Laurel weirdness...

[courtnek]

I have let her sleep on my bed (and began to like it, even though its against my normal training rules :oops: :oops: :oops: ) because she was
SOOOO Omega, afraid all the time. this seemed to help. she seems to feel higher in the pack rules now. Then something happened, not sure what, but she seemed afraid to get on the bed. She was also more afraid of me, of Kyle, of everything. She didnt wag her tail when I came home, she was back to acting like the Omega when I got her. This has been going on for 4 days. Last night, she got over it and jumped on the bed. Today she is herself, wagging her tail, communing with Kyle, chewing up bones. WHAT HAPPENED? and am I now stuck with her as a bed companion from now on? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Horsefeathers!]

Ok, keeping in mind that I'm certainly no dog expert, I'll just toss out an idea or two.

Maybe you are giving her mixed signals? I'm thinking that maybe she is not quite sure now what to expect of you. It might be like "ok, I am on the bed... am I here to protect her, or will she protect me? am I going to have to start actively finding my own food, or is she still in charge of that, too?" If she's anything like one of my more "insecure" dogs, he needs definitive routine and predictability and he needs to know that I am in charge in the sense that I will provide him with protection, food, all of the things he wants and that he doesn't have the added burden of wondering who's in charge. He doesn't WANT a higher status. Perhaps Laurel is actually more secure in her lower position and "promoting" her is more responsibility than she is comfortable with. Pauly is like this. He is so easily intimidated (but will react by biting if he's extremely afraid and feels cornered), so I tried to help boost his self esteem (I thought) by putting him up on the bed and playing with him, or spending time with him there while watching tv or something like that. Not there to sleep, but just to spend a little time. Pauly makes tracks to get off the bed. It's as if he feels way out of place there and will be very nervous acting for a little while afterward. I really believe it's more "responsibility" than he can handle and he just wants me to run things and him be the ever so goofy blind follower ("yes, ma'am, anything you say, ma'am, just please don't hurt me..."). Maybe it's the same for Laurel. It sounds like she may be getting mixed signals. Some dogs are just more comfortable without the added "responsibility" of higher status within the family (pack).

I don't know if I'm making sense, but I know exactly what you're talking about.

[courtnek]

I thought that too. I had hoped to make her more comfortable, then eventually take her down to a normal pack status. All of your pratices would normally work. SHE seems happier sleeping on the bed. and loses her "confidence" otherwise...I have never had a dog go so "down" when reduced in pack status. I think she's "playing" me. We'll see how it goes.

[kendalyn]

Buck sort of did the same thing. When I lived in my apartment, he would sleep on the bed for a little while but always get down. He didn't like to spend much time up there.

Now that I have moved, Buck is practically glued to my bed! And he is way more protective of me when we are in bed. The last couple nights he has woken me up growling at something (I have no idea what but it does freak me out) I'm guessing it's the move because that's the only thing that has changed. I like it though. He sleeps with his head on my shoulder. I feel very safe.

I've even noticed that when I come home he's sleeping on my bed instead of his crate. This is a big change because when I used to go away he'd always lay down in his crate. Maybe now I can start to phase out the crate without upsetting him. It's just so big...

[courtnek]

well HF....I think you are correct. She has given up sleeping on the bed, unless something frightens her. And I think I have it figured out. "it" would be Freebee, who never slept on the bed, but always laid up there with me to watch TV, then slept on the floor in front of the bed all night. She tolerated Laurel laying on the bed up until about 2 weeks ago. Then Freebee suddenly decided she was going to take back her place..and she started jumping up on the bed to watch TV again. They wont both share the bed. If one is up there, the other gets down. Freebee now refuses to get down anymore, so Laurel doesnt get up. Could Freebee understand why I had temporarily "promoted" Laurel, and now figures its time to demote her again?

She is back to being friendly, and is actually a little more confident now than before, so maybe she was uncomfortable in her pack position. She seems better now, so be it.