I do about wether or not this is appropriate training to use for a bed?
There are loads of games you can play to get a pup to like their bed (which I agree should be in the crate - of course you can have additional beds which are out of the crate if you want, too). Take a look at the Crate Games DVD by Susan Garrett - loads of great ideas there. But an easy one to start with is 'in your bed' (for a treat) and out of the bed (for a treat) and so on... Till you have it working on cue:
