Does your dog sleep in your bed?

[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...