[CHRISTY TILSON]

I would really like to teach Laya to sleep beside my bed at night. She currently is sleeping in her crate downstairs. I would like her to sleep on a dog bed next to my bed at night time. She is a curious one and I don't know how to teach her this or if I should just leave her where she is. Our other shepherd slept right beside our bed at night and I always felt so safe. We had to put him down about a year ago. I can't remember teaching him this it seems like he just did it. Please give some tips on how to transition her or if I even should at all. She has been in her crate since we got her at 7 months because she chewed everything and was very scared at first, but she is well balanced and more secure now. What would anyone suggest???? By the way this truly is for my benefit and sense of security as I have been through a break in a few years ago and never felt scared while our other shepherd was right by me at night. But I want to do whatever is best for my sweet Laya!

 

[StGeorgeK9]

I kept Ava's crate in our room, now I leave the door open and she goes where she wants, it is usually next to the bed or by the door....She just goes to the room for bedtime, for her that has always been our bedroom. It's funny, about 10pm she starts to head up the stairs and turns and stares at us as if to say.....dont you guys know it's bedtime?!?

 

[CHRISTY TILSON]

should I put the crate up in my room with the door closed for her to get used to being up there first or just leave the crate door open immediately?

 

[Elmo's Mom]

I started bringing Elmo upstairs while I took a nap in the afternoons on weekend so he got used to being in the room and settling down. It was a great excuse to sneak in some naps!

It didn't take him long to realize everyone is sleeping, so I guess I better lie down too. Since he was a puppy, we were mostly concerned about him chewing on something while we were sleeping. I picked up any toys that were in the room also. He learned pretty quickly that at night, everyone goes to sleep and he just started lying next to my side of the bed. I feel so much better with him upstairs. I'm sure your Laya will be doing it in no time too!

 

[CHRISTY TILSON]

Thank you. Yes I know I will feel much better if Laya was upstairs, especially when my husband has to go out of town!!! She wants to jump in the bed though. We have tried a few naps and up in the bed she comes. I don't mind but she is 88 lbs and she takes up the whole bed, so at night this isn't something we want. I don't want her in the bed just beside it.

 

[nitetrane98]

Very interesting question.
I would guess she will either sleep near your bed because she wants to or you will have to train her to do it. Either way, I predict some less than sound sleep nights are in store for you.
At first it will be new and strange to her and she won't know what is expected of her. You'll be asking for a behaviour change from the security of her crate.
I guess the first thing is just to bring her into the bedroom when you go to bed and see what happens. When I first got "Young Butthead" he was generally napping by my chair when I got ready to go to bed. Of course getting up from a nap meant going out to pee and then he was full of energy and wanted to play and just getting undressed was a challenge. Of course that meant no shoes or socks laying around or basically anything chewable. I try to keep it as low key as possible, no stimulation at all. And then get into bed and try to go to sleep. I'll hear him romp around for a while and go to the kitchen to pee again in the middle of the night, thankfully. But when the alarm goes off, he's always right there so I guess he spent the night there by the side of the bed.
If that approach doesn't seem to work, I suppose there is always the down/stay command until she gets the idea. I'd give plenty of low key praise and lovin'. If she is reliably housebroken and can hold it all night I guess you can close the door and see what happens. Good luck.

 

[StGeorgeK9]

My girl is still a wiggle worm, my DH also has an issue with her being in bed with him, but they get the idea, I would move the crate to your bedroom first, and get used to that being her quiet time. Then leave your door shut at night, it took me almost a year to convince my husband she could be out at night without getting in trouble. She will jump up at night sometimes, but quickly realizes "theres no more room at the inn" and then settles down next to the bed. The mornings she will jump up there to see if anyone is awake yet.....and what she can do if they arent, hehehe. She even pulled the covers off DH one morning, I guess he wasnt quick enough for her.

I like the nap idea, I did that too on weekends. but she sleeps on the bed with me when DH isnt around....

 

[phgsd]

This is how I would do it...
Leave a leash on her and practice during the day at first. When she jumps up on the bed, tell her "off" and correct her off the bed with the leash and put her on her dog bed. It may take a lot of repetition, but eventually she'll figure it out. Then when you walk in the room, or sit down on the bed (whichever is the trigger for her to jump up) tell her off and she'll stay off.

 

[ToFree24]

I also hang my hand off the bed and give my dog some pats and tell her she is a good dog - now go to sleep.

Get an alarm system - also - want you & pup safe

 

[CHRISTY TILSON]

Thank you s much for all the wonderful tips! This is the best website I have ever been a part of. I truly appreciate all the quick responses.

 

[Lynnemd]

IMO you won't have much trouble teaching this one....puppers will love getting to sleep near you.
I would bring her crate in and leave the door open the first night with your bedroom door closed. Who knows where she will choose to sleep but within a week, imagine you will be able to move the crate out....
Mine also likes to snuggle on the bed but gets warm and jumps down.

 

[Dinahmyte]

I would probably go about it this way... Put the crate in the area you would like her to sleep. Let her sleep in it at night like she would normally for maybe a week or so... then maybe with the door open for another week...then removing the crate and putting a bed or something down for her to sleep on (or nothing) she might feel better with the crate there and the door open but it can't hurt to try without the crate all together. I would probably do this gradually over 2-3 weeks.

 

[kbigge]

save

 

[Sean Rescue Mom]

Another idea might be to put the dog bed in the crate, depending on it's size. That way she can get used to her bed, learn the night time routine and maybe you will be able to remove the crate. I can completely understand your wanting her to sleep beside your bed, Sean took to it naturally and it is so comforting to have him there. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[CHRISTY TILSON]

I really like the bed in the crate idea. Her crate is huge so even a large bed would fit with room to spare. Thank you.

 

[xano123]

So do think it's the same process for an older dog? We're getting a 3 1/2 year old in a few months and I just assumed ( you know what they say when you assume!) that if we put a bed down by our bed, he'd sleep there.

I figured there'd be a few times where he's try to get on the bed but we'd tell him "off."

Do you think with any dog (puppy or adult) it's better to do it in stages? Cate with open door then bed? Or is the crate stage really meant to keep the puppy from chewing in the night and doesn't really apply to a grown dog?

Thank you!

 

[TNGSD]

Just an idea for the future... We had a rescue GSD that slept on a couch in our bedroom... It was right next to my side of the bed and he loved that thing! I kept a blanket on it that I washed weekly and as he got older and had health problems it was nice to know he had a comfy spot to rest near my bed.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted By: Hank123 Or is the crate stage really meant to keep the puppy from chewing in the night and doesn't really apply to a grown dog?

Generally, yes - housebreaking and chewing. I still crate mine in our bedroom at night but they don't really need it. They were never destructive chewers to begin with, even at a young age. But I like to sleep until *I* want to get up, especially on the weekend, and while they would probably get up with my hubby at some ridiculously early time and bug the crap out of me until I got up too, as long as they're in their crates they're fine until whenever I decide to get up. They don't whine or fuss. I really don't want a big 'ol dog tongue on my face at 5:00 AM Saturday morning!

 

[xano123]

LOL. We'll I think I'd be more patient with a big dog tongue in the early a.m. than waking up to my fiance licking my face but since I would prefer neither in the wee hours of the morning, I may get a crate for the bedroom!

 

[kbigge]

Hank123-

I don't know if you'd want to try this, but I think it would work w/any age dog. I just started having Kodee (almost 9 mos old) sleep in my bedroom next to my bed. I put his sheepskin mat (bed) on the floor close to my bed (but not right at the side of it, or I'd be steppin' on him every time I get up!) and put a 6 ft leash attached to the leg of my bedside stand. That way, he can only get 6 ft away from me. The only thing he's done is try to gnaw on the leg of my bedstand, but he only tried it once, and since he was so close to my (and I slept light the first few nights to listen for mischief) I corrected him immediately before he caused any damage, and he hasn't tried it again.

He did sleep in a crate in my room for several weeks a while back, until we had contractors here to finish (long story), but I think you could probably skip that step if your dog is housebroken.

Good luck! I love having Kodee in my room at night. He really does seem to watch over me, and he sometimes lays next to our French doors to our deck (he can reach them w/the tether) and "guard" our deck. He's even growled at wildlife visitors out there a few times!

PS - I give him a couple of quiet toys (nylabone or whatever) to gnaw on in the night, if he gets restless. It seems to work - he wakes up sometimes, chews on them, and goes back to sleep, without bothering me or even getting up off his bed...