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The doghouse

Banished dog scratching door - advice please?

11 replies

NewYearsEvelyn · 03/01/2013 09:34

18 month old pup always slept in our bedroom on trainers advice. Toilet trained late. Peed on my bed a few months ago just before bedtime just after being taken out. Figured she was just over excited and was more watchful. Couple of days ago she peed in my bed with me in it! She has been banished to downstairs. She has coped really well but is scratching door at 4.30am then 6am then we get up with her. Is there any way we should deal with the scratching? Hate to think of her being distressed but starting to suffer with broken sleep patterns.

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NewYearsEvelyn · 03/01/2013 10:57

Bump?

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HoneyDragon · 03/01/2013 11:00

Stair gate?

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LetThereBeCupcakes · 03/01/2013 11:26

Is it always at those times? If so perhaps something is waking her (boiler kicking in, neighbour on early shift leaving the house?) Is there anything you can think of?

How does she re-settle at 4.30 - or do you have to go down to her? How long has the new sleeping arrangement been in place? She may just need a little more time.

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NewYearsEvelyn · 03/01/2013 13:15

Thanks cupcakes We have been going down to her and she resettles quickly. I just worried that going down to settle her might be rewarding her for scratching. It has only been a week but with returns to school and work looming I wanted to stop the settlimg if that was what was causing the problem.

honey We don't have a stairgate and we are currently having house do-over planned to make the hall a feature...don't really want to go down that road tho I know it would be a good option. Might end up there if settling doesn't work. Thanks for advice.

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mrsjay · 03/01/2013 13:59

could she be needing a pee at that time (long shot but she might be needing out if she peed on your bed, id let her scratch and leave her she may re settle not sure why you were told she should sleep with you though, was it for a bonding thing,

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mrsjay · 03/01/2013 14:00

could she sleep upstairs but outside your room so she is near but not in the room

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LetThereBeCupcakes · 03/01/2013 17:25

Do you need to let her out to resettle her at 4.30? Or just give her a fuss? If it's the latter I'd be inclined to leave her a bit longer as mrsjay says and se if she resettles herself.

Alternatively, what about a crate in or near your room?

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NewYearsEvelyn · 03/01/2013 20:41

Mrs Jay, she doesn't pee til 7.00 ish normally and isn't having any accidents at all with that arrangement. She's just wanting a bit of attention.

The peeing on the bed wasn't a needing to go, it was an end of play session, over-excited thing I think.

It is almost certainly a bonding thing, the scratching. I hadn't thought of letting her in the hall upstairs. I still think she'll scratch the door...but it is worth a go.

I can't crate her. She hated her crate and we didn't stick to it when she was young. I might try her in the hall. At least it'll be less distance to comfort her! It's silly really, because now you've mentioned it, it seems obvious that she will want to stay as close to us as possible. Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try.

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NewYearsEvelyn · 03/01/2013 20:44

Just hoping she won't scratch all the more for being closer to us!

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mrsjay · 04/01/2013 09:24

I hope something works so you can all get a decent sleep , I think it is strange you were told to have her in the room to begin with,

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NewYearsEvelyn · 04/01/2013 13:59

Thanks mrsjay Slept well yesterday, but that was cos I was in the living room with her. We had five 11 year olds in our house last night and I thought it was kindest all round if the dog wasn't left alone! Actually, I didn't want to be alone either and knew it would be easier if DH got his full quota of sleep :D

I'm sure we'll sort things out with her. To be fair, the trick of keeping her in the bedroom with us did stop her pooping all over the house as a pup and hasn't caused any problems til lately.

Meg was driving us nuts with pooing in the kitchen and she peed there too when she was young, so we were just grateful to get up in the mornings with the house not smelling like a toilet! As a pup my little madame couldn't figure out that outside was for pooing, so it was like a magic trick when she suddenly started to poo during the early morning walk. Took us a couple of months after that to figure that a long afternoon walk would stop her pooing in the kitchen! Cor, dog ownership... I'd take babies any day.