My Pet World: No bed privileges for a dog that growls at its owner
Dear Cathy,
Our twelve-year-old, 13-pound, male Schnoodle has always slept in bed with us. Last year, during the pandemic shutdown, my wife was home 24-7. The dog became very attached to her during those months. As they often go to bed before I do, he now growls viciously at me when I enter the bedroom and approach the bed. What can you suggest we do to nix this situation?
– Robert, Long Island, New York
Dear Robert,
Your dog’s age and sudden change in behavior are cause for concern. Please have your dog examined by a vet to rule out health issues. If your dog receives a clean bill of health, then you can address the behavior problem.
You didn’t say, but I am hoping that when your dog “growls viciously” at you that your wife immediately says “no” to the dog in a very stern voice and promptly puts the dog on the floor or out of the bedroom entirely, if necessary. Since the dog is protecting her, she needs to let him know the behavior is unacceptable every time he does this and for as long as it takes for him to understand that he won’t get to sleep in the bed if he continues to act this way.
Over the next few weeks, you should take over his care to renew your bond. Feed him, give him treats, take him for walks, play with him, watch television with him, and groom him. You should also introduce some obedience training throughout the day, so he learns to respect you as his leader.
I know it will be difficult initially for your wife to withdraw a bit from his everyday care or to even put him out of the bed at night, but you both must work together to help your dog understand that he is not allowed to growl at you. I promise, he won’t love her any less and he will learn to respect and appreciate you more.
Dear Cathy,
We have an almost six-year-old Yorkie/beagle mix named Joni that we rescued at four-months old. She is the sweetest and most people-loving dog you could ever meet. Strangely, when my wife is cooking and especially turning on the oven, Joni starts shaking uncontrollably and we need to take her outside or to another room. We guess that she had a bad experience as a young puppy in a kitchen environment but are surprised that she still has that reaction. Do you have any suggestions on how we might undo this phobia?
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