Finding the perfect place for your four-legged friend to get 40 winks is hugely important.
A comfortable and content canine can be the difference between a good night’s sleep and a sleepless night for all housemates.
Nobody puts fur baby in the corner, unless they’re prepared to face the consequences in the early hours.
If your pup feels out of touch, or if their sleeping arrangements feel inhospitable and unfavourable, then they won’t hesitate to interrupt your slumber.
All dogs are different and will often settle in different spots in a variety of places around the house. Some choose to be close to their pet parents while others don’t mind being left alone.
You’ve just got to find a scenario that is suitable for all parties when it comes to getting your head down.
How can you decide on the ‘best’ place for your dog to sleep in the home?
Is there a tighter bond than that of a human-canine companionship?
Pet parents would spend every hour of every day with their furry friends if they could.
And the feeling is mutual! Dogs don’t like being separated from their fur-less flatmates for too long either.
But even the most ardent of animal lovers will agree that the line has to be drawn somewhere.
There will, of course, be those who opt to share their bedsheets with their snoozing little sidekicks.
However, bed sharers are setting a dangerous precedent, and once their four-legged friends mark their territory, it could become somewhat of a challenge to reclaim that space.
Setting up camp in the same room, with a padded set-up in the form of a crate or dog bed, will more than suffice.
This arrangement can become a permanent fixture, every night can be a sleepover, or it can just be the start of their journey to becoming more independent.
Slowly weaning them off being a nighttime room-mate will encourage them to sleep alone and this can be achieved by gradually moving their bed into alternative spots around the house.
It might take them a while to adjust, but perseverance is the key to getting your sleeping patterns in-sync.
Can my dog stay in my bed from the outset?
As much as you love your pampered pup, it is important to set boundaries as a pet parent.
Once your housemate learns a certain behaviour – such as making themselves at home in your bed – there’s no turning back.
It would be a level of luxury your dog would come to expect on a regular basis.
And it might be a decision you come to regret when you get a paw to the head, or they startle you by barking at anything that goes bump in the night.
It can be a slippery slope, so just be sure that any conclusion you come to is one that you’re happy to live with.
Our fabulous four-legged friends don’t need to invade your personal space in order to fall into a zen-like state at nighttime.
They just need to feel your presence, or get a whiff of your scent, to feel safe and secure when the lights go out.
Camping in the corner of your room, or beside your bed, is a suitable option for sleeping.
Some of our beautiful barkers will even feel brave enough to snooze in a completely separate room of the house, providing they know that you’re not too far away.
Arrangements differ in every household, but rest assured you’ll eventually stumble on a set-up that perfectly suits both pet and pet parent, even if you have to come to some compromise.
Should my puppy sleep in my room?
Your precious little puppy can sleep anywhere – within reason!
Providing their chambers are safe, secure, comfortable and warm, their beds – in whatever format – can be situated anywhere around the house.
Upstairs, downstairs, in your bedroom, in the living room, dining room, or even the kitchen, all that matters is that they are happy and content.
If their set-up isn’t suitable, or you’ve chosen a lousy location, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll let you know about it.
One alternative that we would try to discourage is putting your dogs outdoors at night.
Being outside, alone, in the dark, exposed to the elements, and some disconcerting sights and sounds, while being separated from their human companions, can make our fragile fur babies quite anxious.
They can also be vulnerable to weather-related illnesses such as hypothermia.
All your dog wants is a little bit of love, affection, interaction and a safe and suitable place to sleep.
Don’t lose sleep over night-time arrangement
You don’t have to over-complicate matters.
Finding somewhere for your pup to sleep really doesn’t need to be a long, stressful and drawn out process.
Each and every pet parent just wants the best for their little furballs whether it’s morning, noon or night.
So making life as pleasant, rewarding and as comfortable as possible – whether they’re eating, sleeping or playing – is our main priority.
So long as they’re happy, we’re happy, and living by that mantra will make life a lot easier for all parties.
The ins and outs of their sleeping arrangements are irrelevant, providing they are comfortable, content, safe, sound and able to get a good night’s sleep.
After all, that’s what we all dream of!
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