sleeps in the bed

[liljack]

Jackson, like any boxer, always wants to be by mine and my wife's side. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of letting him sleep in our bed for a few nights when he was really young, so that he wouldn't wake her parents up while they were visiting. We keep his crate in our guest bedroom and he was still whining a little bit at night at this point. Well, of course since then, he's insisted on sleeping in the bed with us. It started at the foot of the bed, but now he wants to sleep with his head right in between ours. We've tried bringing the crate in the room...he whines LOUDLY. We've tried putting his blanket on the floor with his bone...he tears the blanket up and brings the bone on the bed. The few times it did work, he still snuck his way onto the bed in the middle of the night. Anyone have this experience? Any suggestions on how to get him to sleep on the floor? Am I stuck facing the fact that I just need to buy a bigger bed?

 

[gmacleod]

Id suggest the crate and accepting the fact that he's going to whine until he's convinced that you're not going to respond (which could take several nights). Problem is - if you DO respond, then that just makes him more certain that you will finally respond to whining. He already knows it - so unfortunately, to convince him otherwise, you're going to have to go through a period of ignoring it (ear plugs are probably a good investment here).

Either that, or you leave him to sleep in another room and hope he doesn't escalate the whining to barking

 

[ELubas]

Sleeping on the bed is a privelege, not a doggie constitutional right You need to start over and pup gets to get on the bed when you invite him. You can either crate him at first (and,yes, listen to the whining) or you can relegate him to the floor and tell him "off" and take him off everytime he comes up. Either way you forfeit some sleep to get your bed back It will take a little while but once he understands he will be fine with it-dogs just need to know the rules. My older boy gets to go on the bed but my girl does not and it took her about a week to get it-no problems since and she can come up if invited. They are amazing in how quickly they get it and in how little it bothers them! Not that a nice new, big bed isn't tempting but do it for your wife not the dog Good luck

 

[tianthai]

My dog does the same. (By the way I like your version of getting a bigger bed) he loves coming to sleep with us on bed, especially during day time when I take a nap. At night, however it is too crowded (only queen sized bed). What I do to him when he climbs up to sleep with us at night, I just put him between the two of us and I usually hug him very tight. About an hour or two he gets so hot that he gets down and goes to his own bed.

 

[ELubas]

What I do to him when he climbs up to sleep with us at night, I just put him between the two of us and I usually hug him very tight. About an hour or two he gets so hot that he gets down and goes to his own bed.

Or do this What a riot!!

 

[TRUBBLE]

I thought I was the only one!

This thread just made my day!! We had the same problem with Ali in particular. She would sleep with my partner and I all night and wouldnt move a muscle because as soon as she did, she was out, on the floor or in her kennel. She too whined for a while when we started using her crate. It was a pretty smooth transition however - we would make a HUGE fuss of her and her crate at bed time, put a yummy treat in her crate (in her view of course) and stroke her until she settled and lay down. She would also have a sweater a sock or something that either of us had worn that day in with her. Then you just have to do the blissful sleeping thing all through the whining and the sighing - a week will pass and Jackson'll love that crate I'm sure!

 

[pmari3]

Okay, so clearly I'm just the biggest sucker here!

Winston sleeps comfortably at the foot of our bed every single night! But we don't have a problem with him trying to get in the middle at the head of the bed either. I'm sure that would certainly alter his sleeping arrangement

In fact, there are times when we turn in at night and he is too comfortable on the couch to go up when we do. When he does decide to come to bed, he masterfully hops up on the foot and finds his spot without even waking us up now! Such a considerate pup

I like tianthai's trick...that worked with our rottie. If we made her uncomfortable she would go find a better spot. We call Winston the origami dog, he never seems to be uncomfortable in any position!

 

[Kirby Kirb]

With Kirby we got him his own doggie bed, and would put a piece of our clothing that smelled like us on it. Although now he does not use it, he cuddles with us for about 1/2 hour, before he gets kicked off, and he goes and sleeps on the couch.

 

[ELubas]

Okay, so clearly I'm just the biggest sucker here!

Winston sleeps comfortably at the foot of our bed every single night! But we don't have a problem with him trying to get in the middle at the head of the bed either. I'm sure that would certainly alter his sleeping arrangement

In fact, there are times when we turn in at night and he is too comfortable on the couch to go up when we do. When he does decide to come to bed, he masterfully hops up on the foot and finds his spot without even waking us up now! Such a considerate pup

I like tianthai's trick...that worked with our rottie. If we made her uncomfortable she would go find a better spot. We call Winston the origami dog, he never seems to be uncomfortable in any position!

Winston sounds like a perfect gentleman to me Get that dog a cookie!

 

[meliss&kash]

My dog does the same. (By the way I like your version of getting a bigger bed) he loves coming to sleep with us on bed, especially during day time when I take a nap. At night, however it is too crowded (only queen sized bed). What I do to him when he climbs up to sleep with us at night, I just put him between the two of us and I usually hug him very tight. About an hour or two he gets so hot that he gets down and goes to his own bed.

OMG!!! This is exactly what my mom used to do to me when i was a kid!!!! Never thought of doing it to the dog!!!