Let them sleep on the bed, yes/no?

[eric]

Ok,

I keep reading and hearing about how letting your dog(s) sleep on the bed is really bad and will cause all sorts of dominance problems.

However, we have always let our dogs sleep on the bed, and have never had any issues. In fact, we got a king size bed a few years ago so we could all fit on comfortably. I think that I would really miss it if the boys didn't sleep with us on the bed.

[Black GSD]

I have always had breeds that are known for their dominance. (GSDs, Cattle Dogs and Catahoula Leopard Dogs.) All have been allowed on the bed and I have NEVER had a problem.

But I work with and train my dogs and they KNOW that I am the boss and that they better listen to ME!
If they are on the bed or couch, and I say "Off", they DO IT!

For folks that baby their dogs and don't make them mind, they CAN have even more problems if the dog is allowed on the furniture/bed. But, IMO being allowed on the furniture is not the CAUSE of the problem.

[Daisysmom]

Our dogs are allowed on the bed, and only sleep with us once in a while (only because they keep us up!!) But, we have never had a problem either.

[kendalyn]

I think it's ok as long as you are established as the boss and the dog knows and follows a command that tells them to get off the bed or furniture.

I will let Buck on the bed but not the furniture. I personally don't like dogs on furniture because of the hair and because I just don't really think they need to be up there. Guests don't sit on my bed, but they do sit on the couch and I hate for them to be all hairy when the get up.

[Horsefeathers!]

Many of mine sleep with me. My dogs are all allowed to be pretty much anywhere they wish. If my guests don't like dog hair, boy are they in the wrong place! The only dog who is "grounded" is Devin and it's only because we are working on dominance issues with him and he is currently undergoing rigorous doggie boot camp. As soon as he "gets it," he'll have more privileges.

The hubby is great, but there's nothing better on a cold night than to be skooshed up between two Standard Poodles and having one little dog in my chest and another on my feet. Heaven. :)

[MajiesMom]

Magic will sleep with me on the bed but when Ryan is there, forget it! She knows she's not allowed by Ryan. When she hears him coming down the hallway she makes a mad dash for the floor.
We have fights about whether or not she's allowed on the bed. She doesn't want to get in the middle of it so she just sleeps in our room on her big comfy, expensive doggie bed.
Ryan doesn't like it because "there is not enough room" - she's a big German Shep and she steps all over him when he's sleeping LOL. She's not dainty about getting up but she curls up into a little ball when she gets into bed.
Soon it will be exceptable, it's been two years but maybe in a couple more years she'll be fully allowed.
I don't think it makes a big difference, I let her sleep on the bed and she obeys me much more than Ryan. When he tells her something she always looks at me first to see if it's okay.

[DogPaddle]

IMO depends on the dog. Got a dog with dominance issues, maybe not the best idea, otherwise, ususally pretty ok.

[Black GSD]

kendalyn napisał(a):

I personally don't like dogs on furniture because of the hair and because I just don't really think they need to be up there. Guests don't sit on my bed, but they do sit on the couch and I hate for them to be all hairy when the get up.

Well, anyone that doesn't like dog hair doesn't need to come to my house. With 4 house dogs, (2 GSDs and 2 Heelers) there is BOUND to be dog hair. BUT, the couch is leather so the hair doesn't stick to it anyway.

[KP]

My dogs are not allowed on the couches but they are allowed on our bed. My motto is....(including everything with dogs) "if its creating a problem for you or in some cases for anyone else then you need to re-think the situations and make the necissary changes, whatever they may be."

[imported_Cassie]

All of my dogs are allowed in my bed....I can only fit 2 and the other 3 alternate nights! plus my 3 cats sleep in bed with us...its difficult when most of your dogs weigh over 150lbs each (except my Rottie, she is only about 120lbs).
I dealt with major dominace issues ith my Rottweiler and in the past I have had some major issues with domiance with alot of different dogs. But, it never stopped me from letting them sleep with me. My Rottie's issues only lasted about 3 months before she learned the ropes of the house hold. My dogs live by the nothing is free rule, having 5 large dogs I have to establish plenty of control up front...they are all perfect angels now...but, it takes patience and control and never letting yourself get upset by the things dogs will do...I have to take 3 deep breaths at times and think about the dogs...the way I want them to live is not natural for them...so I guide my dogs to better behavior...I don't force them...yes, they screw up at times...so do I. :lol:

I find that there are some people who are just better at controlling dominant dogs than others...and still let their dogs do all the things you are warned about never letting your dominant dog do.

[imported_Cassie]

OMG! Dog Lover I am in the same boat!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
I don't think I'll ever find a man either....the dogs are about the closest I will come to having anything breathing in my bed! :lol: :lol:

We were at a club the other night, a man passed out on the dance floor...I kindly dragged him off so he would not get danced on by a bunch of drunks...now, the rumer around the Vet clinic I work at (all the staff and I were out partying after our x-mas party) they have made up a story that I am so desperate for a man that I am trying to abduct passed out ones and drag them to my car! all I need now is child proof locks on my car door so they can't escape once I got them...as my fellow employees stated that the passed out drunk slobbered up enough to crawl away from me!!!! :lol:

[Daisysmom]

they have made up a story that I am so desperate for a man that I am trying to abduct passed out ones and drag them to my car!

Oh Cassie!!! that was too funny. I am sitting here all alone and laughing my "Jack" off!!!!! Oh good one!!! (Sounds a little like our Christmas party last week :wink: - we got all the ROTC officers to take us out after our party and they danced and bought us drinks all night!!)

[Guest Anonymous]

I totally agree... as long as you have the alpha role solidly then just allowing your dog on the bed will NOT cause a problem. but if your dog is already having problems with dominance, food , toy, protecting from you or you the dog growls when you tell it to get out of your chair. then having them on the bed will do a lot of harm. It just boils down to your dog knowing its place in th pack... and that when its on the bed its because you are sharing YOUR place with him. drey is allowed in the bed once in a great while usually early in the mornings when i dont have to work. my girlfriend will let him out of his crate. he will push open the bed room door with his nose and hop in bed with me. Up until I started living with my girlfriend all of my dogs have been allowed to sleep in bed too. rotties, dobies, APBTs all wihout the slightest incident.

[courtnek]

RNP is right. As long as the dog knows his place in your "pack" and doesnt start to threaten you in any way, the bed is fine. The "no bed" rule is usually for an overly dominant dog who thinks he is in charge and needs demotion. In a real pack, the alpha will often let other wolves share his "spot", providing they behave themselves at all other times. It;s really just a demotion technique to make them stay off, when they have gotten

too big for their britches".

[JackieMaya]

I agree with everyone else that as long as your dog(s) know that YOU'RE the boss, letting them sleep on the bed or furniture won't be a problem. My dogs jump in my bed to wake me up in the morning, and I just love it! They're both allowed on all the furniture, and I have slip covers on all the cloth furniture.

[Malamum]

Indy sounds exactly like Kobi (though I reckon he'd try for 10 miles :wink: ) - so he also has no bed or lounge privileges.

This may change as he gets older and settles into his place in the pack a bit better. At the moment he is going through his teenage rebellious stage.

I do think it really depends on the breed though. I think with a malamute (being a very dominant breed) though I would never give them free reign on beds and lounges. It allowed up at all it should only be on invitation and they should get straight down when told to.

[leahluvsherpups]

I have let dogs sleep with me since I was an itty bitty kid and I'm not dead yet. I currently have three that are allowed but when I get tired of them they are sent to the floor or their rooms. No dominance issue here.

[Shenanigans]

My bed isn't big enough for two people and my two dogs. That said, when my hubby is out of town, my Newf will cuddle up to me. My GSD is not the cuddly sort, but will get in the bed the minute I get out of it in the morning, especially winters. They all know (hubby included) who is top bitch in the house so dominance is definitely not a problem here. However the GSD definitely does shoot some dirty looks when I move him to make the bed. He's his mommy's boy. lol

[Horsefeathers!]

Well, we're currently up to six dogs on the bed including a really long and lanky Standard Poodle. I remember a few years ago when one of our written in stone rules was about having no dogs on the bed. :-?

[cheekymunkee]

I can't sleep with out at least ONE dog in bed with me, nor would I want to.

Debby

[courtnek]

I dont normally allow mine on the bed. I am a strong Alpha presence, and I may be the one HF was referring to. I have used the "NO BED" tactic with people who had problems with dominant, aggressive dogs. That's my first instuction, but it's meant as a demoting technique, not a permanent
solution. When they learn their place they can come back up, providing they get down when you tell them to, without issues. I let Laurel sleep on the bed for quite a few months, but I was trying to "promote" her from her terror of males. It was a rough few months. The one time she refused to get down, that was it. cut off, then and there. She is happy sleeping on the floor anyway, my bed is small and we had quite a few tussles over bed space...there is a thick foam pad on the floor covered with a sheet.
she loves it down there. Free sleeps on the couch. and WILL get off when told.

[Horsefeathers!]

courtnek napisał(a):

and I may be the one HF was referring to.

Someone been posting under my name again? :cry:

[courtnek]

Horsefeathers! napisał(a):

Well, we're currently up to six dogs on the bed including a really long and lanky Standard Poodle. I remember a few years ago when one of our written in stone rules was about having no dogs on the bed. :-?

sorry HF...I read that wrong. I thought you meant it was a post.

:o :o

:angel:

[Horsefeathers!]

Ooooooohhhhhh, I'm glad you straightened that out fer me 'cuz I was all confuzzled. I meant it was a rule that hubby and me (mostly HIM) used to have about not having dogs on the bed.

Whew, I just wondered if I was starting to shoot my mouth off in my sleep and not know it. :P

[Pumpkin the musher]

Define sleeping"on the bed".... Cricket is so tiny she sleeps on her pad in the head board of the bed next to the alarm clock and books. I'll see if i can get a pic..