Does your dog sleep in your bed?

[juxie]

My fiance and I are bringing home our Lab pup on Friday and we are debating over whether to let her sleep in our bed or not. I know the habit would be impossible to break, and thats ok because I don't mind a big warm doggie sleeping in my bed when shes all grown up :D

My concern is that she might fall out of the bed when she is small- is there a way to make it safer for her? What are all of your thoughts on letting her sleep with us? We have a crate all set up for her daytime potty training, and it could easily be taken upstairs to put beside our bed for sleeping in- is this perhaps a better idea? Thanks!!

[borzoimom]

on our bed no- but any other bed is fair game..

[tikeyas_mom]

well Tikeya and Ebony dont sleep in our bed.. But Daisy sneaks up there inthe middle of the night

[applesmom]

There are several reasons I don't agree with allowing dogs to sleep with their owners though I did it for years. Breaking them of the habit was one of the smartest things I ever did. For us and the dogs! ;)

The first and most obvious is that it's messy and itchy. Washing sheets every day and clogging the washer and dryer with gobs of dog hair isn't my idea of a good time.

Big dogs take up too much space, don't care if they're laying on your feet and you can't move; put out too much body heat in the summer (their body temperature is 4 points higher than ours) and they lay on the covers in winter--usually during the coldest part of the night! Sometimes they snore too!

A dog needs a place that it can call it's own and doesn't have to share with anyone!

Sleeping with the owners can also cause seperation anxiety.

I'll let someone else get into the dominance problems that can develop. Though I'm aware of them I've never experienced them personally, but that could have been dumb luck!

[Freedom]

As I ponted out in another thread on this subject, I am concerned with the age of this pup. If it is not house trained, young pups can't make it trough the night. Starting with the crate may be a better idea. The first night away from its mom and litter mates, the dog is going to cry a bit. So if you decide to keep the crate in your bedroom, just be awre of that.

[luvofallhorses]

my dogs sleep in bed with me sometimes and my parents most of the time (they have a bigger bed than me.. I have a twin and they have a king)
and they don't have seperation anxiety or anything. :) or any dominance issues whatsoever, although my hound Buster thinks he can only sleep in bed with my parents and not the others. ;) but he lets the other dogs on there most of the time.
and my cats sleep with me all the time since they can fit. :p

[critter crazy]

If my dogs slept on my bed, I would have to sleep on the couch!!!:eek: They have their very own special Beds!

[CathyBogart]

Jasper sleeps on a pile of blankets next to the bed...though if it weren't for a non-dog loving BF he would certainly sleep with me!

[Crayons09]

Sadie sleeps on my parents bed, as you can see from the picture. Daisy does not sleep on beds because she can not jump on them. Now, if she could jump on them she would always be on one. :D
http://crayons09.zoto.com/img/30/0e59ca8756534166f6fee5db78d58ea1-.jpg

[Jakesmom]

We have two, a (large, 100#) Golden Retriever and a smaller English Cocker. They both sleep on the bed (king), at least to start. Usually, in summer, the Golden will get off pretty soon (he gets hot), though in the winter he will sometimes stay the whole night. We started them both in crates or crate equivalent (the bathroom), as I was afraid of hurting them or them needing to "take a break" in the middle of the night. Luckily (for me), my husband always wakes up in the night, so he would just take them out for a mid night potty break. When they were fully potty trained, we let them stay in bed with us.

I'd love to figure a way to let them stay with us from the begining, but this system worked for us. Now if we could just get the two cats to stay off...

Jake's mom

[Sophist]

No dogs on the bed here.

The dogs all get shut in the room with us at night, but they have their own bed set up next to ours on the floor.

I would recommend crating the puppy, at least to start.

[Cincy'sMom]

All of our dogs were crated at night when we first brought them home. Sadie was our first, and she didn't get to sleep with us until she was about 7 months. The other two, much quicker (after housebreaking Cincy and Spot was cured of worms) once Sadie had wormed her way in and gotten most fo the original rules changed!

While they are allowed in our bed, Cincy rarely sleeps with us. Sadie and Spot will for a bit, but eventually they both get down and each of them have two beds in our room (Yes, we have 6 dog beds for 3 dogs in our room...a nest bed and a flat pillow bed for each of them!)

[wolf_Q]

Nebo sleeps on my bed, he is allowed up there with permission. He didn't "earn" that right until he was older...I can't remember when, I think he was at least 2 years old (I would have let him up earlier, but my parents said no dogs on the beds at the time). He started out crated in my room for about a year, then allowed loose in my room at night, then of course, eventually the bed. I also have a 4 month old pup and she is crated in my room at night. I would not start out having a young pup sleep in the bed, nothing against anyone who does that, I personally just would not do that.

[Taylorbay]

My 2 newfs were crate trained from the day they arrived home, they were both allowed free roam of the house while I'm at work when they reached ~18 months old (until they were trustworthy), because I am at work during the day I allowed them to sleep in the bedroom with me with the door gated (not in a crate). Taylor decided that sleeping on the cool floor was better for her but Splash likes to sleep in the bed with me, sometimes she's in the bed all night sometimes she on the floor in her favorite spot next to my bed. It doesn't bother me even as big as she is (110 pounds) - don't know what I'll do should I ever get married again :D
just my opinion but I would start out with a pup in a crate in the bedroom and once he/she is completely potty trained I'd let her sleep where she wants in the bedroom, and if you don't mind her being in the bed and she wants to be there then everybody is happy :)

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Tango sleeps in my bed for most of the night (she goes to hers at some point in the night when she gets too hot). She has since she was 6 months old (she was a very, very well behaved pup and I could trust her). Before she slept with me, I put her in her crate. I love having a dog sleep with me though, and all of my future dogs will be allowed aswell I'm sure - the Tollers anyway; I don't like sleeping with dogs any larger than 45lbs or so just because my bed isn't very big.

[cmayer31]

Both Frankie and Riley were crated until they were about a year old. Riley sleeps in her own room and typically in her crate or on her pillow. Frankie has her own couch/chair that she sleeps on unless I invite her onto my bed. However, when I'm gone she likes to lay on my bed and stare out the window, so I still have to deal with dog hair on my bed. :rolleyes:

[M&M's Mommy]

I love my dogs to pieces, but choose not to share my bed with them. They each have their own beds, which are placed in our bedroom, next to our bed. This arrangement gives everyone the necessary privacy & space while remain close to each other :). Our dogs know the bed is off-limit. They have free access to the couch, though.

[K9karen]

Logan will lay with me if I'm napping, or sleep on the big bed if I'm not home or not looking. At night, she has a nice cozy bed on the floor by my side. Actually, the minute she sees my keys, she runs to the landing, looks back at me and runs off to the big bed, as if I don't know where she's going! :D :rolleyes:

[Danegirl2208]

yes..not everyday though, and never both of them.. Belive me..i've tried that, a 150lb great dane and a fat coonhound on one bed dosent leave much room for me lmao :rolleyes:

[CathyBogart]

I forgot to mention - as soon as DBF leaves in the morning Jasper asks to come up, so we usually get an hour or so in the mornings. :)

[Vette]

Nope,, my dog sleeps in his crate at night... an during the day he sleeps
in a dog bed on top of a microwave that doesnt work anymore,, thats not
even an arms length away from me while im at my computer

[borzoimom]

If my dogs slept on my bed, I would have to sleep on the couch!!!:eek: They have their very own special Beds!
I can't imagine trying to sleep with mine- I did (use to) with hottie when I was single. I had a king size bed- hottie was the king.. lol..
I crate puppies in our room. Teaches the crate, and keeping out of trouble in the night. After about 6 months old, they are loose in room but I have a gate up to keep them in there.
The only dog I had that slept with us for the life time of the dog was my little Affenpincher Crikket. ...

[cloverfdx]

In winter yes, keeps both them and me warm. It is a pretty hot night here tonight so they will most likely sleep in the back sunroom, and puppy will sleep in his crate in my room or if it is too hot in his crate he will end up in bed with me.

Clover is the only dog i have had dominane issue with re: the 'big bed' and for quite some time she was not allowed to hop on whenever she felt like it... we worked on it and she knows i am boss again and will wait to be invited up and will get down when told ;).

[mruffruff]

My first puppy was allowed to sleep with me the first night home. After I washed all the bedding, I gave him his own box next to the bed. I could drape my arm over the side to comfort him until he got used to being alone. A crate would have been the way to go, but I wasn't smart enough all those years ago.

Now I sleep with Samson. He's 14+ and is having some mental issues, so I need to keep him close, leashed to the bed frame. Occasionally, he will get aggressive toward Scruffy because he thinks he's in charge of the bed. So Scruffy sleeps on his own bed next to mine. Mac the cat shares my half of the bed.

Bella Mae doesn't like to get on the furniture unless asked so she sleeps in her own bed.

Ideally, I'd like all of the dogs to use their own beds. But I have to admit I like Samson's warmth these cold nights :D

[ramanth]

When it was just Kia and I, I would invite her up onto the bed but she would only stay up for a few minutes. She preferred the floor or her own bed.

The important thing is, she had to wait to be invited up.

For the first couple of weeks, Chipper slept in his own bed, then during the night he started to sneak up into bed with my husband and I. Sometimes Kia would join us too, but again, she doesn't stay long.

As young as your puppy is, I would start by crate training as it has already been mentioned, they can't hold it for very long during the night and it would help avoid accidents.

[AdoreMyDogs]

Kersey= yes every night (she rolls up into the tiniest 80 pound ball you've ever seen)

Boone= no, he gets too hot. He'll get up in bed with us, but then jumps down after 15 or so minutes panting. He prefers the rug next to my bed, or sometimes the cold hardwood floors.

[pitc9]

Buddy only comes up on the bed when my Hubby is not in the bed, (Unless there is a thunderstorm then we have a 90 pound trembeling Buddy in the bed with us :rolleyes: )
Sierra... shes a velcro dog so if I'm in bed... she's in the bed too.

I crated them in another bedroom when they each came to live with us until they were housebroken, then they were gated in our bedroom at night, then they had free roam of the house once I knew I could trust them.
I would not leave a tiny pup loose in my bedroom.

[TFTpwnsYou]

No for the bed on my end too. We have cats that sleep in the bed, and they're a big enough pain sleeping on your face or something...lol. Plus I would like to own "something" in the house. They both sleep in their crate which I like cause I always know where they are at night. I don't think they mind. They have toys in there, and they get treats at bed time.

[juxie]

Wow! Thanks so much for all of your replies!

I think having her in her crate next to my bed is how we're going go. It will make it easier to comfort her and hear her if she wakes up and has to go potty during the night.

I was so looking forward to a snuggly little warm body in the bed and puppy breath in my face all night though , lol :D

[K9soul]

I guess I am the exception and probably what I do is not what some would consider wise but anyway.. ;)

I let both Tasha and Raven sleep with me their first nights home when they were babies. This is why. They just came from the humane society, before that they were taken from mom and siblings, taken to a strange place with scared and excited dogs and sounds and scary things, then taken to ANOTHER new place, with other new dogs in a house they've never seen. That first night home is one of great stress, both Tasha and Raven threw up their first nights home and had a bit of upset tummy. Then to get put in this strange cage (as they would see it), separated again in this strange new place for several hours seemed like a lot to ask. I wanted them to be gradually introduced to the crate, starting out only for a few minutes, being fed in there, getting treats in there, and gradually work up. Not take a scared puppy on their first night and lock them in for several hours, giving an immediate bad/lonely association with the crate.

Both of my babies were happy to curl up next to me warm and secure and slept through most of the night, I had to get up once for Tasha as she was only 8 weeks at the time, but Raven at 12 weeks went the whole night without incident her first night home. Also I wake as soon as I feel them stir, so I felt much more likely to get them outside for potty if they woke and had to go. I felt it started developing a trust and bond between us right away and I was able to introduce her to her crate in the way I wanted.

My dogs sleep with me since I am alone now, but they respect my space. If I say "move" they get up and move. If I say "go" or "off" they go or get off. I'm not saying it's bad or wrong to crate right away, just that it's not necessarily bad or wrong not to either :)

Anyway, that's my somewhat differing experience :)

[Daisy and Delilah]

Daisy and Delilah almost always sleep with me. Since they're so small, I don't really know they're there except for summer, they can feel like two tiny heaters :) Daisy is the quintessential clinger. She must have human contact and will even nap with visitors if the occasion arises(pretty rare but hilarious anyway). Delilah sometimes prefers sleeping somewhere else(also rare) on a fluffy blanket or in one of her beddy-boos I got her.

I can't imagine sleeping with large dogs, especially in multiples. I can certainly understand everyone's ways of thinking on this subject.
However, my daughter sometimes sleeps with two full grown Aussies, a Golden Retriever, and occasionally, a fifteen pound cat. She tells me that someone has to leave the bed in the middle of the night due to lack of space. :) It's a good thing she can sleep anywhere at any time. :D

[Glacier]

Well, on any given night there are up to 18 dogs in my house so no they can't all sleep on the bed! They all have their own beds, some are crated. Pingo thinks the futon, which hasn't been in an upright position for months, is her bed. She occasionally shares it with a couple other dogs.

There are two who sleep on the bed all night every night. We actually bought a king sized bed last spring so there would be more room for Chum and Pacer. The salesman thought we were nuts! Chum sleeps by my feet and Pacer sleeps beside me(on the opposite side from my hubby).

There are never less than 3 cats on the bed too. I have 8 but they rarely all sleep on the bed at the same time.

[caseysmom]

I don't sleep good without the dogs near me....so yes I actually have to bug casey to come on the bed with me.

[gemini9961]

Maggie sleeps with us in the bed now. Sadie and Maggie both used to be in there and then it was just Sadie but now it's just Maggie. Maggie doesn't take up much space at all. I love having one of them in there with me to snuggle with. Hubby would probably rather not have them in there but he hasn't put up too much of a fight so dogs in bed it is.

[Suki Wingy]

not durring the night but he likes to nap there. He actually won't comeon my bed at night, he has his own chair.

[GiantSchnauzer]

My dog was crated at night till she was house trained then given permission to sleep on the bed. More often then not she goes to her crate to sleep.

[GreyhoundGirl]

I don't because I figure if we let her she would be tempted to go on the furniture aswell. Which my mom wont let. :rolleyes:

[juxie]

Well, it was my intention to introduce her to the crate gradually too- so she wouldn't think it was a punishment being put in there. Now I am really confused :( I want to make her transition to my house as positive as possible.

[ParNone]

I'm not quite as brave as K9soul to let puppies be on my bed until they're housebroken, but I totally agree with her that going to a new environment is a big adjustment for a puppy, even those who don't come from rescue. So what I do to sort of simulate what K9soul is trying to accomplish, but still protect my bed, is put the crate right next to my side of the bed and set it on a box or something, so that it's level with the bed. That way the puppy can see me and feel like they're sleeping with me, because essentially my head is only inches from theirs.

Also, before I put them in the crate for the night, I make sure they've played and pottied, so that they're nice and pooped and ready to sleep. Then with a happy voice I tell'em we're going to bed, put a treat in the crate, shut them in and go to sleep (no eye contact or talking to'em). I've never had an issue with any of mine viewing the crate as a punishment and I've never had the big whining issue at night that some do with puppies.

After they're housebroken, they're allowed to sleep on the bed, but they gotta follow the rules, which are no playing on the bed and they gotta move or get down when I tell them to. Sleep is important and I'm not gonna sleep like a pretzel to accomodate'em. There's plenty of room on my King size bed for everybody to have their own spot and be comfortable. I've never had a dominance issue towards me from either my Cairns or Collies, so I'm thinkin' having rules helps override creating dominance issues by letting them be on the bed.

Par...