When you bring home a new puppy, it can be all-too-easy to welcome her into your bed. After all, we all want our dogs to feel loved, and having them sleep in our beds is a common way to convey that love. But puppies eventually grow up into full-sized dogs, and full-sized dogs can very quickly take over the bed to the point where you’re waking up sore and tired from getting a terrible night’s sleep. Worse yet, allowing your pet to sleep in your bed can even undermine your leadership and make her feel like she’s the one in charge.
For this reason, the best way to stop your dog from sleeping in your bed is to not let her in the first place. But we all make mistakes. So, if your dog has taken over your bed and you want to know how to break her of this habit, then here’s how to stop your dog from sleeping in your bed.
Pay Attention to How Your Dog Sleeps
How does your dog like to sleep? Does she curl up into a ball or stretch out? Believe it or not, this is important information because it will help you choose the best type of bed for your dog. For instance, if she curls up, then you will want to get her a round or oval shaped bed, whereas a dog that stretches out will sleep best on a rectangular bed. Once you find this information out, take a trip to the pet store and pick out your dog’s new bed.
Place the Bed In a Comfortable Spot
To help your dog fall in love with her new bed, it needs to be put in a place that is comfortable and that she is familiar with. This can be in the bedroom or elsewhere in the home. look for a spot that is relatively dark and not near a door or a draft source.
Put Her Favorite Toys Near Her New Bed
Placing your dog’s favorite toys, or even one of your old t-shirts, on or near her new bed will help her get accustomed to it. The scents of these items will make her feel more comfortable and eventually she will lay down on the bed.
Take Your Dog for a Long Walk Before Bed
Walking your dog before bed is a great way to help prepare her for a restful night’s sleep because it allows her to empty her bladder and bowels prior to bed and it helps tire her out, so she’ll fall asleep quicker.
Guide Your Dog to Her Bed
When you return home after her walk, guide her to her bed using her leash. When she steps onto the bed, reward her with a treat. Never pick up your dog and place her on her bed. This will result in her associating her bed with a negative experience. Keep it positive and you’ll see quicker results.
Giver Her the Command to Go To Bed
Once your dog is on her bed, command her in a calm and clear voice to “go to bed.” When she lies down, give her another treat. Every time she gets up, tell her “no” and calmly guide her back to her bed. Repeat the command and give her a treat when she lays down. Continue until she stays in her bed.
Ignore the Whining
Your dog will try to beat you into submission by whining, moaning, and groaning, often all night long. Do not give into her or it will only wind up reinforcing her bad behavior. Just ignore it. Do not yell at her or she will only whine louder. Remember, to a dog, even punishment is attention, so do not punish her or you will be reinforcing her behavior. Eventually she will stop whining and accept her new bed. It might just take longer than you probably hoped for.
The key to any successful dog training is positive reinforcement. During this exercise, your dog will most likely jump up on your bed if she’s already been on it previously. When she does this, tell her sternly “go to bed!” If she doesn’t move, then you can pick her up and place her next to her bed, repeating the command. When she returns to bed, give her praise and a reward.
Learning how to successfully stop your dog from sleeping in your bed is a process that can take some time. While some dogs will learn faster than others, it is important to never show your frustration. Keep calm, stay positive, and continue the steps. It will eventually happen and both you and your dog will once again enjoy a great night’s sleep.