Does your dog like to seek refuge under the bed/couch? (border collie, bite)
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This is a subject I've had a lot of experience with. My Carin terrier Mugzy has very little courage, and whenever someone yells, at anyone or anything, he would hide under the bed. To say he is afraid of his own shadow would be an understatement. You can walk up behind him loudly and cry boo, and he would run a mile. We like to put him out with our other dog, a German Shorthair named Jayne, while we're gone, but he doesn't like to go outside. It got to the point where he would stay under the bed all the time, unless someone is eating.
To add to the problem, he likes to pull all kinds of nasty things under the bed with him. Dirty diapers, garbage, food, so on and so forth. When he goes under the bed, he won't come out unless you kick the side of the bed and yell at him. We tried treats, sweet talking him, not sweet talking him, commanding him. Nothing would get him out from under the bed, only kicking and making loud noises opposite his escape route.
Our bed sits pretty low. I built a frame out of two by fours, and now he can't go under there. For a while it was actually pretty comical, he kept forgetting, and would get his nose under the edge, and then remember the barrier. For a few days he would even sleep with his head under the bed.
After adjusting to the barrier he immediately became a different dog. He goes outside when you tell him to, comes when you call him, follows you outside for walks, even goes with the shorthair when its time for us to leave. In fact, when your getting ready to leave he actually goes to the door to wait. I keep asking him what he did with the real Mugzy.
If he wasn't so disobedient I wouldn't mind him going under the bed. I could even deal with him pulling the occasional nasty under there, but not listening to us is a major sin with my doggies. Obedience could save their lives someday.
I don't know if its making him face his many fears, or the forced socialization, or the fact that we tell him he's a good dog for not going under the bed even thou he can't. Maybe he likes going outside because there is a den under the stairs. He is different and we love him this way. He's an expensive dog and we would like to enjoy his company!
So to make a long story short, do what you feel is right. If they come out when asked to, there is no reason they can't have their den. However if their not being a good dog, maybe its time to cut them off. Forced socialization, making them join their pack, works wonders on dog attitude, and I'm pretty sure thats Mugzy's problem.
Our American Eskimo seems to think that "beneath the bed" translates into dawg to mean "my private apartment"...that's where she hides everything taken from my wifes purse....car keys.....cash....medicine bottles etc etc etc
My little bratty chihuahua does that too and it is so anoying. He takes tissue under there and he starts eating it, and of course he's not supposed to. And if you tell him no he just keeps on cewing and i cant reach him. It's so annoying
Under the bed - yes...she doesn't stay there too long as she's a 60 lb Golden Retriever so as interensting as under the bed might be, it isn't comfy long term. She won't really fit under anything else....
If you don't want your dog under the bed maybe give him a crate with the door open, they just like having an enclosed space to hide in (like our bedrooms). Charlie hides in the bath tub when there's a thunderstorm...he can't fit under the bed
When my dog sees the ear dropper bottle come out, or hears that its her bath time, she takes off for under the bed. I've found half eaten kleenex,napkins and toilet paper there too.
When l call her, she crawls out from underneath the bed, and gives me the "I know its bath time...You win mommy" look or gives the "Mommy I'm too cute for you to be mad at me for taking toilet paper" look and then rolls over on her back for me to rub her belly. She has me so well trained.
Yes, the minute I open up our bedroom door. Of course, she is never allowed in there, so it is a thrill when she can get in there... she just hangs out under our bed. Also under the couch, but dachsies are low and are bred to go into holes and burrows.
Our pup used to hide under a coffee table (that was pushed against a wall) but he stopped that at some point. Now, whenever we leave (and he knows he's staying behind), he hides out in the bathroom LOL.
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