Strange post-kennel behavior

[Smilla]

Hi all,

As the folks in Dog General know, I had to board Lefty at a kennel over the holidays. We got him back Monday morning, and for the most part he's been just fine--he's been just as affectionate to us as he was before we left--except he's taken to jumping up on the bed. He's not allowed up on the bed, but he'd occasionally jump up in the mornings if we were still and bed and he got excited about something (e.g. wanting to go outside), and usually saying "Off" once would get him down. Since he's been back, though, my husband and I have caught him napping away on our bed about five times, and sometimes it's taken us saying "Off" multiple times before he jumps down. Since he couldn't have picked up this habit at the kennel, what is it? Is he feeling needy or just bratty? Is he trying to get our smell back on him, or his kennel smell on us?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.

[lizbud]

Interesting.... Did he have something with your smell on it to
sleep with when he was kenneled? If so, maybe he got used
to it or it comforted him & he want's that feeling again. If not,
maybe Lefty's just so glad to be home, he's wants to overload
his nose with the smell of "home". If you really don't want
him on the bed at all, I'd show a little "tough love" and make
him "off" every time.

[Shelteez2]

I don't know why he has started this up, maybe they were really leniant with him at the kennel. If you don't want him up there then continue with telling him to get off everytime you catch him, and only give him the command once. If he doesn't get off it right away, then make him. Otherwise he will learn how many times he can ignore you before you finally mean it.

[Taltali]

Maybe he felt really lonely in the kennel, and being on your bed makes him feel protected… I have another idea, which I’m really not sure about, but maybe he is angey on you for leaving him, and jmping on the bed even though you don’t like it, is his way of telling you this. After all, the bed was always his weakness, even before the kennel thing. Right?

I guess that after couple of stubborn “off” he will get the point of it.

[Smilla]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. We haven't had the issue today, so perhaps it's wearing off. I think he was a little wigged out by his kennel stay despite having another dog as a "roommate" the whole time--perhaps he hasn't forgotten the few months he was in the humane society. I guess jumping on the bed was how his anxiety manifested itself, though I still wish I knew why. It doesn't really seem that he's angry with us; I'm beginning to lean towards the theory that being up there was a comfort to him. However, I'll continue being firm with him, including physically removing him if necessary.

Thanks for the advice, and hope everyone is having a happy New Year's Day!

S

[DJFyrewolf36]

My dads springer spaniel likes to do things obnoxiously if he is irrtiated with us (after we take him to the vet or clean his ears ect.) It's like he is telling us he is POed lol. Maybe this is what your puppy is doing like was mentioned before. It wears off after a while though! Soon, irritating you gets really boring and no puppy likes his human mad at him for too long!