# Sleeping arrangements



## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

I've posted a few times before that Tilly is just not a fan of her crate. She will be 7 months old on Sunday, and she still hates it. Most nights, she will still bark for 5 mins when I put her in which is not ideal as we now have neighbours joined to our semi detached townhouse.

So I decided to ditch the crate - she's never going to like it, I've persevered for 5 months and she's a big girl now (sob!)last night I just put her bed where her crate usually is (on the landing outside our room) put her in it and closed our bedroom door...... Woof woof woof!!! Still barking! Paranoid the neighbours will hate us!

In the end she ended up on our bed (first time ever) which certainly won't be a permanent arrangement!! What should I do??

My thought at the minute is that I just leave her downstairs in the lounge and kitchen as that is where she's happiest..... Any other ideas?

Xx

P.s. finally worked out how to share my holiday iMovie, here's the link to the post-holiday thread

http://ilovemycockapoo.com/showthread.php?t=21050


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## NikkiB (Jan 16, 2013)

If you try where she is happiest and you can trust her not to do any damage then I would definitely try that.
We have Samson in our bedroom and he sleeps mostly on the floor, only occasionally getting up on the bed and sleeping by our feet. We love having him in our room but I know it doesn't suit everybody. we also were worried about our neighbours as we are in a middle terraced house. Neighbours both sides!!!!
Do you leave her in the kitchen when you go out? If she is used to being alone in that room anyway you may find that she sleeps well there?
I bet she loved being in your bedroom last night!


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi there, 

I feel your pain! Saffi is 18 months and in fact was used to her crate until our cats went to stay at my parents' and she got lonely and started barking. This cooincided with my partner going through the final interview stages for a new role so we felt we couldn't be kept up all night with her barking and let her into our bedroom. And she stayed there for a couple of months . 

Then my parents found out (yes, I'm 30!) and told us we had to take her back downstairs - we don't have children (yet) and don't want to make the transition even harder for her when we do. 

So she went back downstairs and it was like retraining a puppy . In recent weather she hasn't settled, probably because she is hot and now it's touch or go whether she will settle at night or not. Most nights she will bark, it's really not ideal. 

I will watch this thread with interest for any sound advise


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I agree with Nikki, try her where ever it is that you leave her during the day. Do you use the crate during the day ? x


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

During the day she used to have just the kitchen (no crate, just her bed) but as she is getting older we have started leaving her in the lounge and kitchen with no issues. She's pretty happy there.

Quite often at bedtime, she'll be sleeping happily on the sofa and I have to pick her up and carry her upstairs as she doesn't want to go! Maybe tonight I wil just leave her sleeping and shut the door....

Turi, have you tried reverting back to leaving the radio on etc? It's so hard - you don't expect to have sleeping problems beyond the puppy stage!!

X


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Sounds as if she maybe happiest downstairs, I wonder where she would end up sleeping if you left the door open so she could go where she wanted? I would definitely try leaving her downstairs anyway just to see what happens. The night before our hols we had packed Dudley's crate and just put his bed where it usually is (under the stairs), he went in it and slept fine, in the morning he was stretched out on the floor near it, it was a warm evening though. My only reason for leaving him in it now is he seems to not worry about outside noises when he is in it, guess he feels he does not need to guard, so is quieter, and I can have a lay-in, in the hols without worrying about him.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Mine sleep with us- one on the bed one on the floor. All 4 of us are quite happy about it. They sleep like logs, they never disturb us and we always get a lie-in at weekends. I don't see a problem with having dogs sleep with you. There is no hard and fast rule that says they shouldn't. I would thoroughly recommend it, we are all just one happy family!


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## LolaLulu (Apr 15, 2012)

It is about what suits you. My two sleep in our room and are much more settled and sleep for longer. They are usually on the bed until they get too hot. My Mum doesn't know cos are daren't tell her, and I am well over 30, she thinks it bad enough they are allowed on the sofa.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Lol Sally that's funny... Sorry... I agree whatever suites you. If the lounge doesn't work, she may happily sleep in her bed in your room, rather than on your bed if you don't fancy that. Mine come up early morning, not sure how we" re going to be with three lol x


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Lottierachel said:


> Turi, have you tried reverting back to leaving the radio on etc? It's so hard - you don't expect to have sleeping problems beyond the puppy stage!!
> 
> X


We didn't actually use a radio first time round. 

It's so hard as we loved having her in with us and actually got a better night's sleep. But we worry about her being possessive when there is a baby in the mix...


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I think that's so funny both your Mums disapprove, mine is sadly no longer with me but she wouldn't have approved either! 

Turi I can see where you are coming from, there may not be room for dogs and babies all in your room together! Mine have been and gone so I don't have to worry, in fact if it isn't obvious I am a bit of an empty nester now that both my boys have left home!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So I finally gave up putting them in the crate to sleep around 4 months as they would wake me up every few hours to be let out (kind of like during the day). I brought them in bed with me because I had to keep an eye on Lexi who got a bee sting and had to watch for vomiting or distressed breathing. Felt bad leaving Beemer in the crate so brought him on the bed too. It saved me from going insane from sleep deprivation. Now when I get up because I need to go to the bathroom they barely lift their heads then flop right back down. 

I don't know about the rest of you who let them into your bed but mine usually sleep at the foot of my bed (my previous dog did that too). My sister's dog slept in the bed and adjusted when they had a baby (baby on one side, doggie on the other). 

I know everyone has their own sleep set up, but the advice I got from folks on here to go with whatever works for you probably kept me from losing it. And everyone is happier as we all now sleep through the night.


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## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

Gisgo sleeps on the bed with us - down at the bottom by our feet. It is soooo worth it for the long lie-ins (even as late as 10am)....and he just sleeps really soundly and nothing seems to disturb him (not thunder storms or even children being ill etc etc etc). I guess his will was stronger than ours when we were trying to make him sleep downstairs and we just eventually gave in and now we all sleep so peacefully.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I have a theory that it is shut door she does not like...
We had GSDs before we had children and when I got pregnant for the first time the dogs were shifted downstairs to sleep and we had a stair gate at the bottom of the stairs which stayed there until our youngest was old enough to manage stairs safely - pretty much when Inzi was being trained to sleep downstairs. With Kiki she originally slept in the kitchen with a gate across the door, no crate. Somewhere around 10 months the gate kept being left open (by teenage sons), but she still chose to sleep in her bed in the kitchen.
The dogs are not banished from the upstairs during the day but at bed time they seem to accept that it is time for them to settle on their beds - which are downstairs and they do...
Good luck.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I would try her bed in your room? Her barking is more to do with being left rather than her crate so you will most likely find she will still bark for a bit even in the lounge. So my advice would be either crate back and put up with 5 mins barking or let her sleep in your room.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I would allow her to sleep downstairs if she is happy. Failing that try her bed in your room and don't allow her on the bed. Or crate in your room?


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

My daughter has a cocker crossed with a Chinese crested (she is a lovely little dog) from puppyhood she has slept in her box in my daughters bedroom. My daughter had her baby last October and Bella has shown known jealousy at all. The baby and dog share a lot of things together, including spit. Her children rarely have tummy upsets and apart from colds in the winter time, are not often poorly. My Max has never had a young child in the house until July. He was a dream. He put up with being hauled around, squeezed and cuddled without a single growl. At one point he had three youngsters and a baby crawling all over him. He was so gentle. If you are worried about your dog and a baby I would say take every opportunity to cuddle and snuggle with other babies if possible. So if you want a good nights sleep, put her on your bed. Enjoy and stop fretting about something that has happened yet and may never happen!


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

well i think at 30 years old ,i would take advice from my mom with a grean of salt,Haa Haa.next why don't you just leave her sleep on the sofa.when we gave ginger the run of the house we had her bed in our bed room.but by and by she stopped sleeping there and she thinks she likes my chair better so that is where she sleeps.and is very happy there..let her sleep where she wants to she won't bother any thing and she will be happy


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

I love Sami sleeping on our bed! I put a white sheet at the bottom half of our bed and he sleeps there. Carley has decited she likes her large pillow on the floor by our bed. She is a fidget bug and roams around a bit . . into the kitchen on the floor . . in the hallway and at times jumps on the bed towards the early morning hours . . Sami seems to never move a muscle!! I watch carefully at night going to the bathroom as I never know where Carley will be . . . but they are both content and never wake me up so it works . . you will find what works for you also!! good luck!!


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## RachelJ (Oct 5, 2012)

Hello & welcome back! Hope you had a fab holiday, will try view your video soon!

Hope you have come to a solution to suit both you & Tilly? Darcie sleeps in the kitchen with the door closed in her bed (shes never had a crate) we never have any problems and when shes awake in the morning if its a weekend or very early week day she will come on our bed until we get up! Occasionally if we have been out for the evening and its late when we get back we let her sleep upstairs so we can go straight to bed without havign to settle her down again but the only problem is she wont sleep in her bed if its upstairs only on our bed or next to me on the floor. My boyfriend and I would be quite happy for her to sleep upstairs all the time but I dont want her on our bed every night and I dont like her laying on the floor next to my bed incase i stand on her in the night if I get up so for now the kitchen it is! Awhile ago we also tried leaving the kitchen door open instead of closing it and just had the stair gate closed on the stairs (its open plan downstairs so the stairs are in the living room) but she barked for ages and just wouldnt settle although everyday she has run of the area but I think she must just feel secure in the kitchen - I dont think they like change either. Sorry not been too helpful but just thought would explain our sleeping arrangements and hopefully will give you a few ideas x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

So Lottie - What did you do last night?


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

Well it was pretty much a success.....

I left Tilly sleeping on the sofa last night, closed the kitchen door and stayed to listen for 5 mins just in case. All was quiet 

My OH woke me at 2am to say she was barking, I went down to find her super sleepy and not at the kitchen door. I think she had just heard a noise! I opened the back door, but she didn't want to go out, she went back and climbed on the sofa and went to sleep.

This time, I left the kitchen door open to see what would happen, I wondered if she would eventually come upstairs and try to get on the bed - nothing! Went down at 8am to find her still sound asleep on the sofa. It's definitely where she wants to be!

Works for me  

We are all so different as are our pooches, it's all about finding what's best for us. Thanks so much for all your words of wisdom, I hope Saffi is being a good girl too,

X


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I think we can be so preoccupied with hoping we are doing everything right and doing what we think we should be. I have learned that its best to go with the flow. Works best when you've got a personality packed poo (PPP). Glad Tilly is happier with a lovely comfy sofa!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

And just to add as a mom you know your kids wont always agree with you, you can offer advice if its asked for, but you've done a good job if you've raised your kids to have minds of their own, to make their own decisions and to live their own lives independent of you, but lovely of you to think of how your mums would feel


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

yes .i find that as i lission to all the chit-chats here ,,every one is doing the right thing ,what they are told you should do and they forget all about the poor puppy.and the fact that she has a mind of her own and like to do what she want to do some times .and sleeping is on of them .let your puppy pik out where she wants to sleep.ginger has a great big soft bed that she sleeps in during the day.and she would sleep in it when she was locked in the kitchen .but as soon as she got the run of the house ,she picked my chair for her night time bed .and we never heard a peep out of her because that is what see wanted and she was happy ok ..do you think I'm right HUH


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## femmedufromage (Oct 20, 2012)

Our boy sleeps on our bed, or under it, or by the side of it! He takes himself off to bed early evening if I am away for the night and my husband has to move him over to my side so he can get into bed.

We have a big velux window in our room which opens out completely (and safely) so he also sleeps under this to get the breeze.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Sally I can picture that exactly! Dexter and Bonnie like to sleep close to my fan in the bedroom, its quite comical watching their ears flap in the breeze!


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