How do you let a doodle know that it's BED time and not PLAY time?

[Frannie & Callie]

While this isn't an issue with Callie, sometimes fosters and guest dogs I've had want to play when it is time to sleep. I'm ok with a few minutes of play (tired is tired!) but Callie soon becomes done with play and is ready to get her beauty rest.

 

Right now, this is happening with Bixby Foster Doodle, where bedtime is giving him a complete second wind. True to form, Callie will play for 10-15 minutes (the favorite being what I call "king of the bed" where Bix is on the floor, jumping on and off the bed, with Callie being the "King" and never leaving the bed). I try to separate them, give Bixby a toy in the dog bed (which is where he actually sleeps), let Callie lay on the pillows right above my head (FYI - last night proved this to be a bad idea, as Bixby pretty much stood on my face to get to Callie and he's no flyweight!).

 

Pretty much every other part of the day they are in complete sync...they play at the same time, trade antlers and toys like they have a written schedule, eat and drink together, etc. I noticed that when we had Bentley Foster Schnoodle, it was very much the same kind of thing.

 

I know I won't have Bixby much longer...he's pending adoption to a wonderful family, but if there is advice for this now, and that I can apply to future fosters, that would be helpful and appreciated!

 

 

[Leslie and Halas]

I started by never letting Halas play on the bed. If he was on the bed, he had to lay down and be quiet. Even if it wasn't bed time, and I just put him up on the bed to hang out while I was putting clothes away or something, I'd put him back on the floor if he started playing. He wasn't big enough to jump on the bed by himself, so this may not work too well for you. He was also pretty young at the time, and I was still crating him a lot, so if he started trying to play or wouldn't settle when it was bedtime, he had to get off of the bed and go to his kennel to sleep. He picked up on that pretty quickly, figuring it out over the course of a 3 or 4 nights. We were only trying on Saturday nights at the time, so he had a week in between attempts. I know Bixby is a little older and a lot bigger than Halas was at the time we were figuring this out, but he would probably get the idea if you could somehow get him to realize that playing means he can't be on the bed. Now, Halas is allowed to play on the bed sometimes, but he still understands the difference between play time and bed time. In fact, at almost 3 years old, he seems to tell me when it's time to go to bed. He'll act excited, grab a toy, and run upstairs, but by the time I get up there, he's in bed and ready to sleep.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is hard since you are inquiring about fosters. It just takes some training to get ANY dog to understand bedtime (obviously harder when they are with you for a shorter time). I started that with Peri a while ago. She knows she is only allowed on our bed when it is light outside (I know, smart dood!). She and Taquito sometimes play during the day while I am getting ready or putting on makeup at the vanity. At night though, I have a routine:
1. Turn down lights.
2. Put on sound machine.
3. Turn down bed.
4. Put Taquito under covers (he has done this since day 1 - I know it is not quite fair, but he's a chihuahua).
5. Sometimes I let Peri rest on the bed while we finish getting ready.
6. When I am ready for bed, I move her bed next to my side of the bed on the floor and say "okay, time for bed" - she hops down into it.
I guess try to make it calm and if there is a way you can keep Callie kind of out of sight, that would help. Don't know if it's possible....

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Well I'm not much help as our "girls" sleep in their room and we have been having foster Rufus (as well as our other fosters) sleep in our room. We haven't had a problem so far. All have settled down just fine. I'm thinking though could you maybe try a kong with peanut butter or something to maybe get him settled on his pillow and then maybe with you and Callie quiet, when he finishes he would just go to sleep. Other than that I have no ideas.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think this would definitely be tough with a foster; most dogs will settle into a routine over time, but with a foster, especially one who's never lived in a home with a regular schedule, the only thing I can think of would be crating them at bedtime. I think if the home dog(s) settles down and won't engage, the foster would follow suit. Wish I had some better advice.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

That's why I hide Taquito in bed :) LOL

[Adina P]

Is crating an option for the foster? That's the only thing I can think of as any puppy that hasn't earned the right of liberty in the house and any dog that is visiting is always crated in my house at bedtime.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am no help at all - I let them play on the bed and get annoyed when they do it when DH has fallen asleep. I am a bad Mom but I just lay there and watch them play and just smile! DH wakes up and smiles right along with me. They pay for 5 minutes and then pass out.
I will have a foster coming to live with us Friday - I hope that my bad Mom skills won't include our foster. Oy!! what have I done????
I guess tonight will be the 1st night of no play in Mom's bedroom. Wish me luck!

[The Berry Oaks Doodle Ranch]

We have a bedtime ritual Guinness, brings his stuffed Teddy down stairs right before bedtime...throws it around a few times than we tell him it's time for bed.. he.take's Teddy to bed..and he just lies down.. He does this most times because he's always been that way since he was small, he'll just lay down that's it OUT-- like a light.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I know when we first got Vern, this happened almost every night. He wanted to play at bedtime and our Fudge is a dog that needs her beauty sleep. I would say we dealt with this for about two weeks and then it stopped and they both seemed to get into their routine and know it was bedtime. I think it just takes time and I know you do not always have that with a foster. If the fosters are going to be crated, I would follow the same routine each night starting on day one....a kong, a treat, a favorite something in the crate, etc. to indicate it is bedtime. Good luck. So glad to hear Bixby is going to a great home.

[Joyce & Wilson]

Glad to hear Bixby may be going to his forever home! Wilson has slept with me since day 1...( was soo little and cute and settled right in) Did Bixby get exercise in the evening..usually a few time of playing ball or chasing around the house..gets Wilson to poop out and ready for bed..but I dont know what its like with 2. Good job with your fosters!

[shelly]

This is an easy one for us... don't really even know how it started... but all I do is take her out for her last potty break for the night... just the lights and say "go home". But... she follows me to the freezer, waits for me to open it and take out the "magic container" and she darts into her crate. I freeze some of her canned food into small "bedtime snacks" (which we call meatballs). It's like Pavlov's dog with the bell... she waits to hear the freezer slide open and she runs. We have a special routine... I pet her, say sleep time, shut the door and toss the 'meatball' thru' the crate and away I walk. BUT if I give her the meatball and THEN close the door, she FREAKS out... barking and pushes her paw up against the door.... go figure??!!

[Linda and Murphy]

I must have a different kind of doodle. HE lets me know when its time to go to bed.(Alas, I am still in school finishing up my MPH. Working full time and class leads to late nights.)
Murph gets his favorite stuffed toy (he sleeps with it) and stands there looking at me.
If I don't take the hint, he takes his duck, walks to the stairs and looks back over his shoulder. If I STILL don't get up, he comes and plops down by my feet with this huge sigh. His clock says 10pm is bedtime.