Hope you can help out as I was told this week that my friends 2 yr old boxer Rodney has been scared by his bed.
Three nights ago he was asleep in his plastic bed downstairs and a poster on the wall fell onto him so he ran up stairs and was all frightened to go near his bed again, my friend phoned me asking how she could get Rodney back into his bed- I said put it next to the front door and he should be OK for the night. My friend thought he would be more settled in the lounge and so put his bed there. Sadly he got freaked out a second time by nudging a side cabinet that was on wheels and so now will not go near his bed at all ??
I went around to her house last night and saw how bad Rodney is- he is lying on an old sleeping bag but will not get into his bed and I tried to get him in there but only for 5 minutes then when I moved away he got out, and then he just sat on my feet looking all confused and began pacing about  in a right state!
Any tips on how to get him over his scary bed ?? The poor lad looks totally knackered and needs his comfy sleeps again :-)

One solution would be a new bed without the associations - that might be easiest. :-) DAP plug in and spray might also help - you can spray the DAP on the bed. Another thought is put the bed somewhere she's sure nothing will land on him etc - and throw really tasty treats - like bits of chicken breast - into the bed for him to eat - if he won't go in then near the bed first, to build up his confidence that nothing bad happens near it and give him a positive association.

Thanks for your reply I did mention to my buddy about buying him a new bed- I am new to this DAP malarkey so not sure to recommend one. As I've just acquired another dog with issues with being left alone- maybe could invest in one for me... then if good rave about it to my mate.
cheers suez

My dog has a piece of vet bed over an old duvet which he uses during the day when he wants to go to it. At night he sleeps upstairs with us and choose where to go moving around when he wants. Is it important to your friend that Rodney has a real bed could he just have something that is moved where ever if necessary. Is the bed the problem or being left alone now that he is scared ?

Hi
It is the bed its self he was frightened of at the moment, his sleeping bag that is padding for his bed he has over come so using that at the mo - which the poor lad has to because my mate has hard flooring every where.  He is really good on his own and loved curling up in his bed before. He did not even get onto the settee- which he could of but is not allowed such a good boy- when I've taken my lad around her house he has taken himself up to her bed to lie on as nowhere else to crash lol. My mate is worried about him being up stairs as she has a new baby in a moses basket that he could easily knock over.  

I could just try a little bit of treat work every day by getting him to touch the bed or go in it. A clicker would be helpful in this situation, clicking him for the exact behaviour.  You shouldn't put too much emphasis on this and make is as casual as possible by acting like there is not a problem.

DAPs work really well for some dogs - at the least it won't do any harm. :-) Let us know how things go.

Thanks guys for all your input...I will pop round and see how he's doing tomz I told my friend last night what to try for now.
I have a clicker that I trained my lad with somewhere in a draw- so I'll take that with me & give it a go. x