Teaching dog to sleep in her bed...

[Pink_Converse]

How do I get my nearly 4 yo dog to understand that the bed I just bought her isn't for tearing up or dragging thru the house? She has torn up so many beds in the past that I gave up and just let her sleep wherever, on the floor, on the ottoman, etc. I know I should have pushed her to do it a long time ago but didn't so what now? TIA.

[Southlooper]

DH bought our dog a couple of beds before he gave up and let him sleep anywhere. I made him a bed out of old comforters and he took to it right away. He liked the bed because our scent was on it. Perhaps you can buy a new bed and break it in yourself before to you give it to your pup.

[Etoile]

Dog? Sleep in own bed? Not curled up in your legs, stretched out and pushing you to the edge of your own bed? Surely you must be joking! What is this "dog bed" you speak of?

Hahaha. J/k. We've never had success getting our little dog to sleep anywhere other than our bed. But, we're pushovers. Good luck!

[fuzzy]

We clicker trained Daisy and one of the first things she was taught (after sitting, lying down, and coming) was that the bed is where she is to go when we kind want her out of the way, like at dinner times.

As soon as she stepped on the bed, we clicked and treated. Then, as soon as she sat down, we clicked and treated. If she laid down, we clicked and treated. We introduced the "Go to bed" command, and repeated the clicking/treating process.

She'll stay on the bed for about 30 minutes before she loses her patience, but usually 30 is enough for us to scarf down a meal.