How do you make a dog rest?

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

My dog is recovering from major abdominal surgery. For the first few days, it was easy to get him to rest because he clearly felt hideous and just lay on the floor on his favourite blanket. Now, he's perked up and cannot understand why he isn't allowed to bound up the stairs and chill with us on the sofa. He is surprisingly nifty and you cannot take your eyes off him for a second.

Downstairs is open plan; lounge (where we spend most of the time) has double doors, so we can contain him in the kitchen diner while we go upstairs. The difficulty is when we are sitting in the lounge and he's crying because he can't snuggle on our laps or just chill in "his" seat. We borrowed a stair gate which has solved that problem.

I've put his favourite blankets and toys on the floor and I sit with him on there to encourage him but within a split second, he will leap on the sofa. It's mean to shut him in the kitchen when we're in the lounge. He enjoys being with his humans.

What else can I do?

[Shriek]

Its fairly short-term? Sorry to jear of major op for your boy if he's already used to upstairs/sofa's etc then yes a confused struggle for him.
Staying on floor and stair-gates etc all good. Its not going to be perfect and a hard adjustment for him, but essential just for this time. Can you put cushions up on sofa so no seats to jump up to?

The most worrying thing would be an internal damage from such a jump that might go unnoticed.

Maybe put boxes along the sofa?!

Or you can teach him not to jump automatically but to wait and you will carefully lift? Same with stairs that he must wait for permission. But he might be too heavy for this.

I had to do this for car. Good luck! And speedy recovery

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

Yes, it should only be another couple of weeks but if he keeps sneakily climbing on the sofa the minute I dare to glance in the other direction, he will delay healing.

It's difficult to pick him up because he's finding it uncomfortable, no matter how I scoop him. The wound goes from each end of his underbelly. I am worried about him causing damage.

Dog is incredibly stubborn and strong willed. He also is snuggly and enjoys being on the sofa with us. He's a small dog, so he's been using anything we've used to block off the sofa as a launch pad.

He wouldn't dare jump on the sofa with me looking but if I glance away, he will leap in a minute. To be fair, if I keep firm, he will learn and stop but because he's stubborn, it's going to take some time.

Thank you though. I shall keep plugging on. I feel so bad for him because he seems to think he's in trouble but he's not, of course.

[Wonderflonium]

Maybe you could make him a little sofa staircase with books or pillows or something? Poor thing. I hope he gets well soon!

[GinIsIn]

If you turn your heating up the warmth will make him sleepier.....

[Wolfiefan]

Could you use a playpen to keep him restricted? You can get steps to help him on sofa if you'd like.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

I've made him a staircase with his mat as a ramp and also with a foot pouffe. The little so-and-so keeps trying to bypass it! He's resourceful, I'll give him that.

I didn't think of the pen, thank you. I'll pop to Pets at Home after work and see what they have.

The heating is on full blast anyway, it isn't making him much sleepier. I wonder if it's his medication. He's just so...awake. Very strange. You would have thought he'd be sleepy all the medication he is on!

[Wolfiefan]

Oh bless him. If he can't exercise maybe that's it. Or he's worried if he closes his eyes he will be back to the vets? A calmer spray or plug in could help.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

I agree that he's probably anxious and maybe bored from lack of exercise. He's had a lot of vet intervention over the last few weeks. I had a plug in before. I shall dig it out.

I need to find something to keep him amused. I'll use his kong more often.

[Veterinari]

Try and keep him as mentally stimulated as possible - feed all his kibble in a kong wobbler etc.

What size is he and how long is it since his surgery?
TBH the odd scramble on the sofa is not a big risk if it's an abdominal incision, I'd be more concerned with joint surgery

[Wolfiefan]

If he's on dried food. Soak it and stuff Kong then put in freezer bag and freeze. It'll keep him busy for longer!

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

Thank you. He's refusing his kibble and many other foods but mostly eating fish and chicken. There's a chance he may play with his kong with a mixture of kibble and nice tasting food.

He's fairly small, sort of knee height. The vet is keen for him to rest to aid recovery. The incision looks great, he's having his stitches removed later in the week. He's nearly a week post surgery and otherwise, doing well. He's in a funny old mood but I don't blame him really.

[gonetoflower]

Glad that he's doing well, candy. I just popped on to say that I saw dog staircases in T K Maxx reduced today if you do want to get one. Think they were £20? Yeah, that's loads more expensive than a random box/ step, but they looked really cute .