[Dana2007]

I need some help in training my dog on how to stay off the kitten's bed. After she infuses it with her scent the kitten doesn't want to sleep on it. The kitten seems to only have my computer chair as his sole terriroty and place to sleep. It doesn't look to be too comfortable.

Thank you.

[cmacke]

You should maybe try and find out why the dog does this in the first place. Is it a dominant thing? Does the dog have a suitable bed? Then you can discover the best way to train the dog not to do it.

Possibly disc training would be the best option, You should read a dog training book - I recommend 'Breaking Bad Habits in Dogs' by Colin Tenant, or even talking to a personal dog trainer. I hope this helped, I wish I could provide a more succinct answer but there could be many reasons the dog is behaving in such a way, and that means many solutions! Xx

[Dana2007]

Hi cmack

Thanks for answering.

It's a dominant thing. My dog is very big and one of the cat's bed is very little and the other one is a bigger.

Thanks again.

[RubyPitbull]

Dana, it is a domination thing and if your dog is allowed to lie or sit on anything in the house as I know he is, this is one of those things that you will drive yourself crazy over trying to correct. At 11 years old, your dog is so entrenched in his behavior patterns, that it may be impossible to change his behavior over something like this. Try the training tips for the bed and couch which I gave in that other post we were both on. Only instead of giving him the okay to come up on a bed or couch, with the kittens bed just tell him no and shoo him away. Your "move" direction that you have trained your dog to listen to is a good one, so use that if you have to. The problem will be, as soon as your back is turned or you are out of the house, your dog will probably lie on the kitten's bed. This is his way of letting the kitten know he is the boss and letting you know he isn't very happy having to share his house with another animal. The older our pets are, the less accepting of other animals they become if they have been the only ones in the house.

I think in this instance, just as I suggested moving the food to a higher elevation out of the dog's reach, you may want to do the same with your kitten's bed. If money and space are an issue, go to a discount store or a tag sale and find a small solid table that is too high for your dog to reach and is large enough to accommodate a kitty bed, along with food dishes. If you have set your kitten up in your office, a large solid filing cabinet will do the trick nicely. This will give your kitten an area of her own that she can relax in. Right now, she is doing everything she can to avoid your dog out of fear. When you aren't around to monitor the situation, make sure the dog is separated from the kitten.

Regarding books, one of the best books that I have read that give us a good insight into how a dog views the world as opposed to humans is "The Culture Clash", by Jean Donaldson. I believe it may be out of print now but you can search for it online or at your local library. There are plenty of copies still around and easily available. Once you understand how a dog views the world around them, it is becomes very easy to figure out how to get a dog to respond the way you want them to.

[Dana2007]

Hello Ruby

You are right about everything. I have always let my dog onto the couch.


That is the best option to find a high place for the cat.

Thanks again. Really appreciate your help.