No more bed for the Paws

We’ve been training the paws on different things since Obi-Wan returned.  One of the biggest items we’ve tackled is kicking the paws out of the bed and getting them to learn to sleep on the floor on their dog beds.  They are giant beasts (190 pounds combined of pure puppy goodness) and although we have a king size bed, they take up a lot of room.  The first 3 nights he was home, we got very little sleep because of dogs laying all over us.  They are big cuddlers!  After a few restless nights, we decided to make another attempt at getting them out of the bed.  We’ve tried before but always caved in under the sad puppy eye guilt trips.  This time, we’ve managed to be more successful.  I wouldn’t say mission accomplished just yet but major progress has been made. 

It all began with ordering them to lay on their dog beds in the bedroom and leashing them up to the footposts of the bed.  It was the only way we could do it and sleep at night - otherwise, they’d have tried to jump in bed a thousand times and wake us up.  Telling them “no” after years of sleeping with us wasn’t going to go over well so the leashes were needed.  After several weeks of that, we started leaving them loose at night on their beds and so far, they’ve managed to stay off the bed at night.  No covert ops to hop into bed after we fall asleep or other puppy trickery. 

They do have lapses, however.  If we aren’t in the room, usually Yellow Dog will jump onto the bed and snuggle in.  It’s harder for her - 7 years in the bed and she’s resisting the new pattern.  But Chocolate Dog is much better - he goes right to his dog bed 99% of the time without question.  He will hop up sometimes, though, if he sees Yellow Dog already up there.  Yet, this is good progress.  I thought it would involve many sleepless nights and serious puppy scolding before they would get the idea. 

So, we will keep working with them until the finally get the puppy hint that the big person bed is no longer puppy territory.