Home › Blogs › Annette's blog

Moving Out Doors

Annette's picture
Posted June 16th, 2007 by Annette

Hi
My 14 week border collie x Labrador at present sleeps inside in our large, floor heated ensuite. He is not normally any trouble there of a night time and we let him outside at approximately 6.30 - 7 am each morning. It is now cold in Tassie and I was wondering once it starts to get warmer (perhaps spring time) how do I go about moving him to his kennel and run outside to sleep. He gets upset if he is left outside of a night time and will bark, scratch and bump on the door to get in. Have I made a rod for my own back by allowing him to sleep inside while he is a puppy and during the cold months of the year. How should I address this when spring arrives and by then he will be 6 month plus old? He will be even more upset about sleeping outside, perhaps barking and digging will begin. We will have him inside up until we go to bed each night, especially as we work during the week and he needs our attention. His run is equipped with a sand pit for digging, a lovely warm kennel, toys, a bath for water play during the warmer months, a pole with a rope attached for tugging play time. When he is in his kennel he also insists in pulling his blanket and pillow out, even if it is raining. Why does this happen? Surely he likes to warmth of a nice blanket.
thanks for any help you can give.
Annette

Comments

Hi Annette, can you leave

Peaches's picture
On June 20th, 2007 Peaches says:

Hi Annette,

can you leave him alone inside the house? I would say that you will have to train him to stay inside the kennel. You could (for example) train/click him to go into his kennel (all doors open). If this is is established positively he will not have the feeling that the kennel actually is something bad. ;)
As soon as he learned for example the cue "go in you kennel" you can start to increase the amount of time you want him to stay there. You can also train him to stay there while you go out of his sight.

I think the whole training might take a while but when etsablished with positive reinforcement, your doggy will probabely love his kennel. ;)

Cheers, Anissa

"Extinction burst"

Aidan's picture
On June 21st, 2007 Aidan says:

Hi Annette, I've got some good news and some bad news. One of the early articles in the e-course talks about Extinction. Extinction is when you stop reinforcing a previously reinforced behavior.

You haven't made a rod for your own back by letting him sleep inside, but if you've ever let him in while he's been barking, scratching or bumping on the door then that is what has made a rod for your back.

The good news is that if you consistently ignore this behavior, it will eventually go away. The bad news is it could take a little while and it will get worse before it gets better. There is a saying "the darkest hour is before dawn" and never is this more true when you stop reinforcing a previously reinforced behavior. They even have a name for it in behavioural science - "extinction burst".

Puppies are terrible with bedding. They live in the moment and in the moment it seems like more fun to pull the blanket out and play with it! They don't think ahead to how cold and uncomfortable they will be without it.

My dogs sleep inside, I like having them there. When they get older they are no trouble, except when they moult or when they are wet or muddy. My older dog prefers to sleep outside but I bring him inside if it is cold or wet like it is right now.

Regards,
Aidan
http://www.positivepetzine.com

Back to top