Two-year-old Pug Bungle is just the kind of dog many of my clients with little dogs would like and don’t get – a
dog that loves being cuddled and touched. The perfect lap dog.
Getting his own way
From the start the young lady has taken him everywhere with her and he is confident and well-socialised, fine with both people and other dogs. Delightful.
But there is a downside. Bungle is used to getting his own way. He has always got just what he wants and this has led to the three problems I was called out for. Basically, if he barks or fusses, it always works.
No more sharing their bed
Most pressing is that they don’t get a good night’s sleep. Bungle has been accustomed to sharing the bed, but now that the young lady is in a relationship they don’t want Bungle moving about the bed during the night and burrowing.
They have tried putting his bed on the floor, but he will be whining and snuffling and padding about on the wood floor with his nails tap-tapping, agitating to get back up on the bed – hence the bootees!
They have tried leaving him in the kitchen, but this is next to the neighbours so when he has barked he has been invited back into the bed. No wonder he makes a fuss – getting his own way WORKS!
We have a plan which I’m sure will solve this – and a back-up plan if not.
Non-stop barking in the car
The second problem is non-stop barking in the car. This could be due to anxiety as things whizz past or it could be because anticipation of what may happen at the end of the journey which can be very exciting to him. It could be a mix of both.
Bungle has been taught that barking brings results. It always does – eventually.
The third problem is that they can’t eat out in a pub garden without constant barking for their food.
At home they will give him something else to be doing while they eat (a specially prepared Kong). There will never be any of their food for him either during or after their meal, should solve this – though it could take a while. Used to getting his own way in the end, he is bound to try all he can before giving up.
Nothing works quickly because habits need to be broken and replaced with new habits. It is all dependant upon Bungle’s humans keeping their heads and not giving in to his demands whether it’s for play, for food or to get into their bed.
