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Old 04-02-2008, 09:15 PM
 
1,627 posts, read 6,482,576 times
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Here's the thing: if my dog is outside, he lies right down and would stay right there day and night. Just get up to pee. The moment I let him in, he's pacing, pacing, pacing. He's only 8 months, so I understand when he gets excited and runs around inside. I understand when he tries to chew anything/everything. But why, for instance, in the evening when it's quiet, won't he lie down???

I end up putting him back outside but I'd much rather have him inside with me--just not pacing back and forth. Yes, I pet him, etc. Anyone have any suggestions? Why can't he pace outside and lie down inside?
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Old 04-02-2008, 09:43 PM
 
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Pacing is often a sign of nervousness. Has he been with you since he was a pup or did he just come recently? Is he left alone inside during the day? Do you scold him for accidents - could he be anxious about not knowing how to communicate that he needs to go out? Be careful to not reward the behavior that you are wanting to extinguish. If you want him inside in the evening - reward him for coming in. If you put him out - where he wants to go - you are rewarding the pacing with what he wants. I imagine that he'll settle down over time. Just make indoors a happy place where he can be confident that he knows what is going on and what is expected of him.
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Old 04-02-2008, 09:53 PM
 
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Ok, hopefully he'll settle down. We've had him since he was a small pup and I'm home all day so he gets lots of attention. I don't scold him for anything--I have taken 2 puppy training classes and worked on training him w/positive reinforcement (mostly food-based, but am weaning off that). I suppose I could be rewarding his pacing b/c after I while I do put him back out. I have tried giving him treats to eat and he'd lie on his dogbed to eat them but the only one he doesn't devour immediately is a bully stick. That takes him a day to eat, but at $12/pop I really can't keep up a $12/day treat habit of his!

I'll just keep trying and see if more exercise durng the day helps. I haven't taken him for a long walk in a while--only short ones.
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Old 04-02-2008, 10:24 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frogandtoad View Post
but at $12/pop I really can't keep up a $12/day treat habit of his! .
Pinetreelover has given you very good advice. Petedge.com has bullystick that is huge and costs ~$3 each. I just received ~20 of them for ~$60. Good Deal. It takes three nights for my GSD to chew one. Of course, she only chews it when no one pays attention to her.
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Old 04-02-2008, 10:30 PM
 
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I would kennel train him. Get a kennel large enough for him to stand and lie down in and put him in it at night. Put a blanket in it. They look at that as a safe place of their own and he obviously cannot pace in there. In time if you do not want him to be in there every night try letting him out with the kennel door open and see what he does. He may do better in the house and still use the kennel to sleep in. I'd keep him in the kennel every night for awhile though before opening the door.
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Old 04-03-2008, 07:29 AM
 
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He is already crate-trained and sleeps in there at night (with the crate shut). We started that as soon as we got him so he's very used to it and goes in without trouble. He goes in there to rest during the day sometimes as well but not in the evening when he'd rather pace around!

I'll order some bullysticks from that site tonight. I pay attention to him all day (well, I have kids too--so not ALL day, but a lot!), and also for some time in the evening, but I also knit and I am not going to sit on the floor with him the entire evening so maybe this would work til he's a bit older and maybe his energy level goes down a bit? $3 each is doable--much cheaper than Petsmart!
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Old 04-03-2008, 11:31 AM
 
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I was just watching my dog and thinking maybe I used the wrong term....I guess it's not really pacing, it's more just walking and walking and walking. As he's a puppy, he picks up a toy or pulls a cushion off the couch and tries to eat it. Walks over to see if the toilet lid is up so he can have a drink . Walks to the playroom to see if someone has left the door open. Heads upstairs to see what he can get into there.

This is probably a big distinction so sorry for misleading everyone! I have the back door open right now (fenced yard) so he can be in or out. He comes in, walks around for 20 minutes, then heads outside and lies down. I wish there were a way to get him to do the lying down INside and the poking around OUTside. We have almost 2 acres, but he does nothing out there but lie down right by the door and sleep!

So...maybe it's just a puppy thing that he's getting into things and is distracted inside? He's pretty calm, and he's almost 100 pounds, so maybe I'm just expecting too much because he looks like a big dog but is really only 8 months old.

Anyway...this is a learning experience! Our last dog was a puppy 10 years ago and we lived in a small place with no kids yet and not much to get into. I guess maybe I've just forgotten the whole puppy thing!

Thanks for all the feedback so far!
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Old 04-03-2008, 02:14 PM
 
Location: West Virginia
13,909 posts, read 39,082,986 times
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He sleeps outside by the door....Guard dog on duty! Pacing inside...checkin to see if eveything is ok! Not sure its relitive but what breed is he?
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Old 04-03-2008, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Happy wherever I am - Florida now
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He doesn't happen to be a border collie does he?
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Old 04-03-2008, 02:20 PM
 
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Our old border collie paced when she was in the house. You could not tire that dog out, I don't think that dog slept.
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