Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 My 5year old ex racer (had him 3 months) has always been relatively good sleeping in his own room and although wakes us up early he seems quite happy and content. On Saturday we had a few friends over, not a mad party by any means and he seemed to enjoy all the fussing and attention it brought. That night though he was unsettled and simply wouldn't settle in his room barking and carrying on so we let him sleep in the corner of our room as we do on occasions when we have guests staying in the spare room etc. Sunday night he was exactly the same, barking, crying pacing until the small hours and we have neighbours with children so obviously we made a rod for our own back and let him in again to sleep and when we went out today as we normally do we put him in his room where he's been happily dozing and playing with his kong for all the time we've had him. We got home to a mess! He'd done a wee and a poo (which he has only ever once) and paced it everywhere he'd also done something he hadn't done since the first week we got him which is chew on the wooden window sill and he did a lot of damage! We didn't shout but we cleaned up and carried on as normal with his walks/tea/ We tried to put him in his room for a bit to see how he reacted and boy...did he HATE it in there! Something seems to have spooked him in that room and now he wont go in it without one of us and goes crazy if we close the baby-gate even if we're outside. As it's nearly evening now we're trying to decide what to do with him tonight, we could try and put him in his room again but I'm certain that he will kick off again, but we don't want to set a precident (any further!) that he can sleep in our room and it may further alienate his own designated room to him. Any advice/tips guys? First time I've asked for help on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyroo Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Others with more knowledge will chime in, but basically he wants to be with you. Is there a particular reason why you don't want him in your room? Quote Jodie D (hope to have another grey name her soon) Missing my Bridge Babies: Rusty (Cut a Rusty) 10/18/95-06/09/09 Solo (Tali Solo Nino) 01/10/98-03/25/10 Franny (Frohmader) 02/28/04-08/31/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Dogs want to be with their packs. Why can't he stay in your room? Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Dogs want to be with their packs. Why can't he stay in your room? Others with more knowledge will chime in, but basically he wants to be with you. Is there a particular reason why you don't want him in your room? We were told by the charity that we got him from that it'd be best to let him have his own room to sleep because that would be easier when we have to leave him to shop or go out etc so we've adopted that policy since we;ve had him. So it's more to do with the leaving him in the long run but both sleeping and being alone seem to become a problem overnight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverhound Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Ours both sleep in our room, and are left in that room when we go out. One is crated, and one is loose (but shut in the bedroom). They're both fine with being in there without us, and know it's where they go during the day when we're at work. They feel safe there, I think because they spend the nights there with us. Quote Masterful Joe and Naughty N Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I think I would try letting him sleep in ya'lls bedroom. He might be perfectly OK with you leaving him during the day then- just have to try and see. My mali is like that. Goes NUTS if she can't sleep in the bedroom with her pack but is fine with being left alone during the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Ours both sleep in our room, and are left in that room when we go out. One is crated, and one is loose (but shut in the bedroom). They're both fine with being in there without us, and know it's where they go during the day when we're at work. They feel safe there, I think because they spend the nights there with us. I think I would try letting him sleep in ya'lls bedroom. He might be perfectly OK with you leaving him during the day then- just have to try and see. My mali is like that. Goes NUTS if she can't sleep in the bedroom with her pack but is fine with being left alone during the day. To be honest he's spent probably 80% of his nights with us sleeping in the spare room if not more. It's just strange he's all of a sudden decided he hates it. We are almost certainly going to have to let him sleep with us because as I mentioned in my OP we have neighbours with children and it's not fair for them to be kept up of an evening. Tomorrow when we leave him we are going to try leaving the door to his room open with some access to the landing/stairs etc maybe a bit of extra space will help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Ours both sleep in our room at night. The only disturbances that occur are if Brandi takes Paige's bed, which is the one beside me, which results in crying and carrying on by Paige until I remove Brandi from that bed and shift her to her bed beside DH, and then the next when Brandi joins us on the bed at 4.30 am for a snuggle with the humans before we all get up at 5.30/6.00. They also sleep in there during the day on our bed which is piled with their comforters. It's their den, where the pack is all together at our most vulnerable, when we're asleep, where there are comforting smells and sights and where they can see the garage door and watch me come home. Your dog wants to be with you. How he does when left home alone is different, but giving him his own room doesn't seem to be working out too well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Have no idea why this happened, but if you substituted the word "crate" for "room" I'd tell you to ditch the crate - or ideally leave the crate there with the door open in case he wants to go there of his own accord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 He's been with you about 3 months, which seems to be a common time frame for a normal settling in period. His personality is undergoing a bit of a change, and may well again throughout the next year. He's now comfortable with you, with your home and your schedule. He's bonded with you and wants to be with you. Dogs naturally want to sleep with their pack. Some need to, some don't, but it seems yours is sending you a very clear indication of his opinion. It really shouldn't make any difference in how he behaves when you're gone. Our dogs sleep in our room (and on our bed with us) and they are just fine when we leave. But you will probably need to re-do his alone training, and get him used to being by himself, now that he's finally settling down. Do a search here for "Alone Training." And get the booklet by Patricia McConnell - shoot! Forgot the name, but I'm sure someone will post it - about training your dog to be alone. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Greysmom I think you could be right his personality has changed recently probably as he got used to our routine. It's interesting that this came from us having friends over as any change to our routine seems to knock him for six for a few days. My partner and I were discussing earlier and we both agreed that we have possibly been resting on our laurels due to how little bother Stan has been up until recently so we are going back to training and habits we had when we first brought him home (including alone training), hopefully to settle him in for the rest of his life. Stan is our first ever dog so we are learning by doing but I'm glad I found this site as it seems full of knowledgable folks. We just want him.to be a happy, healthy dog. It'd be so much easier if they could talk eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickReturn Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Nothing is strange here. He is bonding with you and now it is more important for him to be with you. My boy simply cannot tolerate me out of his sight if I am in the house. He would go through a wall if he had to. But if I leave he is fine with the run of the house. He finds his favorite bed and snoozes until I return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Greysmom I think you could be right his personality has changed recently probably as he got used to our routine. It's interesting that this came from us having friends over as any change to our routine seems to knock him for six for a few days. My partner and I were discussing earlier and we both agreed that we have possibly been resting on our laurels due to how little bother Stan has been up until recently so we are going back to training and habits we had when we first brought him home (including alone training), hopefully to settle him in for the rest of his life. Stan is our first ever dog so we are learning by doing but I'm glad I found this site as it seems full of knowledgable folks. We just want him.to be a happy, healthy dog. It'd be so much easier if they could talk eh? Yes, the settling in goes both ways! And sometimes they just need a little refresher to make them feel OK. Good luck! Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TBSFlame Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) Ours both sleep in our room, and are left in that room when we go out. One is crated, and one is loose (but shut in the bedroom). They're both fine with being in there without us, and know it's where they go during the day when we're at work. They feel safe there, I think because they spend the nights there with us. I think I would try letting him sleep in ya'lls bedroom. He might be perfectly OK with you leaving him during the day then- just have to try and see. My mali is like that. Goes NUTS if she can't sleep in the bedroom with her pack but is fine with being left alone during the day. To be honest he's spent probably 80% of his nights with us sleeping in the spare room if not more. It's just strange he's all of a sudden decided he hates it. We are almost certainly going to have to let him sleep with us because as I mentioned in my OP we have neighbours with children and it's not fair for them to be kept up of an evening. Tomorrow when we leave him we are going to try leaving the door to his room open with some access to the landing/stairs etc maybe a bit of extra space will help? It is not a good idea to close the door and leave a lone grey in a room alone. Use a gate but not a closed room. He has SA. I would never ask a grey to sleep in a room alone. These are pack animals and want to be with you. Please, do not do this to your dog. Edited November 13, 2012 by TBSFlame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 The room he is in is gated and has been always. He seemed to sleep happily in our room last night after we gave him permission. Today when we go out we will leave the gated room open giving him access to the stairs/hallway and hope we don't come home to a mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Just got home, no messing or destruction today. We left his gate open so he had room on the landing and the stairway with a bed at the top and bottom of the stairs. I also left a pair of my smelly "walking-stan-in-the-rain" shoes in his room. Not sure if this was just a blip but he seems a lot more himself today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 seems like he's just letting you know it's ok to give him some freedom. Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Big thanks to everyone, we've been using a combination of comments and advice in this thread and it seems to have done the trick. Stan now sleeps in the corner of our bedroom, he's quite happy there and apart from the occasional 3am "wake up, shake an rearrange his bed" he doesn't disturb us at all. We also allow him access to this room when we go out and WOW what a difference it's made. Normally when we open the door he's going mad and barking but the last few days he's just casually walked down the stairs to say hello! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Nice update!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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