We had Marlin as a foster for 5 months, adopted him and January, and we are making little and NO progress in adapting his annoying behaviours. So I need some input, please.
Background: Marlin is a woman's dog. Spent his first 9 years as an only dog, living with a single female. Marlin is not typical of bichons, as he does NOT like to sit in your lap. And I think he must have been trained NOT to go on the furniture as he is never on the sofa, or a chair, like the others.
1. Marlin IS house trained, and he lets us know when he has to go out. He barks. At ME. Doesn't matter if Dad gets up, goes to the door, opens it, calls him, I can either ignore or tell Marlin "go outie side." In Marlin's eyes, Dad is not capable of letting him out and letting him in. Dad can even let the OTHER dogs out at this time, wait and bring them in, Marlin just keeps on barking until I get up and take HIM out. On VERY rare occasions, Marlin will go out with Dad during all this barking and we haven't figured out when this works for Marlin.
2. Marlin sleeps on Dad's bed. Dad is a morning person, I am a night owl. Dad gets up, lets Marlin out in the back yard (notice Marlin is not barking to go out, and this is all contrary to the above item but that is Marlin for ya!), brings him in, they go out the front door and get the newspaper together, come back in. Next Marlin comes into MY bedroom and barks until I get up. Whether I want to or not, it seems I MUST get up. Another For over 6 months, I have not been permitted to awaken on my own, I have been woken up by Marlin barking. I am TIRED of it!! Grr. I have tried closing my door; he just barks on the other side. Dad tries calling him away; he ignores Dad. I have tried ignoring him for a week; telling him to go lie down for a week. He will not accept anything but my getting UP. So I get up, sit for about 10 minutes, then return to bed. (Meanwhile the other 3 dogs are all still snoozing on my nice warm bed!)
3. We bought a set of sturdy steps for Marlin to get up and down from Dad's bed himself. Within 3 days Marlin was able to come down them himself whenever he wants to get down. Within a week, he was going up them himself. EXCEPT: he needs a cheerleading squad to do it. This has not been 9 weeks. Any time, day or night, that Marlin wants to go up on Dad's bed, he barks. At the steps, at us, doesn't matter. One of us has to go in and stand about a foot from the stairs, and he will go up and settle on the bed. In the night, Marlin may get down to get a drink of water. He returns to Dad's bed and stands there barking. Sometimes I get up and go in and up he goes. Other times, Dad says he has to get on his knees on the bed and cheer Marlin on for him to go up the steps. (81 year old man on his knees in bed in the middle of the night for a dog; nope, these pups aren't spoiled!) And what is this cheering? All we need to say is, "Marlin, go uppie!" and up he goes! Dad has tried saying it while still lying in bed. I have tried saying it from the bedroom door. Nope we have to be about a foot away from him. During the day time, Marlin may want to go sit on the bed rather than a pet bed. It is FINE with us. Just go UP without bothering us to cheer you ON! And if we don't go over there? He barks and barks. Here is is 10:15 AM. Marlin has just barked non stop for 45 minutes until Dad got up and walked over next to the stairs for him to go up and settle on the bed. We were both urging him up from here in the Family Room, about 7 feet from the stairs (Dad's bedroom is off this room). No way, he needs us closer.
It is not stairs. Marlin will bound up and down the cellar stairs at will. And I made certain these are heavy, sturdy, rugged stairs, as Marlin is 20 pounds. They do not shake or wobble at all when he is using them, up or down.
So if you have any suggestions for these issues, we are ready to try!
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