Dear Val,
Every time we go to move our dog when he’s sleeping, he growls and tries to bite us what we do?
Dear Val,
Our 4-year-old Chihuahua has started to growl and nip at us while we are asleep in our bed. We think this is when we have to move about, reposition, or get up and he finds this annoying. What do you suggest we do?
Dear Sleepless in Lake County,
It was an interesting week having two similar behavior consult inquiries.
The saying ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ really bears great meaning here. And so does ‘don’t poke the bear.’
Unfortunately, your sleep mates and cuddle bugs have become undesirable sleeping partners. And they probably feel the same way about you snoring, tossing and turning, stealing the covers, and waking them up.
If you know you will need to move a dog for any reason, knowing they will be falling asleep, set them up in a place that they won’t need to be interrupted mid REM. Dogs that are woke up can be grumpy just like people. It is thought that dogs can also have bad dreams and you don’t want to wake your 90-pound canine up when he’s smack dab in the middle of chasing the bad guy now do you?
Don’t let them fall asleep in your lap if they will not allow you to get up and move your lap.
If you want to have your buddy close by while you slumber, set him up with a comfy bed, crate, or pen at the side of your bed where you both can fall asleep and stay asleep without the risk of waking up with a few puncture holes to address.
Your dog may grow out of this habit, but for now a good night sleep can be attained through everyone having their separate Sertas.
If you have a question about training or behavior, please email me at HappyLabLady77@Yahoo.com
Make it a Pawsitive Day!
Val S Elliott, CPDT Behavior Coach
Wags of Wisdom:
What did the Dalmation say after he had a great meal? “Ah….that hit the spots.”
The Daily Dog:
The Daily Dog is a chosen community member dog that has no referenced correlation to the above article.
This week’s daily dog is Foxy. Foxy looks like an adorable white arctic fox. Foxies’ people, Dori and Diana rescued her from the North Mendocino Shelter. She was covered in foxtails and born in the wild where she spent the first 12 weeks of her life. She was very timid at first but with patience and bonding time she soon became a loving companion pet. She is very mannerly, quiet, and easy to please.
Her favorite thing is playing fetch and will play to no end. She also enjoys walking and field trips. I met up with Foxy and her dad Dori at the pet store and captured this cute photo. Thanks for sharing all of your information about Foxy that makes her a super special daily dog.
If you would like to send a cute photo with a description or short story about your favorite furry friend, please send it to HappyLabLady77@yahoo.com
