Crate .. always in her crate she prefers it.

 

Sometimes in the crate, sometimes on the bed in the extra bedroom.

 

Pups in crate in the kennel. Cujo on the bed for all of 10 minutes before he hops off and goes onto his lil cot, Lyka usually somewhere on the bed.

 

In their crates

 

I've had people tell me "dogs on the bed lead to dominance issues" and confusion over who is the pack leader... do you think there is truth to that? My dog sleeps on my bed, but I am careful to make sure I sleep where I want first and foremost, and he is welcome to adjust to me. He always sleeps with his head resting on my legs, chest, or some part of my body... he always remains in contact with me. It seems to me that it would only solidify our bond. I highly doubt he has any confusion over who is pack leader, as he typically stops at the door when its wide open to let me exit first even though he's uber-excited to go outside. Its my understanding a dog who thinks he's the leader would never do this. What do you think?

 

I've had people tell me "dogs on the bed lead to dominance issues" and confusion over who is the pack leader... do you think there is truth to that? My dog sleeps on my bed, but I am careful to make sure I sleep where I want first and foremost, and he is welcome to adjust to me. He always sleeps with his head resting on my legs, chest, or some part of my body... he always remains in contact with me. It seems to me that it would only solidify our bond. I highly doubt he has any confusion over who is pack leader, as he typically stops at the door when its wide open to let me exit first even though he's uber-excited to go outside. Its my understanding a dog who thinks he's the leader would never do this. What do you think?

Dogs will lead or follow and are happy in either role and in sound homes. Mine sleep outside 24/7. I sleep in a bed in the house. Some dogs can challenge humans for the bed, a chair, or sofa. I don't want the battle and remove the possible element from their "thought." Just me!

 

IMO, a proper understanding of social structure within the home comes about through training and interaction with the dog. Being the dog's leader is a lifestyle and an attitude. Not a set of Dos and Don'ts.

The dog who is going to challenge his owner for dominance just because he's allowed to sleep on the bed is rare. Most dogs, even those described as "dominant" are happy to accept human leadership provided they are given leadership that is firm, fair and consistent. Once that relationship is established, letting the dog on the furniture isn't going to screw it up. If the dog suddenly thinks being allowed on the bed or couch is grounds for a challenge, there is something fundamentally wrong elsewhere in the dog/handler relationship.

Our dogs have free run of the house.... not all at once as with 6 dogs, some of whom don't care much for others, we'd end up with WW3. But they take turns rotating 2-3 in the house and 2-3 crated or outdoors. They lounge on the couch with us in the evening and sleep wherever they want at night, including on the bed. The only rules are if we tell them to get off, they do. And while they're allowed on the couch and bed as much as they want when we're not using them, when we go to bed or go to sit down on the couch they have to get off, and then once we're settled in they will be invited back up and if they want to come back up on the bed or couch, they're welcome to. No dominance issues whatsoever because it's still clear in their minds that we're in charge and they understand that it's OUR couch and our bed. But we are willing to share, so long as they respect the rules.

 

Mine sleeps on the floor by my side of the bed. He's not allowed on furniture, but that's not because of possible dominance issues; it's to keep hair and odor off.

 

Xena lives outside in the yard.

She has a wooden kennel for shelter..

 

On the floor in the bedroom, even though he has free run of the house. He'll pretty much follow me where ever I go. I don't call him to follow me when I go up to bed, sometimes it'll take him a few minutes to make his way up there. Same goes for the Dane, she'll sleep on the floor in the room but after the alarm goes off and my wife gets up to get ready for work she'll hop up and lean against me. The pug sleeps in his crate, on my recliner, or in my daughter's room.

 

Right now Kodee sleeps tethered to the bedside stand in my room. He just started sleeping un-crated, and the tether will only be for a couple more days til he gets the idea that the bedroom (which is a brand-new addition to our house) is part of our "territory", and not to be soiled in. He's housebroken, but I'm not taking any chances...

I may even remove the tether tonight, since he's been sleeping in there for about a week now.

 

I assume they roam at night but when i get up they're all in the bedroom usually.

 

I thought I'd be the only one on this forum who lets the dogs sleep on the bed... so glad I'm not.

Nothing sweeter than a snuggly malinois. Best not to yawn though, when he's right there, that tongue can reach my back teeth. blech.

 

Nothing sweeter than a snuggly malinois. Best not to yawn though, when he's right there, that tongue can reach my back teeth. blech.

LOL, so your not a "magda" from the movie -Something about Mary? #-o

Tiko sleeps on the bed but always waits and asks for permission to do so. Hari is trying to take over the bed so he gets pushed off until he understands that it is MINE and he is a guest! Funny thing is that after he is up there for about 15 mins or so he jumps off and sleeps at the foot of the bed or near the door.

I don't mind letting them sleep in the bed since they are kept in the crate while I am at work. Besides, my Mali is as vocal as a GSD so who would want to listen to him whine all night????

 

If I am alone then Arwen is asked to wait while I get comfy, and then I release her to hop on the bed and snuggle. If my husband is home then Arwen sleeps in her crate as he doesn't think there is enough room in the king sized bed for 2 people and one little Rottweiler. :lol: We only really tried once but for some reason she decided that all 80lbs of her was going to sleep in the middle and spread out! #-o

 

Try that with a 115lb Dane who is 7' long when she stretches out, with 2 people in a queen size bed! Needless to say we've been making her sleep on the floor until one of us gets up, but she's persistent!

 

When my dog was younger, she used to sleep in her crate. Now that she is older, she sleeps in our room on her dog pillow. She has never been allowed on furniture & probably never will. If I ever want to hang out and "snuggle" with her, I just sit on the floor.

 

Dutch-free roams the house and sleeps next to my side of the bed regardless of where his dog pillow is at.

Malinois-both in crates as they are still not to be trusted with my furniture alone.

Bloodhound-he likes it outside and he has a pillow in the house. If hubby is gone, then he sleeps on the bed with me.

GSD-outdoors in her kennel

Lab-outdoors in his kennel

 

They sleep in crates indoors until they are pretty much proofed as far as potty training and chewing up crap in concerned and about a year old give or take.

After the first year they usually end up sleeping on my bedroom floor. They stink and make a furry mess but I enjoy waking up to a happy dog in the morning. Kinda starts the day off with a smile.

 

Okay, I'll come clean. Earlier I said my dog sleeps on the bed in the spare bedroom sometimes, well he does, but I pull down the covers for him everynight so he can sleep on the sheets. I can't help it, he just looks so cute the way he snuggles into the sheets.

 

Mine sleep on the bed or in crates. They aren't allowed free run of the house while I sleep ~ I have an 8 year old dog who almost poisoned himself while I was asleep. The dogs are taught to get on the bed and to stay on the bed. Sometimes I don't feel like having them all on top of me - and the hair - so they sleep in crates. Sometimes I feel like they might be in a mood to sneak off in the middle of the night, so they get crated.

 

The first year my dogs sleep in a crate in my room. This makes it easier for potty training to get them out the door quicker. Once I trust them, I put them on a dog bed with a 6 ft leash attached to the leg of my bed, I remind them to be on their bed and give a treat when they get on their bed. Once they get the idea of staying on the bed, the leash comes off. I have two dogs currently and they know who's bed is who's. They are cute when it is bed time running to their spot and waiting for a treat.

 

The young dogs (Csabre, Fury, Fhazer) sleep in crates. Kougie, Kyra and Basha sleep in the house...Basha - who was a kennel dog in Belgium - is now a velcro dog, sleeps on the bed in the upper corner, Koug on the lower corner and Kyra, while she will nap along side the bed or on the bed on the opposite side, is always on patrol...they ALL know when I open my eyes in the morning though... they rotate in the house in groups as Csabre and Koug are fine together, but I don't let him with other males or Csabre with other females...she has been fine with males - Danger, Wolfie, Falcon, Granit all have gotten to run with her but I don't mix her with the other females, who all (past and present) have been able to be a social group fine.

 

The two GSDs are outside in a 6x20 run that is attached to the garage. They can pass through a dog door to their dog houses inside the garage, within a 3x6 pen.
They both spent the first 6-7 months in the house. I want house manners taught on the occasion they do come in for a bit of socializing.
The JRT sleeps loose in the house or with in bed with my son. That often ends in a "Who gets the pillow" argument and the JRT winds up on the floor next to me then.
The little waste basket thief is crated when no body's home.

 

Things are rough right now that I'm living with my grandpa (I was taking care of him while he recovered from a stroke and now that he's better we're looking for a house) the dogs used to have a room of their own but now the 5 of us are all crammed into one bedroom...
Aridan sleeps free always (and usually has her head on the pillow next to me)
Fenris sleeps free sometimes and prefers the floor next to my night stand. Jack just turned a year old and sleeps in a crate in my room, as soon as we find a house he'll be learning to sleep free. Mauser is only about 3 months old and is content to sleep in his crate (as long as he has his crate blankie :smile: )for the next year or so.

 

Rade sleeps in my room. I close my door so he doesnt have free roam of the entire house. I allow him to get on the bed, but he jumps off eventually throughout the night. He like to lay in front of the door.

 

Crates. Argos cannot be trusted in the house with the cat without supervision.

 

my dog has an unfortunate habit of shifting in the night so he his sleeping along side me, with his head at my feet and his butt near my chest. He sleeps on his back all spread eagle, and inevitably I end up getting a handful of testes when I got to pet him in the middle of the night. I think he does it on purpose

 

Even worse is the possibility of odoriferous eminations! Our Dane and Pug can both clear a room, no way I want that near my face! Its bad enough when the Dane is sleeping on the floor right next to the bed!