# Oh Dudley again!!



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Dudley has calmed down so much and is such a good boy MOST of the time, ok he still pulls, he still jumps up (not usually at us) and still demands attention too much of the time, but is pretty good apart from all that! As he had settled well, a little while ago we started letting him get on the sofa, at first it was just the sofa on his blanket but of course that ended up also being on the sofa not on the blanket, on the armchair and pretty much wherever he wanted! When we go out and leave him we sometimes let him stay in the lounge but sometimes just the hall, where he has a bed and the crate to choose from. Now although he never attempts to go upstairs when we are home, we had realised he started sneaking up there when left, and on a couple of funny occasions he had come up not realising one of us was still home upstairs and charged back down when caught! So I just thought as long as we close the doors upstairs it doesn't really matter as he would only have the landing if he did come up. 
A few days ago I was out and as I put the key in the door I definitely heard the sound of him running down the stairs! looked and our bedroom door was open, being old doors I guessed it hadn't shut very well. Yesterday I went out and made sure I closed it properly - yes you've guessed it, it was open again - then I noticed the paint scratched off the door frame!! Little whatsit has worked out how to open the door and makes himself very nice and comfortable on the bed! hmmm, what to do now?


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## Muttley Brody (Feb 14, 2012)

Clever Dudley. A friend of mine has an English Cocker Spaniel and he learnt how to open her front door - she had to change the door handles and locks!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

My friends GSD can open any door in her house 

I would either put a throw on the bed and leave the door open  or use a dog gate


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I think you've no choice than to leave the door open  I wouldn't risk any further paint damage 

Clever clever boy!  You wanted one with character, you said it yourself. 

Bless him though, he obviously feels very close to you there. It's sweet 

Ps my cat can open doors with the door handle.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

HAHAH!!!! well....Id just give in!! lol. such a comfy bed it must be for him! lol smarty pants that boy!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

hmm, hubby really not keen on letting him have run of the house (he has asthma), I remember a friend managing to change handles so you have to lift to open, may have to think about that! also, Dudley has always been a 'why should I, whats in if for me?' kind of dog and I do worry that he could get even more cocky with going wherever he wants - or is that just an old fashioned view now?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

There are some child safety things that you can get, just depends on your handle style.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I would not worry in the slightest about behaviour problems from more free reign but asthma is a valid concern. Changing door handles to the other way up or even changing for round ones can work although I would expect more scratches to the door while he discovers he can no longer can in (and some dogs learn to open those too)


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Maybe a baby gate is the only option?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lady clears the top of the baby gate when she really wants on the other side...Cricket is vertically challenged however.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

It wouldn't work with Nina either, should would clear a gate no problem! She's a spring chicken 

Lola on the other hand can't even jump into the car boot (trunk). She's never been a jumper/climber. She needs a lift up mostly!


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

We used baby gates with Steffi, Can you fit a gate at base of stairs?jasper likes to come up stairs but only when he's allowed, I agree that too much can make them feel like they are top dog. I think it's important to remain in control! It's lovely for them to feel close and snuggle but they do need boundaries. Jasper is an attention seeker like Dudley, goodness knows why I'm with him all day, maybe that's the issue. I've been firmer with him the past few days and he's being really good at the minute! Luckily jasper can't reach handles  I bet gorgeous Dudley has been having a great time, bless him xxx


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## emjon123 (Apr 9, 2013)

It's a hard one!

Bailey still loves her crate, which is always open and in the kitchen. I am terrified to give her the run of the house because we also have a budgie and I'm sure Bailey would love the opportunity to be alone with him!
Although the only time she bothers with the budgie is when we are feeding or cleaning the cage.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

well we still have the gate that used to be there, its just annoying as I was so pleased to take it down! (over 8 years childminding then Dudley till about 18 months), he never did try to clear the gates either there or when we had one between the hall and the kitchen, and he could easily - jumped on the grooming table when it was full height yesterday!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Maybe you just need to go back to restricting his freedom in the house a little if you want the boundaries, reinforce them by reminding him what you deem acceptable.

This is hard though, I find it too difficult to resist my girls.


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

DB1 said:


> well we still have the gate that used to be there, its just annoying as I was so pleased to take it down! (over 8 years childminding then Dudley till about 18 months), he never did try to clear the gates either there or when we had one between the hall and the kitchen, and he could easily - jumped on the grooming table when it was full height yesterday!


When I had my GSD we had to have all handle so they had to be lifted upwards and we had child locks on fridge and freezer.
I have a gate at the bottom of the stairs. My bottom three stairs bend and the gate just leans against the first straight stair. My two will not pass it as they are wary of it. Evil mummy as I am the first time I put it there as usual they were watching so I purposely knocked it as I stepped over it and it fell down the three stairs and made an awful noise on the laminate. Said two dogs stepped back and stared. They will sit on the stairs but go nowhere near the gate. When I step over it they keep their distance. Once I am over it they sit next to it. They could both jump over it easily. X


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

we put ginger in the kitchen ,with a gate,she jumped that with no problem.so i spent the better part of a day and made a 4 foot high gate, put it up and went to the living room and called her guess what ,yep right over to gate.so we just gave her the run of the house.i feel as long as he is not hurting any thing let him go after all he is a member of your family right .ginger sleeps with us and she is very lady like and good when she does so ,good luck


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

all said already. Either you shut the way to upstairs or you shut the bedroom. To think that a dog on his own is not going to go to a forbidden place is plainly dreaming And if it is a cockapoo you are delusional


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Actually the obvious solution is change the handle on your bedroom door, leave a trail of treats to your son's room, and leave his bedroom door open. No one is going to notice a bit of dog dander in a teenage boy's room


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Maggie's had run of the house since she was house trained. She's as good as gold whenever we leave her.


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

I remember as a kid we had 2 dobermans, mother and daughter and a shih tzu! We came home one day to both dobermans looking out of the upstairs bedroom window! The mum had opened all downstairs doors to let Doberman pup upstairs closely followed by cheeky shih tzu! They had knocked a plant pot off the window ledge and there was soil everywhere. As we entered the house they were all at the top of the stairs looking very guilty, hehehehe x


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Oh Dudley!.......  (clever boy!)
I have a stair gate at the top of the stairs, this was of no use to ruby when she was little as she used to squeeze through the posts on the landing banister!  always been a determined madam!! 
The gate needs to "click" in to place, if I'm been lazy & just close it - R&R know......
Just one body barge & the gate is open..... There is then a frenzy to see what they can steal before been discovered - socks, cuddly toys etc before they make a getaway x


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

ginger has had the run of the house for some time.and she never gets into any trouble,she don't steal any thing because every thing is put away .like the socks are in the hamper ,ETC,,ETC. so she don't have any thing to get in trouble over .and when we go out we all ways give her some thing to keep her busy.she has never ever even taken any ,thing from the trash can. yes i do have an amazing puppy and i'm so lucky to have found her ,,,


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

Jasper sneaks up for nerf bullets! There must be something in them as he can sniff them out anywhere!


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Hee hee Dawn, sorry but it's reassuring to hear of some 'Oh Dudley' antics, there've been far too many complacent 'calming down' posts lately for my liking  Our last dog did this, as soon as the key turned in the lock, if we peeped in through the hall window we saw a little furry bum trotting off upstairs and then we always found a warm dog shape on the duvet later on  We only stopped because she got a spinal problem as she got older and we didn't want her leaping on and off the bed. But asthma isn't negotiable really is it.
With Poppy we're resigned to the gate (to prevent front door problems) and she can come upstairs occasionally when we're in but she just burgles the slippers so it gets silly. 
Maybe a new fitting on your door....and could he have a bed on the landing? Perhaps tack a piece of hardboard to protect the bottom of the door until he realises scratching doesn't get him in?


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Rufus goes anywhere he likes but my sisters Great Pyr can scale a six foot fence with ease and open any kind of door. He can slide them, turn handles and push the levered ones down. He can also chew through a leash in a few seconds flat. I often think this dog should be on a show like Rin Tin Tin.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I guess if the Great Pyr got desperate he could always just go through things


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I know Marion, I guessed a few would enjoy his 'return to form'!! the scratches were high up on the white door surround (can't remember proper name at the mo), so he jumped up to scratch and pull handle down! well I'm afraid i spoilt his fun today by putting the gate up, put it at the top of the stairs instead of the bottom, figured it would be harder to leap over (lets hope so anyway), left him with the hall and lounge, only thing with that is he jumps on chair to look out of the front window and will bark if anyone is about, but I thought he would be less desperate to get in the bedroom with a comfy sofa to lay on.


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

The gate is to stop them play fighting and running up down the stairs the bedroom doors are shut so they can't get in. They are allowed up there with me and they just usually sit on the bed or rummage in the wash basket x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

erinafare said:


> The gate is to stop them play fighting and running up down the stairs the bedroom doors are shut so they can't get in. x


Thats what I thought!


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

Good boy Dudley!

Tilly has access to upstairs when we are at home, but is the complete opposite of Dudley when it comes to doors.... This morning, she came upstairs to find me and the door to my bedroom was open enough for her to see me, but not to fit her body through. She could have pushed it open with her nose, but instead she stood and stared pathetically until I went and opened it for her!! Maybe Dudley could give her a lesson in door opening?!

Xx


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Funny thing is he does that too sometimes with the doors downstairs! although I think that could be him thinking 'well the staff are here, i'll get them to do it'!


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