# Sleeping with your dog...



## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Do any of you sleep with your dogs, even with your puppies? I do plan on crate training him but during the day. But want to have the option to have our dog sleep with us in our bed.

When growing up we always slept with our dogs. Frankly never herd of the "crate" training until coming to sites like this. I can see why you want to do it. But don't know if it will make it hard to potty train the dog if you have him sleep with you in the bed.

Anyone potty trained while sleeping with the dog?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

we crate trained Lady at night untill she was over a year old...she now sleeps in bed with us. but while she was potty training we stuck with the crate


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I did the same as Amanda, they were crated until they were house trained, i didn't fancy them peeing in our bed! Now they sleep with us.


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## cplove (Nov 15, 2011)

I have been wondering about this too. Felfel came house and crate trained, and we continued the tradition. She still sleeps in her crate at night and goes in if we leave the house. She seems fine with it. But my wife kind of insists we should remove the crate and give her a spot in our bedroom. So, is crate training for life, or just for the initial phase?


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

I still crate Lady if we leave the house, and she is quite happy with this, I think she feels more secure this way.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

We slept with our first mini schnauzer. We followed the advice of Roger Mugford the vet. He basically said that to take a young puppy from her litter mates, and place and people they knew and expect it to settle at night is not very nice. So have them sleep with you. She NEVER wet the bed, but stepping in cold poo (my fault, forgot where the pad was) was not very nice. As the puppy settles into her new life, you place her in a box by the bed and gradually move it further and further away, until it's where you want it to be. We had no crying and no separation issues. I loved it. Yes we will do it with Max.


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

My two sleep on my bed (only once they were housetrained!). Reacently in the media here there has been a drive to discourage sleeping with your dog by horror stories of all the parasites you could catch. Well not to delve too deeply but some of my male friends have been far more parasitic (!) and frankley less well mannered. I think as long as your dog is healthy and clean and you are careful to make sure you air your bedding and keep it vacuumed I do not see a problem, other than I seem to be left with 2ft of a 5ft bed!


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## mary181 (Aug 1, 2012)

I haven't used crate so cannot speak for or against and like yourself have had dogs over the years and had never heard of a crate.At present we have a 6 year old cocker and when she was a puppy we tried leaving her in a bed in the kitchen,as we had with previous pups,and she howled like a blood hound for hours on end for quite some time.Then I just thought this is ridiculous that poor wee soul is suffering so she came into the bedroom,in her own bed ,and has been there ever since without a problem.We now also have a 5 month cockapoo and he settled in kitchen at night no problem,that gives Erin her space and a break away from him.So I think it's really up to yourself what is right for you and the pup as they,like ourselves,have different needs and personalities.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Thanks to all the replies.



> tessybear I did the same as Amanda, they were crated until they were house trained, i didn't fancy them peeing in our bed! Now they sleep with us.


Yea don't fancy the puppy peeing in our bed either..  But figure he/she would be close and if I herd "it" cry or felt him walking around on the bed. It would be easy to scoop him/her up and take him out side.

I guess we will play it by ear....


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Sami was in his cate at night, and in a gated kitchen until 9 months old. We then took down the gate during the day while we were at work, and have never had an accident in the house. At 9.5 months we allowed him to sleep with us. He was a little restless the first 2 nights, up and down and chewing on bones, but after the 2nd night, he settled right in and now at 9:30 every night he is staring at us to go to bed! He does really well with this arrangement, but I think it is definately a personal decision as we did not pre plan this. Carley will sleep in her crate until completely house trained, probably several more months from now as she is only 14 weeks old and not trustworthy yet. lol


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## emmelg (Mar 4, 2012)

Baileys been in my room Since day one and never had an accident, and he's still there..

I wouldn't let him in my bed, but it's each to their own I say...


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

".....some of my male friends have been far more parasitic (!) and frankley less well mannered....."

Haha Sue, you nearly made me fall off my chair laughing!


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie was crate trained until toilet trained. During this time she would join us upstairs in the morning and sleep on our bed blanket (which was on the floor as it was summer). It gave me the idea to let her sleep upstairs. 

I started with her in the hallway, on her own bed, but sometimes she would give a little bark and want to come into our room. So I left the door ajar.

Millie now sleeps in a variety of places, in her bed, on my bedroom floor, on my bed or on the bottom step of the stairs ! Basically she wanders all night between all four places, but at least she always knows she has her won bed and uses it.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

Thanks for the information and ideals. I look forward to having our dog and one of my things to have him sleep with us. We tried it with out cat... That doesn't work to well...  So hoping the dog will be better.


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