Will sleeping in bed cause behavior problems?

[shasta]

Hello...new to board...

I read in a book (don't remember which one) that letting your puppy sleep with you will cause him to have behavioral problems as he matures (such as aggression and untrainable behavior)...Is this true? Has it happened to any of you? My baby just got brought home a few days ago and though his crate is next to the bed, he will only take 1 daytime nap in it and sleep in it for an hour or so, right as we go to sleep....otherwise, he wants held while sleeping or wants to sleep in bed with us......Should I force him to sleep on his own and off the bed?

THANKS!!

 

[basak]

I think it's a personal choice. But I do not think that letting your dog sleep in your bed will end up in behavioral issues at all!!!!!

I don't let Krose in our bedroom at all just because I want to have an escape room for myself from everything:D

just do what feels right for you

basak

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

I think it depends on how you train the dog. Scrapper didn't start sleeping on our bed every night until he was about 2 years old. Then, at first, it was just on Saturday nights. Well, now, you can guess, it's every night....:rolleyes:

 

[hudson78]

Some dogs will develop problems with their order in the pack if they are allowed to sleep on the bed. We don't have this problem with our dogs but we do make our 2 year old female sleep in the hall because she snores WAY too loud.

 

[Stacy W.]

I dont' let Shelby in the bed with me, however, my parents do let their Dalmatian sleep in the bed and they don't have any behavior problems with her. I think that as long as your dog sees you as the Alpha, it really doesn't matter. Problems start to arrise when the dog sees him/herself as the head of the family. One thing that I learned in obediance class with Shelby is that one way that an Alpha asserts authority is to be in charge of where pack members sleep. So, as long as you are in charge (i.e. when you say "down" or whateve camand you choose, the dog will get down) it should not matter. I was sitting for a friends dog once that nipped at me when I tried to get her down off of the sofa (I said "down", she did not listen, and I reached over toward her collar and she growled and niped at me). After that I did nto allow her on the sofa anymore and was very aware of asserting authority (I made sure to feed her AFTER I ate, I went through doorways first, etc., all things I should have been doing in the first place). Again, with most dogs, it is jsut a personal choice, however, if you have a dog that you are having dominance issues with, you may not want to allow them on the bed.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

It is up to you. I don't have behavioral problems because I let my two boxers sleep in bed with me. BUT, they must be invited or they are not allowed. The bed is MINE (the couch is theirs) and if they want up, fine. I will invite them. If I want them to get off the bed or don't feel like sleeping around two 70lb boxers, then I tell them to get off and they do.

They both come in, put the chins on my bed and wait for me to say 'ok, up!" and up the jump and snuggle up with Daddy.

Mine do get up on the bed when I'm not in it. I don't mind. They are allowed to sleep where they want, but as long as I am in the bed, they always put their chins on the bed first and "ask" for permission to get up on the bed.

That way, there are no pack order/privilege issues. They are aware that being in bed with me is a PRIVILEGE not a right. As long as the dog understands that, you should have no problems at all.

Good luck and enjoy those SNUGGLES !

 

[Guerriere]

on number two...

I have had one boxer (until 7 1/2 years old-passed away 4/04) and now a new girl (8 months now) sleep in bed with me- loved it!!! They both are crate trained but only go in the crate during the day when I am gone...NEVER had an issue- LOVE IT! Even bringing in a new puppy when Bain was older was not an issue in the bed. Good idea to "invite" them in like an earlier message said but -- would not change it for the world!! Every night my girl (use to be my boy......) crawls up between my legs and sleeps.....ah....what a feeling!

 

[shouse]

Although my boxer is 11 months old, she is new to our household. She sleeps in bed with me and the toy poodle, Sam. Sam told her to sleep towards my feet and she gladly did so just to have the privelege to sleep with he and I. I don't mind a bit having them with me.

On a side note -- she goes to each kid's bed with them as they go to sleep and "puts them to bed". It's really sweet and the kids just absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!

Susan

 

[Des11]

Chance is not allowed on my bed and does not try to get on it.
I personally do not play that at all.


He is allowed on my two kids bed when it is bed time. And oddly enough that is the only time he hops up there. To assure that he knows that my children are more of a leader than he, I make sure they do things like discipline him (which the funniest thing in the world), letting him in and out and also giving him his food bowl.


I think as long as you control the permission of it like Tulsa (who always gives great advice) than u should be fine.

 

[missyprissy]

Missy 19 months now,loves sleeping on the bed.But she always waits until permission has been given to her to get up on the bed.She is a very loud sleeper:o very loud snoring.Most of the time she will get off the bed during the night and sleep beside the bed on the floor or she will go and get on the couch.Missy and hubby could have a snoring contest :p . I don`t think you have anything to worry about regarding your pup sleeping on the bed with you.
Karen-Missy:D