[Hambonez]

I haven't been here forever! Between my now toddler and finishing my PhD, haven't had time for forums, but I need some help!

My dog Hamilton (5 yo dachshund X) hurt his back somehow in June. Our vet was essentially useless, went in twice, given pain meds, recommended a $900 course of acupuncture with no definitive diagnosis. I ended up self referring to an orthopedist who is treating a presumed disc injury with steroids and crate rest. He's done great on the steroids, finished the course, and is due to come off crate rest Monday. I called the orthopedist office to ask how to safely resume activity with him and I was told to not let him jump on and off the furniture.

How the heck do I keep him off the furniture?? The vet's office said block it but I can't fathom how to do that in a practical way to keep both him and my daughter safe. Yes, ideally he'd be trained to stay off furniture but we've never minded our pets sitting with us and that won't really fix the immediate problem. I've also thought of tethering but the only furniture heavy enough to hold him is the couch. One couch is a large sectional with a chaise. Help?

 

[Jen2010]

Welcome back!

You might just have to block off the area completely with a gate until he's fully healed. Another option would be to tether him somewhere in the room where he can't get to the furniture.

If you provided a ramp for him to use, do you think he would actually use it or would he still try to jump up. I thought dachshunds really couldn't (or shouldn't) jump that high anyway?

 

[Hambonez]

Welcome back!

You might just have to block off the area completely with a gate until he's fully healed. Another option would be to tether him somewhere in the room where he can't get to the furniture.

If you provided a ramp for him to use, do you think he would actually use it or would he still try to jump up. I thought dachshunds really couldn't (or shouldn't) jump that high anyway?

He's a mix so he's taller than a dachshund, 19 lbs, 18" to shoulder. He has no problem doing big jumps. We rearranged the furniture in the living room to keep him from jumping directly up onto the bay window, put the couch in front so he'd have to jump up there first but no, he would leap over the couch directly onto the window. I think he'd ignore a ramp, and try to jump any barracade. We could gate him into the kitchen but it's the center of the first floor that opens to three other rooms and I think my kid would flip out since she'd be trapped too.

 

[Lillith]

Yeah, either block off the furniture with x-pens or gate the room off completely, or teach the dog to use a ramp instead of jumping up on the furniture. Can you get the baby gates with doors in them? Is your daughter able to open the doors of a baby gate to get through so she doesn't get angry.

 

[Canyx]

Hey there! Your kid is so big now!!
If I were you I would use an exercise pen. So basically, more confinement for Ham, but a bigger space than a crate. You can move it around so that he can be part of the activities without being able to jump on things. I hope you find a solution and I hope Ham is better soon!

 

[Sydneyrocky]

My thought was a ramp or doggie stairs and then put those railings on the rest of the couch that go under the pillows like they have for toddler beds for people so they don't fall out at night.

 

[Hambonez]

Ok reply with quote didn't work...

@canyx

I know! She talks now too, it's nuts. I had to put a carabiner on the crate because she kept letting Hammie out! She loves him. Congrats on your new pup!

The problem with the ex pen is that we stopped using it when he started climbing over it. :/ I cannot save this dog from himself. I've been brainstorming places to tether him.

 

[Hambonez]

@Sydneyrocky

Oooo that's a good idea! We have one of those and it would at least block a large section of the couch. He was using a step stool to get up and down before he was put on rest. I'm just thinking he'll fly over it now that he's feeling better. There are steps to the couch at his friend's house. He leaps over them.

 

[Hambonez]

Yeah, either block off the furniture with x-pens or gate the room off completely, or teach the dog to use a ramp instead of jumping up on the furniture. Can you get the baby gates with doors in them? Is your daughter able to open the doors of a baby gate to get through so she doesn't get angry.

The openings with the gates now are huge and we have extra wide accordion gates screwed into the walls. Besides if the gates had doors she'd just let him out all day. She misses him.