dog sleeping by the front door?

Question

For the first time last night our dog was allowed to sleep where he chose. He chose to ignore his bedding and slept laid out on the front door mat right across the door way. My immediate thought was that this was very 'pack leader'- protecting the opening to the den for the rest of the pack- does this mean it is something we should not allow to happen again?

Answer 1

Yay You have some dog knowledge as far as the pack goes!!! Yes he is protecting you guys from intruders!! But as far as not allowing it to happen again I think that it would be fine as long as he does not start showing other signs of pack leader and defying you guys!!! when food is concerned, having the right to correct another animal or children, taking what he wants etc

I think you guys are doing a great job raising him!!

Answer 2

I agree with the protection thing, but I don't agree with the whole "pack leader" thing. My first thought was cuz' it's cool by the door. My parents had a family dog and he felt it was his "duty" to bark every time someone pulled in the drive way. When he was like 10 or 11 he lost his hearing, so he spent all day, every day until he died sitting on a bench by the window facing the driveway so he could see if someone pulled in. He slept when everyone went to bed. It was just his job. Had nothing to do with dominance. My dog on the other hand, a 110 lb male black lab, very intimidating looking, is nothing but a mama's boy and sleeps on a toddler bed at the foot of our bed...... :) We'll never know what their thinking, but I sure wouldn't worry about sleeping by the door.

Answer 3

Basic Training of the Puppy - Read here https://tr.im/liHoN

The new puppy is certainly one of the most adorable and cuddly creatures that has ever been created. It is the most natural thing in the world to shower it with love and affection. However, at the same time it is important to realize that if you want to have a well trained adult dog, you need to begin the training process right away. The dog, like its related ancestor, the wolf, is a pack animal. One of the features of a pack is that it has a single dominant leader. Your new puppy is going to want that leader to be you, but if you do not assume that role from the very beginning, the puppy’s instincts will push him to become the leader.

The most important thing to remember about training the puppy during its first six months of life is that it must see you as the leader of the family pack. The essential thing is gaining the trust and the respect of the puppy from the beginning. You will not do this by allowing the puppy to do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it. On the other hand, a certain amount of patience is required. Most people err in their early training by going to extremes one way or the other. Although you need to begin the basic training process at once, you can not expect your dog to do too much at first. Basic obedience training is fine and should include simple commands like sit, stay, and come. Remember that trying to teach the dog advanced obedience techniques when it is a puppy is much like trying to teach a five year old child algebra.

It is also important to restrain from cruel or abusive treatment of the puppy. You can not beat obedience into your dog, and it certainly is not going to engender feeling of respect and trust. House breaking is an area where this usually becomes a problem because of the anger that is triggered when the puppy fails and creates a mess inside the home. Although this issue must be addressed without anger, it most be addressed. If you allow the puppy to eliminate inside the house, it will continue to do so as an adult dog. The same thing is true of other destructive or dangerous behavior such as chewing and biting. Do not expect the puppy to grow out of it. You are going to need to train the puppy out of it, but you should do so firmly but with a sense of play and fun using positive reinforcement and lots of love and praise for good behavior.

Answer 4

My puppy sometimes sleeps in front of the front door, and sometimes just sits there for a while. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you show him you're the pack leader in the other important ways it shouldn't be a problem. I think he's just trying to protect you probably, which is a good thing.

Answer 5

My dog does this sometimes, she loves the draft from under the door (she gets too hot in the bed that i provided)
I wouldn't worry about it, my dog is 15 years old now and it never caused us any probs at all.
The only thing that i think is a problem is if it wanted to sleep on your bed, then you can get "pack leader" probs.

Answer 6

I agree on the idea of protecting. But it depends on the characteristic of the dog.

My toy sized dog sleeps in its cushioned basket next to my bed. It sleeps before me and will only wake up in the morning.

My big dog is more of a guarding dog. He wont sleep until I go to bed and will sleep by my room door. He will follow me around if I wake up in the middle of the night to use the toilet. And I noticed another thing. My cleaning lady will come very early in the morning to clean the house while I will be still sleeping. Even though my dogs are familiar with the cleaning lady, my big dog will jump up and sit at the edge of my bed until the cleaning lady finishes the house work and leaves the house. I guess my dog is protecting its sleeping master. "Wink" "Wink"

Answer 7

in case you're conscious that he sleeps there... attempt coaching him the command "pass!" mutually as he's small, whenever you pass in the time of the door and he's there, open the door and say "pass, or pass canine" after some cases, as quickly as he's used to that command you may say it as you innovations-set the door and he will upward thrust up out of how earlier you open it because of fact he knows the door might hit him if he would not. canine study the command "pass" pretty directly!

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

Oh for heaven's sake, let the dog sleep where he wants to sleep and quit reading things into it. My dog sleeps in the hallway, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, and in the mud room. What does all that mean? Nothing except she's comfortable and feels safe where she is at the time.

Answer 10

My dogs aren't allowed upstairs so they sleep by the doors think of it this way if any one trys to get in your house the dog will be the 1st to let u know