First off, thanks so much to everyone who has answered my previous posts about Hank and his naughty teenage stage. The suggestions have really helped. Here is that thread in case anyone thinks that issue is related to this next issue.
http://www.mastiff-forum.com/showthread.php/25506-BB-owner-feeling-lost-and-unsure-advice-desperately-needed-on-how-to-proceed
My 15 month old male BB, Hank, has recently decided that he does not want to get up in the mornings for his walk. He sleeps in our bedroom on the floor in his own bed. He goes to bed with us around 11 after a final short walk to do his business. Until recently, he was the one who would wake us up around 6:30/7:00 to go out. Then my husband would take him for his morning walk and feed him breakfast before getting ready for work himself.
Now, Hank will not get out of bed for anything. The usual tricks have worked once or twice - knocking on the door, making noise with the food bowl, using treats to lure him down. But now nothing short of physically lifting him up out of bed (all 66 kgs of him) will get him moving.
We would just leave him be but I am home with the baby so it is kinda important that my husband can walk him before work. I take the afternoon walks but in the morning I am busy with our little one. And also, it seems that it should be the pack leader who decides when the pack goes out, not the dog.
Anyway, I am just wondering what this is all about. Is he depressed for some reason? Or just tired since we have been trying to wear him out more during the day. Or is this some kind of power struggle? Should we just leave him in bed and make him ask to go out? Does that undermine us as the alphas?
As far as we know he is healthy, pee/poop normally, has energy the rest of the day, is not over weight. This problem started about a month ago but the last two weeks it has gotten worse. Thanks in advance!
http://www.mastiff-forum.com/showthread.php/25506-BB-owner-feeling-lost-and-unsure-advice-desperately-needed-on-how-to-proceed
My 15 month old male BB, Hank, has recently decided that he does not want to get up in the mornings for his walk. He sleeps in our bedroom on the floor in his own bed. He goes to bed with us around 11 after a final short walk to do his business. Until recently, he was the one who would wake us up around 6:30/7:00 to go out. Then my husband would take him for his morning walk and feed him breakfast before getting ready for work himself.
Now, Hank will not get out of bed for anything. The usual tricks have worked once or twice - knocking on the door, making noise with the food bowl, using treats to lure him down. But now nothing short of physically lifting him up out of bed (all 66 kgs of him) will get him moving.
We would just leave him be but I am home with the baby so it is kinda important that my husband can walk him before work. I take the afternoon walks but in the morning I am busy with our little one. And also, it seems that it should be the pack leader who decides when the pack goes out, not the dog.
Anyway, I am just wondering what this is all about. Is he depressed for some reason? Or just tired since we have been trying to wear him out more during the day. Or is this some kind of power struggle? Should we just leave him in bed and make him ask to go out? Does that undermine us as the alphas?
As far as we know he is healthy, pee/poop normally, has energy the rest of the day, is not over weight. This problem started about a month ago but the last two weeks it has gotten worse. Thanks in advance!
