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Get down-can't get back
by Marie
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
DISCUSSION:
Hello! My Ellii can easily jump up or down off the bed, however, I started thinking about some of the things I have read about back problems with dogs that jump up and down like that. My husband suggested possibly putting a trunk at the foot of the bed. Something that was mid range between the floor and the bed top. It could also double for blanket storage. We did make her a ramp with hinges to go from the bed to the window so she could look outside. It is just two pieces of board with indoor outdoor carpet stapled onto it. It is approx. 1 foot wide, and one board is about 4 feet long and the other about 1 foot long with a hinge between the two of them. We then set it on the bed and connect the shortest board to the window ledge. It works great and then stores nice and flat because of the hinges. I'll be interested to see some of the other ideas you get! Good Luck and God Bless.
But, I digress. Several years ago I bought a Rubbermaid stepstool. It is only 2 steps high, but it is just high enough for Noelle to climb up the 2 steps and then climb about a 1/2 step onto the bed. It's not particularly pretty, after all it's a utility stool, but the steps aren't slippery and she used it immediately without any encouragement from me. She uses to go up and down from the bed. I hope this helps.
June & Mika, I'm not sure about Baxter not "coming". He does great with "stay" and "come" any other time. It's something in his mind that we can't get past. It's only when he's wanting to get back in bed and you reach for him that be backs up. He's not scared or anything. Maybe the teacher in you can help us with this one!!! Any suggestions?
Jeannie
I have a house full of Maltese' and found that the BEST thing is " steps" which I built myself ! I would NEVER let them jump off for fear they might hurt themself's. A few weeks ago I had a 12 week old baby fall off the top of a crate, ( he got there via an armchair) he wound up with a cracked head and had to be put down by 18 weeks...what a pity ....you could try several (2)sized Parson tables, which could slip into each other during the daytime, make sure the surface is NOT slippery, I cover my steps with either Berber or grass type carpet. Good luck ! Renee
Renee
This sounds so familar! We too had the same problem, but it was my side of the bed he came to wanting a boost up. So now we have pulled a chair over to the edge of the bed to use as a step for him. It works great! He used to get down 2-3 times a night, he would go into our daughter's room, to check on her, and then come back into our room, and expect to be boosted up all the time. I finally got sick of it! (I like my sleep) Chair works for me!
Patti
Hi Marie - I have the same problem with my Bailey. She can get down but not back up so what I do is put her down so she can go to the puppy john make sure shes finished, put her back up and just give her some toys and bones to play with on the bed. It doesn't always work so I hope we both can get some better ideas from our friends here.
Robin D.
Hi Marie, I don't think that it would ever even occur to Zoe that she could jump off the bet, she is so small that the best is like Mt. Everest, but when I put her down so she can do her business she come up to the side for a boost. I have found that she got herself up a few times when by comforter was half off the bed - so you might try a throwing him a life line! Zoe was enourmously pleased with herslf the first time she completed that manouver!
Lauren
Marie, Here I find you at another spot! Your original letter made me laugh out loud! I thought Dudley was the only dog on the planet that scratched the mattress next to my head to be let up, or let outside to tinkle, in the middle of the night. He does this to me 1 - 3 times a night. So, I got smart and bought a rattan basket and put it at the end of the bed and taught him how to get up by himself. Guess what? He still scratches the bed next to my head! HA HA HA. I know he just likes that "personal service", and is so spoiled and so cute, he gets away with it!!!!!
Teri
Hi! I have 5 maltese babies, only one of which can jump up on the bed. I bought wooden steps from Speigel Catalogue which blend in with my bedroom furniture and covered the slick finish with padding and material that matched my bedding. Now they can jump up on the bed and four dogs sleep in our bed every night. (My daughter takes the 5th baby to bed with her).
Maria
I used to have the same problem with my Gizmo. In the middle of the night he would jump down and could not get back up. He would whine and wake me up so I would pick him up and put him back on the bed. After serveral nights of getting up 3 and 4 times a night I put a old flat type of ottoman by the bed. I showed him to jump up on it then to the bed. It only took twice and he had it down pat.
Kathy S.
Hi, Marie. My baby (ACTUALLY 11 YEARS OLD) has always wanted to sleep on the bed. As a puppy she jumped on and off the bed by herself. She jumped on and off the couch by herself. She liked to sit on the back of the couch to look out the window when she was alone and I was at work. In fact, she jumped from the back of the couch a couple of times (my heart in my mouth on those occasions). I was lucky that she never got hurt. But, as she got older I began to worry about these habits. She is still amazing agile for her age. She still hops like a bunny, she has incredibly strong hind legs.
loraine and noelle
I don't know if this will help you, but why do you let Baxter get away with not coming? Mika tries that, too, but a sincere "Mika come" makes her change her mind and I can scoop her up if I lay prone and reach over the edge (I'm lazy, too). Maybe it's the teacher in me, but no matter how cute she is, I need her to respond when she is called. She's doing alot of this lately (she's 11 mos.) and is just trying to exert her own authority. I have to keep reminding her I am the alpha human. (Ok, so Gary thinks he is, but if we're consistent, what does it matter? ) Does Baxter need to "go out" during the night? I'm wondering if that's one difference between being paper-trained and going outside? That is, the convenience of it being in the other room. Mika goes outside, so once we go upstairs, that's it, we're all settled in for the night. Good luck. June and Mika
Your message has really tickled me, because I like several other people thought that my Buddy was the only dog who did this. He gets up and down out of bed once or twice a night, and digs the side of the mattress peering up at me to wake up and lift him back into bed. He has been doing it for years now. I think it's kinda cute---like a plea: please help me back into bed.
A word of caution: Buddy has jumped down from the couch once before and actually dislocated him shoulder. I have tried but cannot keep him from jumping down. I may try getting a stool or something. I appreciate the suggestion.
Becky
Taffy used to do this in the night, then learned to jump on the bed herself. Our bed is quite high. I cannot get her to quit jumping off and on things, even if there is an easier way for her to do it! She is a little over 7 pounds, so a bit larger than some of the babies here, but I do worry. One time she jumped up on the kitchen table, slipped and fell hitting the side of her head. I now keep all chairs tightly against the table, but at times I see signs that she has been up there when I wasn't in the room. I worry constantly about this, but can't seem to get her to quit jumping up and down from things. She never even attempts to jump over her little fence in the backyard, but I watch her like a hawk out there anyway.
Robin K.
What great ideas! Last night I was looking at the ads in Dog Fancy and saw some ramps and things. I'm sure with all the suggestions presented here, we'll come up with something. You guys are great and I'm so glad I found this site.
Marie
Hi everyone - Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. Krystal jumps & hops like a bunny, too. Did you ever notice when a maltese goes upstairs or jumps up that they land on their "back feet first"? My vet strongly discourages me from allowing Krystal from jumping down (right!). They could dislocate, or break a leg, foot or most commonly, I hear the knee. I could not stand the thought of this! But how do you stop them? Krystal lives on the back of the couch & jumps down & up all the time.
Mary
Marie, Mika does the same thing -- backs up when I reach down to get her -- but with her it's like she's teasing me. I coax her a couple of times, ask her if she wants to come up, and by ignoring her, I get her to scratch a time or two more and then I finally get serious and pat the side of the bed. With a "Mika come", with an authoritative tone, she knows it's time to quit playing and if she wants up, she better "line up". She comes over to me, I scoop my arm down and she "hops" up to help with the "up" (which is a habit I have of saying when she asks for "up"). I guess the difference with Mika is she never really wants to jump off the bed, so I have more control over how often she leaves and returns. I am very uncomfortable with the idea of her jumping up and down, even though she's a strapping 10 pounder; too many stories of injuries. I really don't want to teach her to climb. She doesn't get on the couch or the other furniture unless on our laps or we put her there, any more than our labrador does. I still feel like we spoil her terribly. I use my voice a lot to let Mika know when it's time to quit kidding around. She gets it, just like my sixth graders do. Use the obedience training Baxter already has and if all else fails, ignore his wishes a couple of times and he'll get the idea. Why buy boxes and steps and clutter up the bedroom if you don't need to? I think most of us just love doting on these babies! I hope this helps. June and Mika.
June
Hi, you all. My Ellie can't jump up even on the couch, but she'll sure jump down from anything! I never thought about it too much, but someone on here mentioned about landing on their back feet when they jump up...that probably explains Ellie's not jumping up. She has luxating patella...can't give you an intelligent definition, but it ain't good! Don't think she'll be disabled, though. She isn't in pain but once in a while and I keep meds on hand to give her. They can operate, but isn't bad enough for that. It's not uncommon in toy breeds.
anne
Missy does the same thing once in a while. I just lay back down and say "ok, stay there", and she will walk up to the bed and stand and wait for me to pick her up.
Perry Hansen