[Bionic]

When my dog is looking for somewhere comfy to sleep he will claw at the carpet as he goes round in circles (I guess treading down the supposed grass).
I have just had the man here measuring up for new carpet everywhere. Obviously I don't want the dog clawing at the new carpet so how do I train him not to do it before the new carpet arrives?

[Mammyshaz]

Try to encourage him only to sleep on a dog bed or in a dog crate. Still gets dug about a bit but much cheaper to replace. We have one in front of the living room fire and the large cage in the dining room. But there again the dogs and cat rarely lie on the floor as it is either wood or tiles and they like their comfort 

[Fleecewife]

Give him a separate bed which he can scrunch up to his hearts content, and train him to sleep there?  Ours have flat rectangular beds in front of the fire, which they spend ages rearranging into really uncomfortable looking heaps - I think mostly it's so the new arrangement fits only one dog and the other plus the cat have to sleep on the carpet     They might add a couple of their favourite toys too so they can protect them by sleeping on top of them.  (just seen I have crossposted with mammyshaz  )
 
May I borrow this thread please Sally as I too have a dog behaviour problem I was going to ask about, and seeing as everyone who knows about dog behaviour is already here, it seems logical to make use of them  . 
We have two terriers, about 10 and 7 yo.  The older one, a Patterdale x Cairn, makes the most horrible and earsplitting  screaming when I'm opening the door for her to go out at night.  Once the door is open, she charges out and stotts around barking at nothing.  If the other dog, who is mainly Jack Russel, gets out first ie if I hold the older one back, then she will beat him up when she does get out (they are normally the best of friends).  I have tried letting them out more frequently so it's not that she's desperate for a pee, and I have tried putting both their leads on.  The leads mostly work whilst they are on them, but as soon as they go loose she's off after the younger dog.  The behaviour I don't like is not her beating up the JR as he can well stand up for himself, it's the screaming, which wakes the household and the neighbours (well probably not - they are quite a way away) and is just pure bad dog manners.  I want to be able to control this behaviour by voice commands, but so far I've made no progress.  Help please 

[Mammyshaz]

Sounds like your girl is getting herself totally wound up ready for a late night fun session. Does she have general good commands?.
My advice to try ( others will no doubt have other solutions,one never fits all dogs ):-
Try not opening the door at any time ( not just at night ) until they have been told to sit and wait. Once the door is opened they must still wait. Then they can have praise and reward before being given a release command such as 'ok'
At night I would stand with the door closed and only open it once 'madam' has a split second of quiet. The first few nights couldmtake some time so start 15-20 minutes before you want to go to bed    keep up the sit and wait commands as you do through the day before releasing them.
While she is screaming don't look at her. Just patiently ( as physically possible  ) wait for that confusion and second of quiet to open the door. Shouting or telling her off will heighten her excitement.

She will hopefully catch on that the door opens when she has been quiet. Putting in the control just takes the edge off the fact it is playntime. Especially if you expect them to them step outside and sit again until being released for good manners.

All this said I guess you can only do this if you already have the basic commands established in the dogs.
Or you can join in the shouting and sing along to the noise. It's surprising how many dogs and cats suddenly stop their antics in disbelief at your own antics  then open the door 

[happygolucky]

I would also suggest a dog bed, even a small cheap single quilt with a nice cover if you do not want a dog bed, ours have thier own beds but do come out and lay on the floor to stretch.  I notice that one of them is a terrible fidget and I find she removes the bedding but ends up sleeping on one of my shoes and some randome rubbish!!
Not a dog expert but I can see that your Patterdale x Cairn is probably wanting to be top dog at that moment and so get out first, a bit like children in a que, they will push to get out first, whatevers on offer, I had a patterdale and  he was lovely but also took to screaming and that started my other wise quiet rottie cross off howling!! they both have long gone sadly. My 2 younger Labradors also show similar traits if I go out for even a small amount of time then return, if they can see me but not get to me they start to make horrid squealy noises......I just tell them to shut up....   but I get a  bit fed up with them being so needy of me,  I do think its a bit of rivalry, my older bitch is so quiet, its just my 3 year olds that make the noise. My chocolate bitch is not so atheletic as my yellow bitch and she often abushes her and tells her off....I am positive its just a power thing!!! so now that's 2 of us wanting advice!!

[doganjo]

Fleecewife and Mamyshaz -= just talk to each other - you've both got the right idea about the other's problem! 

[Mammyshaz]

Fleecewife and Mamyshaz -= just talk to each other - you've both got the right idea about the other's problem! 

I'm no expert so would hate somebody to think my way is the only method. Different dogs take different methods and there are more experienced people than me on TAS who may have much better solutions. You being one of them, Doganjo     

[Fleecewife]

Thank you Mammishaz     Isn't it funny how something which is a puzzle to one person is obvious to someone else further from the problem     You and happygolucky are right in that she is desperate to get out first, in case there's something exciting out there (sometimes there are rabbits, their favourite game).  The two dogs are intensely competitive so that will be part of the problem.
We had tried getting them to sit before the door opens, but obviously it takes everyone to act in the same way, and one of us can't be bothered - and it's not me     BUT, thickos that we are, we were only doing it at night.  It's obvious now you point it out, that we need to start with getting them to sit before they go out during quiet times, especially when it's raining and they don't want to go out anyway, as well as at exciting times.  They are fairly good at some commands although it's taken a while with Lucy - her bad dog name is Lucifer    to give a hint as to how long it took her to even listen to commands.  The not looking at her, folding my arms and turning my back on her, does work - it was a shepherdess on here whose avatar I'm not sure of who showed us how effective that can be (thank you - you know who you are  )
 
So, the training starts now     Maybe something similar will work for Rip the JR who makes an oh so infuriating endless yipping yapping when he is about to be let out of the car - Lucy is fine then 

[happygolucky]

Have you thought of  not having one of the dogs around, maybe the other dog in another room for a while or outside? I mean if there is no competition then possibly no yelping.......I do not get any competitiveness from my oldest Lab, she is top dog and so no need to challenge for that position...I think the same applies to any problem, others can see the resolution better. 

[Fleecewife]

Hgl - my dogs are joined at the hip    - where one goes the other is there too     But you are right - if there is only one for some reason then that one is very quiet and mannerly.
 
However, the last couple of evenings have been great.  I've been quiet and calm, told them to sit then wait, and until they do they don't get out.  Lucy is being a little angel, and knows exactly what I want her to do.  Amazing    They weren't sure about this treat business - why was I giving them a cat crunchie     So now I'm just giving verbal praise which is better for their figures and it's what they're used to.   Thank you everyone 
 
Now to start training my other half to do the same thing     I'm hoping that in the end the dogs' bad behaviour will just disappear 

[Mammyshaz]

Fantastic    well done you, and good girl And boy   

[happygolucky]

  , getting  your OH to "Sit and Waite" before  he goes out may be a bit more difficult than the dogs!!!
 
 

[Fleecewife]

Oh I dunno - I can use a big stick on him