melundie Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 We keep our dogs' crates downstairs in our kitchen. The dogs go in their crates when we're not home, when they're eating and if they need a "time out." Both are fine with going in their crates and neither has ever had a bad experience with the crate to my knowledge. We let both dogs sleep in our room. Colby is usually at the foot of our bed and Ace sleeps next to his dog bed on the floor. See below: Recently, however, I've noticed that both of them throw absolute fits if I tell them to get into their crates at night when they know my fiance and I are going to sleep. Let me clarify: they go in happily, but then realize I'm going to bed and that's when they start barking. I don't let them out while they're barking, but by the same token I feel bad for my neighbors when they are barking and carrying on at 10 or 11pm. So far I don't let them out until they've settled down and some nights I don't let them out. This is assuming they've gone potty. They settle down eventually, but I'm starting to get a little frustrated with the behavior. Do you think it's possible that they feel like they have a "right" to be out of their crates at night or do you think it's a matter of wanting to be with us while we sleep? Maybe they're used to sleeping upstairs at night? Funny how they get used to those luxuries so quickly... I like when they sleep with us, but some nights I just want some time off, which is why the crates aren't in our room to begin with. I'm not necessarily opposed to moving the crates upstairs, but I'd love to hear your advice if you have any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfaircloth Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Hmmm...sounds to me like you've got a couple of dogs who are accustomed to a certain nighttime routine and now you're trying to introduce them to a new routine, but not in a consistent manner, which is confusing and frustrating them. Is there a solution to this problem that would allow you to be consistent with them? (Either always crated at night--maybe closer to your room--or never crated, which doesn't sound like something you want.) They're not feeling "entitled," they're just feeling confused. And Border Collies don't like being confused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 My dogs love their routines! I think consistency is something dogs get used to very fast. So, I don't think this is any kind of sense of entitlement for your dogs, just something that has changed in their world, and they will have to adjust. ETA: I should have read J's reply first...put it much better than I did. Oh, and I love Colby sleeping BESIDE his bed. Too cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I agree with all the above: I think they're just confused. Dogs are very much creatures of routine, so if you establish a certain routine and then mess around with it, they can get upset. Especially young dogs. It's not "entitlement," it's just that they're comfortable with things being a certain way and they don't understand when you change things up. They may think they're being punished if they find themselves abruptly banished from sleeping loose in your room to sleeping in crates downstairs. So, I'd say pick where you want them to sleep each night, and then stick to it. If you don't wish dogs sleeping in your room, be consistent about it. Or move the crates upstairs, and leave them there. But I think you'll all rest easier once you pick the routine that works best for you - and stick with it. Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Moon Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 OK, I'll vote for a "sense of entitlment". I know Cerb often audibly "grumbles" and gives me dirty looks if I don't let him do something he asks to do (go outside to play)or tell him to move when he's comfy. He complies, but he lets you know he's not particularly happy about it. Really, it's like we have two teenagers in the house. Luckily he hasn't adopted the "in a minute" stalling strategy our daughter is trying. "Entitlement" is probably too anthropomorphic for the situation, but it seems to be a rough analog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I'm not sure whether it's a sense of "entitlement", per se, but... I swear Duncan can count. When he's having lessons on sheep, he's quite willing to wait his turn peacefully while he's regaining his breath from his last work. But heaven forfend if his trainer tries to squeeze not one but TWO dogs into that break. He becomes very vocal about letting us know he thinks it's HIS turn. (Brat). It's even worse if I lock him up while we're playing the 'handler and dog' game. He definitely thinks I'm appropriating his job while trying to learn about "balance" by working sheep myself and trying to fetch them while holding a straight line. I'm glad his trainer doesn't have any near neighbors to complain about the ruckus he makes. Other than that, he's so quiet that my next-door neighbors once asked if I'd had him "debarked". Clearly there are things he feels strongly are HIS perogative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I also am not sure about the entitlement but yeah.... mine have a sense of something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I'm voting "routine". 9:30 is the last time to go out. My BC will come bark at us literally at 9:30...with a 10 minute window each way (sometimes it's 9:20; sometimes 9:40; and sometimes 9:30). She does not want any of her routines upset. She also does not like it when we move furniture. Once again, upsetting her routine. We usually head up to the bedroom after letting them out, and she goes into my son's room to sleep there. If he's not there yet because he's out, she is upset. I've had other breeds, but none of them were ever as routine oriented like the BCs (my new one is also becoming routine oriented.) I really think it is related to how they can become obsessed. Just another quirky thing I love about this breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melundie Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 OK, I'll vote for a "sense of entitlment". I know Cerb often audibly "grumbles" and gives me dirty looks if I don't let him do something he asks to do (go outside to play)or tell him to move when he's comfy. He complies, but he lets you know he's not particularly happy about it. Really, it's like we have two teenagers in the house. Luckily he hasn't adopted the "in a minute" stalling strategy our daughter is trying. "Entitlement" is probably too anthropomorphic for the situation, but it seems to be a rough analog. I love this breed and I do tend to anthropomorphize more than I probably should, but it's hard! They're so smart and they know it! I went ahead and moved the crates upstairs into our room the other day and guess what? Mr. Ace runs right into his crate and goes to sleep before the crates are even completely set up. Didn't take him long to get used to that "routine." Little punk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenotri Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 When I first joined our state Agility Committee, I went to a trial, but didn't enter my dogs as I thought I'd be too busy with the running of the trial to run them. I took them and they spent the day in a pen. Everytime I got Trim out for a toilet break, she would head straight for the ring and line up around the starting gate...not sure how she knew to line up at the start and not the finish, since the finish was closer to where they were penned, but she did. With each trip, she got closer to the first jump. At the end of the day, the judge came over & said that he thought before we packed up, I had better run that dog, as clearly she felt she was entitled to a run. Lol, we did, and it was a ripper run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I don't know that Star has a sense of entitlement---she's more like, "Me too, me too, me too!" But she has a very strong sense of what is and is not right around the house and will let me know when something is not right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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