Sleeping on the bed??

[BellasMom]

I was just reading a couple of old posts and someone mentioned that having the dogs sleeping on the bed with you should be a no no. Why is that? I've always had mine sleep with me and other than having to do a little more laundry it's never seemed to be an issue.

[Sue]

Hi Bella's mom,

I think the camp is divided on this issue, but those that don't allow it feel that sleeping on the bed (or other furniture) gives the dog the idea that they are equal to the human. By having the dog sleep on the floor, below the person, it helps establish pack order in their mind. Some feel that if the dog is only allowed on the bed/furniture when specifically invited, and gets off without complaint when told, it's okay. Some have specific pieces of furniture that the dog is allowed on, and other pieces that it isn't. And some feel it's fine and not an issue at all. So, I guess it's really up to you!:)

[Skip]

Rocky sleeps on my bed sometimes when I'm not there. If I'm in bed, he has to ask before he gets in, and sometimes the answer is no. If I'm at home and NOT in bed, he doesn't go in the bedroom. This is the only piece of furniture he is allowed to get on, and only with permission. No problem here.

[halliebear]

Originally posted by BellasMom
I was just reading a couple of old posts and someone mentioned that having the dogs sleeping on the bed with you should be a no no. Why is that? I've always had mine sleep with me and other than having to do a little more laundry it's never seemed to be an issue.

I think it all depends on the dog. I have a pitmix who used to sleep on the bed, but it started to get uncomfortable for us humans (she's a bed hog!) so she sleeps on the floor now. But her behavior was exactly the same (she became calmer when we let her up on the bed).
On the other hand, my rottweiler Hal has resource guarding problems, so he doesn't sleep up there with us. I don't want him to start location guarding too

Both dogs are allowed on couches, though they know the off command, I love cuddling too much not to. :D

halliebear

[chacha]

I have also been told not to let my dogs sleep with me because of the "equal to humans" thing. In my situation when we go to bed at night they automatically go to sleep in "their spots" on the floor. Then when Jay gets up and there is room for them they will get in to bed with me. If they are not wanted in bed the have no problems getting back onto the floor. On the other hand I have heard of dogs being very assertive that once they are there no one can kick them out. I agree with Sue and Halliebear and it depends on the dog.

[RottnByrd]

Dakota is my cuddle bug and most of the time I have to make her get into bed with me! Once she is there she is fine but sometimes will jump off in the middle of the night and sleep on the floor. I have never had a problem with her grumbling if I tell her to get off so I figure I can be a little selfish about it. I can't help it, I love hearing her little snores as she cuddles next to me! My friends rottweiler on the other hand will hog the hole bed and then growl if he tries to make him get down. If Koty did that she'd be sleeping on the floor!

[Nina&Bill]

Smidgen was a serious bed hog :D She liked to take her half out of the middle. For the most part she only came up onto the bed when she was invited but on the extremely rare occasion we'd find her asleep on the bed, curled up with the cat. Smidgen was crated at night but whenever Bill was away overnight or I was home sick & tucked in bed she was right there with me, taking up as much space as possible and glaring at me whenever I flipped around. She would get down in an instant if I told her to, though. She got invited up a lot more once we acquired this latest cat, though, who sleeps on my husband's chest all night. Being allowed on the bed was a big treat for Smidgen, the cat just takes it as her due.

Amber hasn't even attempted to get onto any of the furniture and I have no problem with that.


Nina

[whitney greenway]

I could not let mine sleep on the bed, he had issues.

I am not going to let the puppy sleep on the bed either.

I just think it is a little to familiar.

[Steve Craftman]

Furniture privileges are exactly that: privileges. And as such can be withdrawn as John and I see fit. I think it helps reinforce our position as the alphas that one of the dogs is woken up from a comfortable snooze on the sofa because John or I want to sit there.

All three dogs, at some point in the night, will sleep on John's bed (he has a large double and so has the room), but only Zeus will sleep on my bed (a single) when I'm in bed. I might go to bed to find B'Elana snoozing on my bed, but as soon as she realises that I'm going to bed, she drops down to "her spot" on the floor beside my bed. Teal'c is very reluctant to get on my bed at all, even when invited, and when he sleeps in my room he sleeps beside B'Elana's spot...

[JD102175]

Brodie has only actually slept through the night on the bed once. He stayed at the foot of the bed inbetween Dave and I. Unfortunately the next night he decided that chewing on some clothing was more fun than sleeping and he is now confined in his crate at night. But, he will join me or Dave in bed if we happen to take a quick nap or if one of us is still in bed after he's been let out and fed in the mornings. We have never had a problem getting him off. My Husky though will not go on the bed, with the exception of when there's a thunderstorm, then she tries to hide in all of the pillows. And believe me, even though she's only 45lbs, having a dog lying across the head of the bed trying to hide is not a fun way to sleep.lol


Jaime

[RottiMomCT]

Ben is allowed on the furniture by invitation only. I get into bed (hubby is usually still watching TV or online :)) and pat the bed and tell him "Cmon up!" and he jumps up and lays next to me.

He is also allowed on the sofa, again, invitation only. When I go to work, I know he's on the bed & sofa, and that's fine....lately he's decided the sofa is much more comfortableto be on while I'm at work...wonder what he watches on TV all day - better not be those darned soap operas!!

[LORHEL]

I personally don't let Makita on the bed. She does have her own couch/bed that she sleeps on.. it is an old piece of a sectional and she loves it... other than that she doesn't even try to get on any furniture. She did try to get on the bed one of the first nights we got her, but I didn't let her...

Some people can do it and not ever have problems... other dogs become pushy, thinking it is their turf, and especially in the instance of say a male dog with a single female..when she gets a boyfriend, the dog is lets say, less than happy to share...;)

I say each his own, but for dominant dogs, no way.

[Jamie & Odin]

I never used to let the dogs on my bed. The malt sleeps with my daughter, and Odin used to sleep in his crate.

I've decided that the maltese needs a serious "boot camp" experience, so his days of indulgence are over. And he is NOT happy.

Now that I'm a single girl again, I've decided to let Odin sleep with me. I don't have any dominance issues with him, and he's been very insecure since we moved into the apartment last week. LORHEL, maybe someday I'll tell you to say "I told you so" but I certainly don't see any boyfriends in the near future, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there.