Bear with me, I'm useless. But would a nightlight help my Lolly be able to sleep away from me without yowling?

[TrinityRhino]

I've recently realised that I have been woefully lacking in training Lolly Pup.

I think she thinks she is my human partner

So I have decided she is no longer allowed on the furniture which is going well as I have bought her a nice new comfy bed and its right next to my feet where I sit on the couch so she seems fine with that

But I also thought that maybe she should sleep downstairs
she has been for about a week now but she has weed each morning before I have taken her out and last night she howled for a while when I had first gone to bed (have never heard her howl ever before) and then she woke me howling at 5 am.

So I told her to be quiet through the door and then when she was quiet I put her out for a wee then took her bed up to my room and didn't allow her my bed as she used to but made her sleep in her bed which she did with no problem

but now I thing I've messed up (its so tricky, I feel like she is my little baby) by bringing her upstairs or can I not change things now that she is 15 months?

I'm sorry, I'm trying my hardest and I need some advice from you wonderful people

[TrinityRhino]

pretty please, I feel so guilty, I've never heard her yowl before
And I just watched the secret lives of dogs..

[Lilcamper]

Is there any reason why she can't sleep with you upstairs? She is howling because she is upset, telling her to be quiet isn't going to change the way she feels.

[TrinityRhino]

oh no I know, but I've got a doggy problems book since yesterday (I know I know but I'm just trying everything) and it said if you are going to go to your dog when it is yowling, you should tell it to be quiet first before you go to them so that you are not rewarding them for yowling


and I know she is sad to be sleeping on her own but I'm worried that she shouldn't be

I actually want her to sleep in my room but in her own bed which she is fine with

[TrinityRhino]

I only told her to be quiet and then she instantly was and I then I opened the door, put her out for a wee and then took her up to my room

[HavantGuard]

Is there a reason you want her sleeping downstairs?

[TrinityRhino]

well
i'm concerned that I haven't properly taught her how to be our dog

she currently takes no notice of me unless she feels like it

I was thinking that maybe I needed to make her realise she isn't my other half

I thought off the furniture would be a good thing to do
but I know she loves to be near me hence the new bed (which we actually took her on a day trip to pets at home to choose together)

and a new kong, some liver paste for it, a new monkey, cuddly toy and a nice coat for our all weather walks (cause she shivers when she gets wet)

but I also thought maybe I'm not supposed to let her sleep in my bedroom so I thought I shouldn't let her

I'm pretty clueless about dog training but I want to do the best I possibly can for her

[Lilcamper]

Whether she is allowed to be on the furniture or not, or sleeps next to you all tucked under the duvet will not make one iota of difference to whether she listens to you or not. She knows she is a dog and dogs are social creatures. It's how they evolved into what they are today, they want to be with us. If you don't mind her curling up next to you on the sofa or sleeping on the bed, it's fine. My big soft lab loves nothing more than flopping on me on the sofa of an evening. It's all down to personal preference.

[HavantGuard]

Can you find some lessons nearby? Work on the basics, recall and leave, and get her working with you with lots of praise. I don't think there's anything intrinsically wrong with her sleeping in your room.

[TrinityRhino]

thanks lil and havant

well I would quite like to keep her off the couches as she sheds A LOT and takes up all the room
she seems fine with that as long as she can sleep on my feet or her bed is right next to me couch spot

and if you don't think its causing any problem then I will have her sleeping in my room but not on the bed cause we both prefer it

[Lilcamper]

Winner all round, she doesn't get upset and howl, you don't get woken up and upset at hearing her howl

If you do ever fancy sofa cuddles with her, a cheap washable throw will keep the fur of the furniture

[VanitasVanitatum]

Trinity mine takes up all the room on the sofa and sometimes sleeps on my bed but after a couple of years of going to classes and reward training she's also very good, I ask her nicely and she'll do anything :) would definitely recommend classes! She sounds like she loves you a lot! :)

[HavantGuard]

The sofa and bed thing is totally reasonable and personal preference. The idea of hairy, doggy quilt covers is unappealing to me, particularly when I know where they've been.

[CherryLips1980]

My last dog slept on our bed as he had horrific separation anxiety - we all slept beautifully and it made no difference to his training.

Current dog sleeps downstairs in a crate, but gets put to bed with a stuffed Kong and when he was a small puppy, a t shirt of mine that I'd worn and didn't mind if it got ruined. You can get something called Adaptil which releases pheromones which calm as well. They made a huge difference to our first dog. Current dog also gets on the sofa with us too, we have big throws over it which saves the sofa getting stinky and filthy.

You haven't messed up at all :) If she's happy and you're happy then there's no reason to change things. We have Ikea throws on our sofas - cost about a fiver I think, wash well and dry REALLY quickly :)

[Tillypo]

I have got three dogs and they have full run of the house I have throws on the sofa amd chairs so you can just whip them off and wash. They all sleep in mine and dd's bedroom on our bed. They have beds at the side of our beds and often you will hear them get off bed into theirs through the night. If you don't have a problem where your little furbaby is be it on your sofa or upstairs at night in your bedroom it's really nothing to do with anyone else you do what is comfortable for your dog and you.

[TrinityRhino]

thanks everyone
just about to take my little fur baby up to sleep in my room on her bed, right next to me

I will be back for lots of advice on behaviour though
hope you don't mind