Why are you sleeping on the floor?
Something needs to change!
I love my dog....
But, this morning I found myself on the floor again...
Not happy with his own side of the bed, somehow he is managing to push me right off of my own bed!!!
I just read a bunch of blog posts with all kinds of cutie comments on how weak a person I must be to let a dog take over my own bed... They tried to make me feel better with comments like "41 percent of the dogs that sleep with their owners are medium sized dogs." I was okay with being reassured that over half of those that own dogs let them sleep on their beds... but this bed hogging is a big deal! Sure I KNOW IT IS ALL MY OWN FAULT... Do not laugh, I know I am not alone with this problem. I think I have caught a cold too! achoo! (grabbing the tissue box).
UNDERSTATEMENT!
"Dogs sleeping on their owner's bed can result in some problems."
Have you noticed sometimes that the more you learn the more it gets complicated. I was trying to find a solution without announcing to the world that my dog has kicked me off the bed. I am torn between sleeping on the floor and not disturbing him, (I do not want him to think I do not love him) or getting to sleep on my own bed. hmmm
I started reading lots of blogs, looking for the golden answer to my problem. I discovered all kinds of reasons why I probably should have never let him on the bed in the first place... Great, at least I will have some reasons not to feel so guilty when I do figure out how to keep him off my bed. I know I am not alone, many people have this problem, I just can not believe I let it get this bad.
WARNING, WARNING .....
1. Bad for the dog Letting your dog sleep in your bed can only develop, or further reinforce anxiety and behavior problems, if the dog has behavior problems.
Tossing and turning could agitate your dog and prolong your ability to fall asleep (this one I might be able to use).
Some dogs snore (well, for me that is just music to my ears, so that is not a good one).
Dogs pick up fleas and other parasites, such as tapeworms. Fungal infections of the skin (known as Ringworm) can be an issue for humans. Ringworm was once thought to be caused by a worm, but it's not; it's a fungus. I can see where this would be a problem for some folks. But, I have not had to deal with this one either.
Assess your dog's temperament.
So far I have not found an answer. "Allowing your dog to sleep on your bed could send mixed 
messages. It lowers your "status" within "the pack". This may make your dog more likely to challenge your authority. If your dog has ever shown aggression toward you, he needs to know who's in charge. Allowing him on your bed only defeats this purpose." Good advice I am sure, but not my problem.
"If your dog displays separation anxiety, sleeping in your bed may cause this problem to become worse. Your dog needs to learn to be on his own. It's important for a dog to feel emotionally at ease when physically separate from its owner." Well, that is not a problem I am having with him either.
Just the begining
"As an alternative for letting your dog sleep on your bed, you may want to let him sleep at the foot of the bed. It's normal for your dog to want to sleep in your bedroom, because the room smells like you."
That is what started the whole problem. I bought him a large flat bed and put it at the foot of my bed. Next thing I know he had managed to jump up on my bed in the middle of the night.. Yes, it is nice to cuddle up to him, but, I should have removed him the first night. He caught me in a moment of weakness for sure.
"Be consistent with where you let your dog sleep. Allowing dog napping on your bed when you're not sleeping in it can send mixed messages."¹ I wish I had thought about this sooner.
Recently, I did come up with some ideas that had nothing to do with keeping him off the bed, but worth noting. Using rubber-backed, fuzzy bathmats on top of bedding, if older dogs get leaky.. that would be good to look for and not just for the bed...
Effect on the Household as a Whole
While this is not an issue in our household, I can see where allowing one dog to sleep in the bed could have a negative affect on other dogs in the house. "Granting your dog a space in your bed places him on an equal plane with you, meaning he will challenge your authority more often, and a higher plane with other pets in the home—pets that should be treated equally."
If I make him stay on the floor, I want to make sure he has the right bed.
How do you choose the right Dog Bed? Don't tell me. I know I should not make a big deal of this, but if I just kick him off and not buy a new dog bed to make up for the loss of being on my bed, I know I will just feel mean..
There are two things... He needs the perfect bed and I need to learn how to teach him to stay off my bed (so I can stay on it!).
Gee!!!! Have you seen this option for a dog bed? Now that would be perfect, except for one little thing... it would be me sleeping on the platform. Love the storage and steps... He would still be hogging the bed...
Most likely, my dogs would just enjoy staying in bed simply because they want to stay close to me and it's a comfy place to be.
There are, however, cases where your dog's rights to sleep in bed should be immediately revoked. I told you about mine. There are others that are serious. "Guarding the bed and preventing your poor husband from lying down next to you is one of those cases."
Interestingly enough, dogs sometimes get too hot and you will find them sleeping on the hard floor. I understand that dogs are actually comfortable sleeping on a hard floor and prefer the coolest spot they can find.
I did finally find some advice that I am going to try to solve my bed hogging problem with. Wish me luck!
Here is what I am supposed to do to make this happen. First, I need to decide just where I want to allow him to sleep when he is on my bed. To make it apparent to him that this will be the acceptable place for him to sleep, I can use a towel or blanket. Next, I will have to teach him to "target" this spot, but to do this, first I will have to teach him to come to his target on the floor.
Once he learns to come, then stay on the towel, I can then move it to the bed and continue training him to stay on that one area. Yes, he will be a little confused, but maybe by giving him a toy or treat on the towel, he will start to learn that this is the only acceptable place for him on the bed. This will be an opportunity to make a new game for us to play. It was suggested to practice at night and intermittently tossing him a treat or an extra rub, but only when he is on the "Target", and using the same command "Go to your spot, or mat" consistantly. I will be using a reward-based target training method, making it less likely he will want to move off of his designated space.
¹ vetinfo.com
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- Written by Donna
