Permissive Cairn parents!

[KShep]

Sorry....I went to Disney and then there was the Christmas shopping and Christmas.

Ripley has decided that she can help herself to our bed anytime she would like. Whenever we are wondering "where is she?", I tend to find her on my side having a nap. I want to discourage this, but my husband said it would be difficult to make her understand that the bed is off limits only when we aren't in it. I said I would ask for an expert opinion She sleeps in her kennel, but sometimes joins us for a movie in our bedroom in the evening. Of course my husband thinks almost anything she does is cute, but we don't want to encourage bad habits. That's how monsters are made!

She also wants to sit in my lap when we are in the car while I am driving- dangerous! I think this has to do with boarding her at the vet while we were on vacation. She thinks we are going to leave her or something . I may have to get one of those seatbelt harnesses. I like walking her in a park by my parents house, so she is in the car a few times a week.

[eastofeden]

In the car...always in a crate...NO EXCEPTIONS.

In the house all furniture is okay (Except tables..which has happend ) We do have dog beds in each room and they are used....but usually at least one if not both is in my lap, beside me or sleeping on my feet. At night they are usually in my bed.

So you are not overly permissive

[Rohnda]

Luigi stayed in his bed (on the floor next to ours) for about 5 months. Then my husband went out of town and a blizzard hit. I had over 3 feet of snow in one day and it continued to fall for close to two weeks. I lost power for 8 days... Luigi was my only companion for the entire time. Needless to say he learned all kinds of tricks, had a ball playing in the blizzard and helping (?) me shovel snow to the wood pile. We both fell into bed exhausted and cold. But, thanks to Luigi I stayed plenty warm. He hasn't left our bed since. We are not only pemissive but we spoil him rotten. Our way of re-paying him for all the smiles he gives us every day.

[cairnsby3]

If you truly want her off the bed unless invited, my suggestion is a baby gate. As for the car, either a crate or a seat belt harness, both in the back seat, she will get used to it. If you get the harness, practice letting her wear the harness in the house first before you hook her in the car. And yes use a harness not a collar. My dogs usually ride in crates strapped down, but they do ride loose on short local rides. They would never even try to come in the front seat, it's a van and they ride on the floor in back. That's because they have never been allowed in the front seat.

[Lynn in TN]

Kelly doesn't get on the furniture when we are not on it. I have know idea why, cause I wouldn't mind. So long as she doesn't pee or poo on it. Maybe as she gets older she will.

I don't think it would be hard to teach her that she can only get on the bed when you say. She may not listen though.hehehe

[beccadiane374]

She also wants to sit in my lap when we are in the car while I am driving- dangerous! I think this has to do with boarding her at the vet while we were on vacation. She thinks we are going to leave her or something . I may have to get one of those seatbelt harnesses.

I have a seat belt harness for Tanner & I am so glad. I have a very small car and his crate does not fit in it. He gets really nervous in the car, so he's in the front seat; if he's not able to touch me, he kind of spazzes out, but I have the airbag turned off & the seat back as far as it will allow. Some people have mentioned that it's goofy or unnecessary to have a seat belt & I just need to train him to stay in the seat, but, to me, it's more than that. He knows which seat is his; when I put him in the car, I tell him to go to his seat so I can put the seat belt on him, so that's not the issue. However, if we were to ever be in a car accident, I know he's not going to go flying through the window, the seat belt keeps him in place. Plus, if I ever need to get out of the car quickly for any reason, he is right there and I don't have to wonder where he's at. I will readily admit that I purchased about 4 different seat belts before I found one I liked, (returned the ones I didn't) so it could be a trial/error thing until you find the one right for you, but it is a purchase that I am very, very happy to have made and find it absolutely worthwhile.

[Tuesday]

I think Brad summed it up one time about cairns in cars - bowling balls with teeth. Anyway, I second, third and fourth all the harnesses and crates in cars folks. It's safer for them and you. Murphy traveled well in a box from the time we picked him up from the breeder to now. He gets in, he falls asleep before we get out of our neighborhood. Totally a safe place he can shut down.

Now as far as the bed thing. We indulge him and allow him to have "cuddle time" before we go to bed while we are reading or in the morning when we want to sleep in a little bit longer. Other than that, he's on his own in his own room, in his own crate with his sheets and pillow and woobie. He LOVES it there. Plus there's the whole crazycairnbarkingscreechything in the middle of the night that I just can't get past. Even when we've tried having his crate in our room, he still has this little thing he does by running his paw down the crate grate at 3 am that I'm not too fond of. So, in his room it is.

As for other furniture in our home, it's pretty much whatever he wants, with the exception of a new couch, tables and counter tops. He has been known to sit like a gentleman in the dinning room chairs... ...his father started that one poker night.

We also crate when we leave the house, even for a little while. These little suckers are too crafty, and I fear he'll get on here, read everything I've written about him and pull a Fudgie...

We are getting colder nights here in Florida (30's tonight) and I would really love to have the fuzzy guy in our bed - that extra warm body temperature would be very helpful to my thin blood.

[Jeff N Oscar]

We sometimes have cuddle time on the bed, but real sleep time takes place in their crates downstairs far away from our sleeping bodies. If I am in bed watching TV during the day or early evening Oscar will sometimes whimper at the side of the bed asking to be lifted up (he's too chubby to get on the bed or furniture himself), but I just tell him "shhhhushhh" and he stops and just settles for the floor. Jeff also waits to be invited "usually", but ocassionally he'll jump right up when he's over excited or thinks there's a chance another animal might be getting his attention, but I just tell him "off" and he too settles for the floor. NOW as for when we are not around, well Oscar is still too chubby to do as he pleases and Jeff can sometimes be found on furniture, but he's not confused when I tell him to get down, he understand English.... Ya know unless he's over excited, then he needs a translator

[Dempsy's Mom]

Demps has a crate just for the car and he uses it until I stop the car then he comes out to investigate. Demps won't sleep with us. He has his bed next to us. He likes to snooze in Jim's big chair when we are in the TV room and if we aren't around - I have found that he really enjoys snoozing on my antique couch. The first time I saw him there I about died, but he likes to lay there and look out the bay window and snooze away - since then I have given in and I cover my cushions. All is great in Dempsy's world.

[Idaho Cairns]

Short of closing the door or using a gate, I know of no way to selectively prohibit a dog from using the bed--especially if you aren't at home. But, we really haven't tried with our girls since they sleep with us, nap with us, and generally keep us warm while we are in bed. I am at the point now, especially in the winter, where I am uncomfortable in bed without a Cairn laying against my butt or lower legs. Since at our ages, beds are strictly for sleeping it is no big deal if the girls take up some of the space with us--now in my salad days, having a dog in there might have been a bit of a problem--not now.

[Hawkeye]

Both Bailey and Radar sleep on the floor in our bedroom in their dog beds. We did start to let them in our beds but was a bit too much plus Radar peed right in the middle of the bed one day, which I think was a dominance thing. So they no longer are allowed on the bed. They don't show any interest in our bed and while we are out of the house they tend to stay in the familyroom - they get a birdseye view of the backyard.

[hheldorfer]

Since at our ages, beds are strictly for sleeping it is no big deal if the girls take up some of the space with us--now in my salad days, having a dog in there might have been a bit of a problem--not now.

Ain't it the truth!

[Dempsy's Mom]

Oh you poor boys. Santa must of had you on the naughty list - suppose the New Year isn't going to help either - oh well, sooner or later we all go to the dogs. Happy Cairn Snuggles.

[josie&holly]

Holly has her own bed next to mine and she only goes up stairs when I put her on bottom stair to go to bed. However, she is spoilt as she won't come down the stairs [when she tries she wants to jump from top to bottom!!] so I have her on my lap and I come down on my bottom! [i reckon it is safer than carrying her as I walk down in case miss a step] My friend thinks I am mad to do this.............. but I love her company upstairs at night even if she is not actually on bed with me.

Oh, and though I allow her on sofa with me at home, when I go to my friends their dog [Paddy - Irish Terrier] is not allowed on furniture so I have to remind Holly of this and most of time when we are there she knows that the rules are different in that house. However, when Paddy was at my house when I was dogsitting I was naughty and allowed Paddy up [she wanted to join Holly] and when she returned home she decided she would go on their sofa too and got into trouble!! which was my fault! So next time she is here I must not allow this. Obviously I am a softer touch than Paddy's owners.........................................

[kjwarnold]

Our house is their house, so they can go wherever they want. The rarely get on the bed without us there though, since our bedroom is upstairs and they usually stay on the same floor with us. Once in a while, I will find Kirby lounging on the bed in a guest bedroom; that's where he goes to look out the window at intruding squirrels. He must get tired and lay down to rest up for more squirrel patrol. It's a tough job... Now when we visit my parents, they aren't allowed on the furniture and they know that. They don't even try to get on it. Same with a friend's house that we visit frequently.

As for the car, they are in their crates. We travel a lot and they're used to it. Periodically, Packy will whine and want a drink of water, so they get out for that, but then it's right back in.

[pindrop]

Layla started out in her crate till she was about seven months old and then started sleeping on our bed. However, as happened with Radar, she too peed on the bed and that was it. I needed a new mattress anyway but since purchasing it she is back to her crate. You can tell she is not a happy camper and would prefer to be with us at night but too bad. On occasion, she will "retire" early in the evening and I'll find her on the bed but she jumps off quickly as if to say "who me?". We don't restrict her from the furniture as her favorite place is sitting atop the couch and watching the squirrels/chipmunks race through the forest. Insofar as rides in the car, she doesn't travel long distances with us (but if she does it's in a crate.) Our rides are to the forest each day which is about 1 1/2 miles and she sits on the front seat. One thing you do learn is once given permission, it's confusing for them to renege.

[Kathryn]

Cars - always crated. DH and I have talked about the new car we will need in retirement, when we plan to travel more in the US. We'll carry in both dog crates to each car dealer to make sure both crates fit in the back seat! I really believe they must have seen this before but I'll also bet it's not a common reason for picking a specific model of car.

Furniture? I gave up years ago and put covers on the couch. When we recovered it I got a new cushion cover. Dogs are allowed on the furniture if we are there. But the dogs are gated into the kitchen and dining room (where we are most often) and only go into the comfy tv room when we are both there. Then they take over the huge ottoman, leaving only a little room for our feet.

Steve occasionally likes to sit in the counter chair and put his feet up on the counter watching TV. (I have given up....). Once T Bone was in his lap, he fell asleep, and T Bone walked over his legs and onto the counter where he proceeded to eat an entire stick of butter. That was not supposed to be allowed!

[KShep]

Speaking of seat belts- would a simple attachment like this for her harness suffice? If I had something like this, I would probably actually use it.

[MegsMom]

KShep, they work nicely--have several of them. Rather funny when you leave one in the receptacle and someone gets in, grabs the belt and starts to click it and finds the receptacle already occupied!

PS> they do come in a couple of lengths, so if you're looking on ebay note the lengths.

[josie&holly]

Yes, I use a seat belt attachment like that = have it just long enough for her to lie in the rear passenger footwell of my car. Just have to watch when unfastening that you do not unfasten lead instead!

Holly is sick if in crate but is fine there. In any case my car is not very big [Hyundai i10] and a crate is difficult to fit in!