There was a time my little doggy did not want to sleep in her dog house which I couldn’t find the reasons in the beginning.
So, I thought maybe thousands of dog parents are facing the problem in which the dog won’t sleep in her dog’s house. Are you one of the thousands too?
A dog may refuse to sleep in the dog house due to uncomfortable location, separation anxiety, lack of space, extreme temperatures, or being used to living inside the house. Dogs can be trained to sleep in the dog house with positive reinforcement, making it comfortable & providing treats & toys.
Now let’s dive deep into why your dog won’t sleep in her house.
Why won’t my dog sleep in his doghouse?
1. Pretty bad location.
Is the doggy location far away from the doggy that your dog doesn’t even hear you? Moreover, is it away from the usual surroundings he sees?
Then this might be disturbing to her, which in turn leads her to avoid sleeping in the dog house.
2. Separation anxiety.
Did you adopt the dog from another family, or did you go to live in a new house? Are you a workaholic and went out for a long time for it and left the doggy alone?
If yes, doggy might have been feeling separated from you to any of the above questions.
Separation anxiety occurs when the doggy is separated from the loved one, which usually comes with stress.
So, when you are at home, maybe the dog just needs to be with you, which might be why he doesn’t move into her doghouse.
Let me note you down with a few symptoms of separation anxiety.
- Barking and growling.
- Destruction and chewing stuff.
- Escaping.
- Urinating
3. Strange smell.
“Damn, what’s the smell, man!” Did your dog ever give this look to you? Then, of course, there must be something fishy in the dog house.
If the dog house is newly painted and is a super brand new housing made up of plastic, then your doggy might hate its strange smell, which leads her not to sleep in the dog house.
4. “Oops, it’s just one door for me?”
Does the dog house have only one door in the dog house? Then she may be confused about how to exit, and she might think of it as a trap due to the only exit.
The feeling of getting trapped in this way might lead her to hate the dog house.
5. “Less spacious”
Is the doggy house compacted and restricted just to a small area? Can’t your dog wag her tail and do a little bit of dance in there?
When it comes to this, some dogs are timorous if the space is not open and they feel unsafe in it. They surely are better in open areas!
6. “The temperature vibes”
“I am too cold to stay inside that dude.”
Blossom buddies are not into too much cold; sure, they can’t wear all the winter dresses, can they? So if the dog house is not insulated correctly, that would be quite an issue. You know what? Dogs can feel cold even inside the house.
“I am sweating.”
If the ventilation is not supplied adequately, the furred creature must be pretty warm inside. At this time, the dog might wonder if having a good shower makes him escape the arm dog house!
7. Used to stay indoors.
Just as lots of teens, some of these fur creatures too love to stay inside with their dog parents. So as she has been used to staying indoors, maybe she just doesn’t want to go outside for her dog house.
These are several reasons why your dog won’t sleep in her dog’s house.
How to train a dog to sleep in a dog house?
Let’s dive deep into the waters.
1. “The Perfect method”- Positive reinforcement.
As a dog parent, I am quite sure that you have used this method thousands of times to train your doggy. So why not use it excellent method here as well?
Dogs are friendly buddies who love being awarded with all the sweet stuff, aren’t they? So, let’s try a few happy tricks on them to get them to the dog house.
Surround the dog house with numerous treats
Let them run towards the dog house and let them have the amazing treats, and praise them with a pat on their head.
Toss out his favorite food inside the dog house
Now, it’s time to give your doggy an adrenaline rush with his favorite food. Toss out one of his fave food into the dog house and let him take that.
In this case, too pat him and cuddle him for running towards it without fear.
Let’s make him stay comfortably.”
So, when you get the feeling that your doggy is pretty comfortable going there, try to make him stay with you nearby and when he stays for several minutes, make sure he gets the best treat ever, including praises and cuddles!
2. “Play, Play, Play.”
Pooches love spending time with you! So make sure you spare time to lay with you!
“Play fetch “
As a dog parent, it’s not a new thing to know that dogs love the fetching game. So what you got to do this throw a stick or maybe a ball near to the dog house and let them the doggy fetch it for you.
In this way, she will not only enjoy but also will tend to get fearless to the dog house if she once was.
“Hide and seek.”
Why not try this fun game with your doggy just as you once did with your toddler? In this case, what you got to do is hide somewhere near the dog house or maybe even
inside it (indeed, if it’s spacious). Let him find you around!
3. “Spread the smell that he is used to”
At a glance, you might be wondering, “what !” Yes, spread the smell he is used to, which means the scent of her dog parent.
Maybe you can drop off some dirty laundry for a while or keep a pair of slippers nearby the dog house. In this way, the doggy will eventually get used to staying inside the dog house.
4. “Make the place comfy.”
Don’t let the bedding inside the dog house be hard; make it comfortable with blankets and his playing toys. Moreover, try keeping over some treats near him as well.
5. “Take him to walks.”
If your dog is just like a teen who is always inside the room tapping the phone, find a method where your blossom buddy can interact socially.
As in this, taking long walks with your doggy for at least 1 hour is vital. As a result of this, he may later prefer to go outside and will aid in letting her to the dog house.
What are the pros of sleeping a dog in its dog house?
Let me answer this question briefly. When your doggy has been trained to sleep in the dog house, there will surely be no hindrance for your goodnight sleep of yours.
Moreover, the tendency of the doggy to fall off is zero as in case she sleeps with you, theres’ pretty much of a risk that he might fall off from a higher place of the bed is too high.
The risk of getting the disease from your dog through zoonotic will also be highly reduced.
What are the cons of sleeping a dog in its dog house?
As the doggy is away from you even though it’s just for the nights, making him sleep in the dog house may lead him to separation anxiety which is not obviously a good sign.
Moreover, the weather might affect as in too cold or maybe too warm, and also she might even get scared due to lightning if there are any. Some doggies might even be sacred of the car honks during the nighttime. Poor fellows!
So, likewise, the above are a few cons of making a dog sleep in her dog house.
Things to be aware of.
Let me point out a few vital points to be careful of!
No Punishing
This is one of the biggest mistakes you can ever make as a dog parent.
There will be no necessary usage if you be harsh to your poor doggy every time he does something bad. Emphatic “NOs” and praises can adjust their behavior more than you think.
Moreover, if you have ever used the dog house as a punishment, you have already been mistaken, and it’s time to make it right through love and care.
Don’t force him to the dog house
At a glance, if you feel something like your doggy is not into the dog house, just don’t force him into it. You will make him so tense from then on. Let good training and time do it for you and your pooch.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, I hope I guided you on why your dog won’t sleep in her dog house, how to train to make your doggy sleep in it and much more and lent a hand on enhancing your knowledge of your beloved blossom buddy.
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