Help! My dog is afraid of my new bed frame and won't enter my room.

I suggest blocking off your bed so that Oli doesn't have access to it for a few weeks. At the same time have a nice, comfy bed for Oli in the same room. You may also want to offer Oli a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or spray cheese so that can distract him in his bed. If Oli seems anxious about his new sleeping arrangement an Adaptil collar or diffuser in the room may help. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

I recommend thinking about what changes have happened in the last couple of days. Have you moved any furniture, replaced lightbulbs, or plugged in any new appliances? Some electronics can have sounds that we can't hear, but can trigger anxiety in our pets. There are a couple things you can try for anxiety; Composure chews and Adaptil diffusers. Adaptil is a pheromone that can help with anxiety. It is available as a plug-in room diffuser for large areas, and as a spray for small areas like a mat or bed. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs Thanks for using PetCoach.

First make sure it is secured because if it slides around, it will scare him again. Also put a slide proof matt or staple the fabric so he can’t slide off. Put some of his favorite treats up there and show it to him. Then occasionally put them out and let him discover it on his own. This will help build a positive association. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is a very common problem! Most dogs have to be taught how to use the stairs at first. I would recommend going very slowly, and using treats to reward her for each tiny step in the right direction. So instead of putting treats on the stairs, if this is too challenging for her, start by putting a treat on the very first step so she can eat it easily. Do this several times. Then, try holding the treat in your hand and luring her nose up and forward, to see if she'll put a single paw on the first step - praise and let her have the treat as soon as she does. If this is too hard for her, give her the treat just for lifting her front paw - then work up from there. The key is to break it down into tiny steps that are manageable for her. Do short sessions (no more than 3-5 minutes at a time) several times a day. If you're still having trouble, consider calling a good reward-based trainer to come and get you started on the right track. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

I understand how frustrating it can be to get a dog comfortable in a kennel. There are a number of reasons that it is beneficial to get a dog comfortable being in a kennel, so I do think it is worth continuing to try. If Jasper needs to be kept quiet after surgery or for any other reason, we certainly want him to be comfortable in the kennel. For now, you might consider feeding him his meals in the kennel (without closing him in it). The goal would be for him to run into the kennel excited for food and associate it only with feeding. I am attaching a handout below that may have more ideas for you. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1129 However I also don't think it's necessarily a problem for Jasper to sleep in your bed as long as you are comfortable with that. I am attaching a handout below that discusses reasons to have a dog sleep in a crate instead of a bed. You will have to make the best decision for your house as far as that goes, but you could also consider having a dog bed for Jasper to sleep in as an alternative. I graduated my puppy from sleeping in a crate to sleeping in a dog bed in the bedroom and used a baby gate at the bedroom door to keep him from wandering out of the bedroom. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1418 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Poor Hunter! It sounds like you've gone through a lot, and that fear may have manifested into new issues like you're seeing. I'd work on getting the part of the truck you want him to ride in to be "fun" again. Generally, this is done in steps with positive reinforcement. If Hunter has a favorite toy and treat, these are also helpful. You want to make the treat something special and not often given, such as pieces of hot dog, or lunch meat, and ONLY use them when training the association that truck = fun. You can start by just playing with him with his toy and giving treats nearby the truck for a few minutes at a time. From there, you can start trying to coax him to the truck by placing high value treats at the edge of where you want him to hop in, praising when he goes and eats them. You can then move the treats further back into the truck while asking him to hop in and get them, again, praising each time. From there you can move on to hooking him into any safety harnesses, and then taking short trips. This can be a long process, and if Hunter is scared by any step, going back to the previous and trying again from there is best. If he still is having trouble, or seems extra fearful of the situation, speaking with your vet and a local behaviorist/trainer is a good idea. They can both rule out any health issues such as joint pain, or monitor what is going on in person and recommend a tailored training plan to help get him comfortable again.

Put a toy on it and sit there with Chloe on the bed and pet and praise her. You can also throw a treat onto the bed asking her to go to bed and praise her when she gets on the bed. Once she knows you want her to lay in it she'll learn that it's her special place and love it. Some dogs will roll on their backs and rub on the bed to get their scent on it too. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chloe.