How to Stop Your Dog from Sleeping in Your Bed
Dogs offer us companionship; they are our best friends and are like family to us. Sometimes, they accompany us to the work place, go to vacation with us and even attend functions. Given this bond, it is normal to find a dog inseparable from their owner and vice versa. However, like babies, you have to constantly train and remind your dogs to act and behave well. You have to train your dog, starting from the basics like potty training to communicating in distress as well as sleeping habits. Letting your dog may seem to be harmless, but are you aware of the possible outcomes? If so, are you okay with your dog sleeping on your bed. Just like other bad behavior, you need to make it clear to your dog that you abhor his behavior. If you have trouble with your dog sleeping around you, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to stop your dog from sleeping on your bed.
Effects of Sleeping with Your Dog
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Accidents may happen
Dog owners should be careful not sleep in the same bed with their dogs for safety. They dog may be suffocated, injured or even worse, killed. Sleep is an uncontrolled state of the mind; we just close our eyes and go into a subconscious state. The body may remain active with some movements but then there may be no conscious coordination between the body and the brain. As such, you may pull the covers over and suffocate your dog, lie on it (which may make him bite you) or even push him over the bed. Given that dogs are always alert, they may notice even the slightest noise or movement and react by biting or scratching you.
Also, dogs with poor potty training may soil your bedding.
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Negative Behavioral Changes
Dogs adapt very fast to different behaviors according to the way you treat them. If you let them sleep in your bed, especially when they know they are not supposed to, with time they will undermine your authority and leadership in that household. The dog will then become stubborn, disobedient, act out, feel some sense of entitlement and become possessive of you. At this stage, figuring out how to stop your dog from sleeping on your bed will be quite a fight.
- Hygienic Reasons
Dogs pick up germs and infections easily, this is very normal because they are animals and they like sniffing around and exploring into places and things. Furry animals are also naturally prone to external parasites such as ticks and fleas. This is common especially if you live in a farm house. If you sleep together with your dog, you might catch an infection if it is communicable or get bitten by the external parasites they might have carried with them.
Yes, we do clean and disinfect our dogs, but it is not often enough to give you a clean bill of health to share your bed with them on a daily basis. When your dog falls ill, you’d rather think of how to stop him from lying on your bed as soon as possible.
- Shedding
Once in a while, your dog will shed its fur to allow new growth or due to hormonal changes in their bodies. You can imagine how hard it is to clean out fur from beddings; it is not fun at all. This fur will then get into everything else, your hair and clothing as well. I love my dogs and puppies but I do not like walking around with their fur on my cloths. It is embarrassing for people to keep collecting fur off your clothing and hair. Let them have their bed which can be easily cleaned after shedding.
So, if you are really determined to get your dog out of your bed for any of the above reasons, here are some helpful tips.
How to Stop Your Dog from Sleeping in Your Bed
1. Get Him/her a comfortable bed
This should be as soon as you acquire your dog so that they can easily and quickly adapt to sleeping alone. Before adopting or purchasing your dog bed, observe their favorite sleeping positions so that you buy a bed that is most suitable. There is a wide variety of dog beds available in the market and finding the right one will ensure you successfully train your dog on the right sleeping habits . Some will instantly fall in love with it, while others will take time and training.
2. Make the dog adopt to sleeping on its own bed
Place the bed on a comfortable spot, either in your room or in the living room. You can also adapt to using several beds so that you do not have to move the bed around. Dogs do understand and obey commands promptly. Stopping them from sleeping on your bed shouldn’t be so much of a hustle.
3. Adopt a workable sleeping routine
Have a routine where you take the dog out for a night walk, allowing him/her to relieve him/herself. Once you get back to the house, walk it to the bed and tell it to lie down on the bed. Pat it on the head lightly to praise or reward him once it obeys you. Soon enough it will adapt to sleeping on its own.
4. Ignore the whining and barking
Old habits die hard, if your dog was used to sleeping beside you, it may find it hard to stop sleeping in your bed. They may feel anxious and scared at times. Find a way of reassuring them of your presence by other means, but not necessarily letting them on your bed. Sometimes the dog my bark and whine, try to ignore if she/he is already comfortable in their bed. It may be their way to try and have you pity them and allow them back into your bed, making the training ineffective.
Wrap Up
When trying to stop your dog from sleeping on your bed, patience and consistency is the key. Do not allow any setbacks to throw you off the course and back to square one. At the end of the day, it will all be worth it.