Table Of Contents
Some dogs will think their owner’s bed belongs to them and will only sleep there. Others, not so much. When your furry companion doesn’t want to sleep with you or in the same room, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. In fact, it has little to do with whether he loves you or not, so don’t take it personally. With that being said, why won’t my dog sleep with me?
When your dog decides not to sleep with you, it could possibly mean he found another cozy spot in the house that he prefers. Perhaps your bed is too soft for his joints or he just wants to find a cooler place to sleep. Some dogs like to rotate by sleeping in different places, on different nights.
As you see, there are countless reasons behind the behavior. Below are 9 common purposes behind his doggie psychology.
09. Issues With Bed
If the bed is too soft or there’s not enough room, your dog may opt to sleep elsewhere. The bed either doesn’t offer enough support or your dog likes to sleep belly up, which can take up some space. Also, dogs are den animals, so sleeping on your bed may be too open for him to feel comfortable. He much rather sleep in his crate or underneath the bed where there is some sort of protection.
08. Getting Easily Awakened
Your dog may be a light sleeper who wants to have a long and quiet sleep. Not saying this pertains to you, but if someone is shifting in bed, kicking, or snoring, it could be distracting to the dog so he’ll seek another location for a calm and still sleeping environment.
07. Found Other Comfortable Places
Fido possibly found other comfy spots around the house. It can be the couch, his crate, the kitchen, the hallway, the floor tiles, the carpet – the list goes on and on. Plus, he may rotate between all these locations depending on what makes him feel cozy at that point in time. Maybe he’ll wind up back on your bed sooner or later when he feels it’s comfortable to do so again.
06. Protecting You
It could be that your dog feels he has a duty to protect the house and you. Sleeping away from your bed allows him to be alerted just in case anything happens. If he sleeps on the floor, it allows him to sense any vibrations so he can stand guard. Sometimes, he may sleep close to the front door for the very same reason. You got yourself a loyal furry security guard!
05. Safe Space Has Expanded
When a dog sleeps close to you, it makes him feel secure and comfortable. If your dog has been sleeping with you but has recently decided to sleep elsewhere, it can potentially mean his safe space has expanded. He now feels safe beyond being close to you, perhaps in the living room, or another bedroom. This is actually a great sign of your pooch feeling confident and safe throughout your house, not just in your room.
04. Personal Quirk
Some dogs are more clingy than others. Some like to cuddle, others don’t. Just like humans, every dog has their own personal preferences and your dog may just like to be independent. He’ll sleep wherever he finds comfortable. It’s just his personality, nothing else.
03. A Trained Behavior
If adopted, past owners may have trained your dog to not get on furniture or on beds, but rather sleep in his own bed or wherever they preferred. In this case, he was never allowed to sleep on beds, thus he feels reluctant to climb on your bed, let alone sleep on it. If you want to correct the behavior, below are some tips to help with that.
02. Want To Cool
Your precious pooch might find sleeping on the bed a bit warm so he’ll wander off and maybe sleep on your hardwood floors or other places to cool himself down. If he’s sleeping by your bedroom door, there is a good chance there’s some airflow underneath that Fido finds enjoyable. Nonetheless, he’s regulating his body temperature to his liking.
01. Getting Older
Like humans, dogs will experience age-related pains and aches as they get older. Climbing your bed may be getting harder and harder for him due to injuries, muscle pain, arthritis, or hip/elbow dysplasia. If Fido is an older dog and has been sleeping on your bed before, it is well-advised to get him checked out by a veterinarian to get treated accordingly.
Should You Be Concerned?
When a dog chooses to sleep on his own, it’s actually a good sign rather than something concerning, unless it’s due to age-related problems. It means your furball is mentally and physically comfortable with the areas around your house. Even though you may want him to sleep by your side, some dogs just prefer sleeping alone. However there are ways to train Fido to sleep with you and below are some tips to do just that. But before we get into the tips, should you allow Fido to sleep with you?
Should You Let Your Dog Sleep With You?
To answer this question, it depends as it varies from person to person. You also need to take your health as well as your dog’s health into consideration. Those who oppose may say allowing them to sleep on the same bed will cause allergies from allergens, disturb their sleep, be too high for dogs to get on, drool on bed sheets, become aggressive, etc.. On the other hand, some may say it helps with comfort, security, warmth, companionship, etc.. It pretty much dwindles down to personal preference. Whether you allow it or not, make sure you both have a good night’s sleep.
How To Train A Dog To Sleep With You
If you do decide to let your pooch sleep with you or in the same room, below are some tips you can implement to hopefully get him to do so.
Move the dog bed into your room: If your dog has never slept with you before, start off by moving his bed into your room so he can get accustomed to it. Be patient as steering off from his nightly sleeping routine may stress him out.
Teaching commands: Teach your pooch commands such as “Stay”, “Down” , or “Bedtime” to signify it’s time to sleep. Encourage him to get on your bed or his bed in your room while using the commands. Continue practicing until he gets the command. Be patient as it may take weeks for him to fully understand.
Reward: Reward Fido with treats and praises when he listens to the command. If he is in bed and decides to leave, guide him back and offer him treats, only once. You don’t want to give him treats each time he wakes up as this will encourage him to do so just for the snack.
Below is a helpful video on how to train your dog to “Go to Bed”
Final Thoughts
No one dog is alike. Each has his or her own unique characteristics, personalities, and quirks. As long as you take good care of your pup and have great bonding, no love is lost. He loves you just as much, if not more!
