# Growling/snapping when trying to put to bed



## jasonkm (Feb 9, 2010)

Lately Tex has been falling asleep on the couch with us at night. Obviously when we are ready to go to bed, it's time for Tex to go as well.
I try to get him to get up by offering treats and such, but lately nothing is working other than physically trying to move him. This is when he starts growling and he has snapped at me, although did not bite. I don't pull on his collar or anything, just simply try to get him up in a sitting postion. I can understand that he would be irritable/tired, but he has to learn that when it's time to get up, it's time!
Tex is almost 8 months old now and is a great dog. He is doing very well with all other training aspects, however this is a problem.
Any suggestions?


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Flora did this for a while. Most people on here seemed to think it was a bratty stage where she was testing her boundaries. The day she snapped at my mother was the day I absolutely refused to let Flora get on the couch anymore. No dog on couch = no problem with dog being snippy. Nowadays she hardly ever gets on the couch, but when she does, no one has any issues with getting her off the couch.

Other people will have more thorough suggestions, but I would definitely advise against allowing your dog on the furniture for now.


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

Kdmarsh has given you excellent advice, IMHO. Sounds like a bratty stage. Tex feels that couch is his! As long as the credit cards aren't in his name, and he's not making any payments, he doesn't get a say in whether or not he gets to remain on the furniture (JMHO).


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Make sure he is fully awake before doing much talking.

Practice getting on and off the couch/other surfaces at other times of day.

But the easiest routes would to either decide he's okay loose at night, or put him in his crate before he falls asleep! To help that, feed either his dinner, or give him a smaller dinner, and at bedtime put a little food in his crate.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Good advice, I was going to say the same thing, either leave him loose or put him to bed with dinner BEFORE he gets comfy on the couch. And IMO I wouldn't let him on the couch for a long while, till he's past the 'tude.

Lana


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I third or fourth the not allowing him on the couch until he gets over his attitude. My Jasmine was the same way, though she started that at about 5 months old. She got demoted until she stopped being snarky.


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## jasonkm (Feb 9, 2010)

I agree with suspending his couch privileges. However, he has also acted this way once while on the rug in the same room. I don't think he's quite ready to be left out on his own through the night. And in most cases he has to go out for a potty break before we go to bed (as he probably hasn't gone since after dinner), so I have to get him up anyways.
I don't want to put him to bed at 7pm just because he's lying down in the rec-room with us and 'might' fall asleep. We've been looking forward to the time when Tex could just take it easy and relax with us at night.
I guess maybe I'm not giving him enough time to wake up or become alert? I know I'm not the easist to get moving when I'm really tired.


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

Are you sure he isn't in any pain for some reason? I'm just wondering if how ever you're trying to get him up might be hurting him? I know he's young, but just throwing it out there.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I would use a slip lead and put that over his head or keep a leash on him in the evenings. Still use the treats to keep it as positive as possible, but the leash will help you move him without his being able to connect with you.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I suspect he might also be grumpy when waking him up on the floor... Have you ever noticed it happening there?

Two options - keep him off the couch and just manage the behavior, or work on teaching him there's no need to startle/be grumpy when you wake him up. The latter, I'd do by waking him audibly - clap, use his name, etc. w/o touching him and the instant his eyes open, be right there offering a treat. Teach him to associate good things with being called out of a peaceful slumber.


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## jasonkm (Feb 9, 2010)

This has happened after he spent the day at doggie daycare. So, i can understand that he would be very tired and maybe even a little sore from all the playing. 
I think I should probably be giving him an earlier bedtime on the days he spends at daycare, or give him a 1 hour nap in his room after dinner.
This, and try a little more patience when trying to wake him up.
He's still grounded from the couch for a little while though!


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## kira (Jan 13, 2009)

jasonkm said:


> This has happened after he spent the day at doggie daycare. So, i can understand that he would be very tired and maybe even a little sore from all the playing.
> I think I should probably be giving him an earlier bedtime on the days he spends at daycare, or give him a 1 hour nap in his room after dinner.
> This, and try a little more patience when trying to wake him up.
> He's still grounded from the couch for a little while though!


On the days that Murphy goes to daycare (2-3x week) he sleeps pretty much from when he gets home between 4-6pm and the next morning.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Where does he sleep at night? A crate? How is he with going into his crate at any other time of day? If it were me and my dog, I'd work on the following things (I actually did all these things when my dog was about the same age, but for different reasons!).

1. Work on the "bedtime" command during the day. Whether he sleeps in a crate, or in a room, or wherever, use a verbal cue and start teaching him good things happen when he goes there. Teach it during the day so you're not arguing with a grumpy, snappy dog attitude. Decide on your verbal cue, say it, then toss a cookie to where you want your dog to go. So if it's a crate, use a command like "get in", toss a cookie in there, and then praise when he goes in to get it. Do NOT shut the gate. You want to make this a happy experience so it will outweigh your dog's reluctance to move at night. Toss the cookie in the crate around 20 times a day, everytime you're walking by it so your dog will start associating his bedtime verbal cue with going into his crate and getting a delicious cookie. *The training for this will not only help with your problem, but also tire your dog out by using his mind and learning a "new" cue. If he is going through the bratty stage, as much mental exercise as possible really helps!*

2. Time to Umbilical Cord your dog. Get a 6 ft leash and a martingale collar. Loop the snap through the handle and step through the "loop" you created and pull it up to your waist. Attach the snap to the martingale collar. It's now "Ignore Dog" time. That means EVERYONE ignores the dog. No touching, no talking, no eye contact. Your dog is going to have to learn to pay attention to every move you make or else he gets a gentle correction from the collar. It also teaches him to *respect *his people. He wants to go look out the window, too bad because you're going to the kitchen. If he puts up a temper tantrum, just keep walking. NO TALKING or trying to convince him. He's going to learn to respect your body language and YOU. Do your chores with him attached to you: fold laundry, clean the kitchen, tidy the living room, whatever. When it's 7pm and time to relax, keep the umbilical cord on while you watch tv before bed. When it's bedtime, all you have to do is get up and he's going to follow you. No fuss, no snapping...because you're not "asking him". You're telling him by your movement (which he has to follow) that it's time to go to bed. Unsnap the leash, give him his verbal cue and toss a cookie (or a frozen kong, even better) in the kennel and close the door. Night time! He'll be tired from the mental exercise of having to pay attention to you for the last few hours which, again, is what you want in a dog going through the bratty stage. *Remember to ignore him - this exercise doens't work if you're still talking to him, looking at him, petting him. He has to get used to paying attention to you while you don't do anything. This will eventually carry over into paying attention to you when he's NOT umbilical corded.*

Try to spend at least 2 hours a day with him umbilical corded to you. If you do, you'll see a huge difference in his attitude/responsiveness to your verbal cues. I'd spend the time doing these two exercises so you're no longer having to force him to move by manhandling as that seems to be causing the issues of his snapping. To me, it doesn't sound so much of a "I'm tired and don't want to move" or bratty phase so much as it seems like possessiveness. "This is now MY area, not yours" kind of thing. The umbilical cord will change his mind about what's his and what's yours - I saw a huge difference in my dog's attitude and respect towards me when I did the umbilical cording. In fact, I might do it with him tonight as a touch up of his manners!


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## jasonkm (Feb 9, 2010)

Thanks Ranger!

Tex is in a half room that is bordered off with an xpen that is attached to the two walls. It gives him much more room than a simple xpen would. He has a standard bed, his crate with bed (always open), and alot cool floor space, and an abundance of toys. 
He was going into his room on his own when he was tired, but not so much anymore.
I think your two suggestions are right on target!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

No problem! I had to deal with respect issues with Ranger when I got him...he hadn't been taught anything, even basic puppy education was beyond him. The umbilical cording was amazing with him. Even now when he starts to get a little "I don't have to listen to you because I think I"m in charge" a few days on the umbilical cord completely changes his attitude. I usually do it in the evening since it's such an easy exercise, you can just watch tv and it's still beneficial!

Hope some of this helps!


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## elh1232 (Feb 20, 2010)

Morgan used to snap at me when it was bedtime. I think she was about 4-5 months old. She always knew it was bedtime & would crawl under my bed. She would start barking & snapping at me. She doesn't do it anymore, so I think it was a stage she was in. I eventually started giving her a treat & now she is very good about going to bed.


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## dc_glidden (Jul 14, 2010)

I found out awhile ago both our dogs hate the sound of compressed air cans being used.

Now when they are acting up or being " dogs" with one another beyond what the wife and I think is healthy, the compressed air can is squirted once. and they snap out of what they were doing, and become the obedient dogs we trained them to be


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