[poliscmjr]

DH and I have a yellow lab...she is 5 she really isn't old but she has a mind of her own! She truly is like a child to us. We have been told for the past few vet visits that she has to lose weight. We have bee trying and have been unsuccessful in getting her weight down. This past January she developed a limp with the front paw. The vet said that she was to young for arthritis (sp) that it was most like muscle sprain. She was given meds and she was ok....every once in a while she will limp. Yesterday morning she could barely move....it was so sad...that I had to call the vet and get her an emergency appointment. The vet said she needs to lose 30lbs! And this will help with her paws. The vet said she is not allowed to jump off anything including furniture, and no activity for a week. Well my dog hates activity so that won't be a problem, and she is not allowed on the furniture downstairs. DH has always allowed her to sleep in bed with him, so since we got married it's now been the 3 of us in bed!

DH and I went out yesterday and bought a pillow bed for her to sleep on the floor so she won't have to jump. We can't get her to lay on it. Any suggestions to teach the dog that it is her bed to sleep on?

TIA

[mcmama]

You are going to have to show her that she cannot sleep in your bed. Put something of hers into the new bed, and maybe put a blanket or something that WAS on your bed which has the scent of your bed in the new dog bed.

My 20 lb cat has always slept with me, and I would wake up to find him on my stomach or on my hip. After my surgery, I could no longer risk that. So he also has a little bed with one of his favorites, an old sleeping bag we no longer use. He actually LEARNED something at age 7.

I showed Catzilla the incision, and since he had surgery too for bladder crystals, he understood all too well.

He now sleeps on his sleeping bag, but in the morning still comes onto the bed to wake me up - and no longer jumps on me. He's very careful, which is not one of his characteristics normally.

They can learn, but you need to be consistent. With a dog, the whole sleep with the pack thing is very territorial, so you will need to be sure she understands that this is now her sleeping place.

[PetScribe]

McMama has awesome advice, Poliscmjr. Somehow make that doggie pillow bed as enticing to your dog as possible. Put toys that she likes (if app) on it (or even rub them on it to give the new bed her scent). Also, make sure to use LOTS of positive reinforcement every time she goes to it, sleeps there, etc. I used that with my cats this year and it made ALL the difference in the world.

Also try placing her bed closest to whoever's side of the bed she normally sleeps. If nearer you, on your side. If nearer your husband, on his side.

Consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience are going to see you through. It likely won't happen overnight, so keep that in mind. But stick with it and eventually you will break her.

Oh, and if she likes warmth, set her up with a heating pad to help her foot. On the bed. We do this with our dog and he LOVES it. We don't keep it on him more than 10 or 15 minutes, but once he gets nice and warm and cozy somewhere he won't move from the spot. (He's got hip dysplasia so if he runs too hard he'll start limping and the jumping on the bed becomes a concern. Better to keep him on the floor then. Heating pad's been our secret weapon. )

Good luck! Let us know if you find any strategies that work.

[quagmire8]

i think they both have given good advice! i would get her a new bone and put it in the bed (along with a toy that is hers), so she can associate her things with her bed. it is very hard to break that habit! good luck getting her to lose 30 pounds! did the vet give you a weight loss plan for her (new food or exercise?).

[poliscmjr]

I can start walking her today. She wasn't allowed as she was on an antiflamtory med. The doctor has also given her a prescription dog food. Which is expensive but if it helps then we'll spend the extra money on food!

[poliscmjr]

I can't win! I was excited to start walking to day with my dog...but it's raining cats and dogs here!! There is no way we can walk in this!

[poliscmjr]

It was like it was ment to be!! The rain cleared just long enough for me to take a walk around the block!! Almat .75 miles...at least it was something!

[ruthann8]

Just wondered how your dog was doing. My MIL has a small dog with back problems and it cannot jump up and down from furniture etc. So she got some doggie stairs for it. But I don't think doggie stairs would work for a larger dog.

[poliscmjr]

Thanks so much for asking!! Kerbie is doing well...she is losing weight and I lost the battle with the doggie bed! She is sleeping with dh and I again and is having no problems geting up and down. Kerbie is not allowed on any other furniture but our bed.