“Let Sleeping Dogs Lie”

Below is page 55, and the topic is sleeping arrangements. If this page does not appear correctly you can simply read the synopsis of page 55 at the bottom of this page. All material is ©2010 Debby McMullen.

Directly above this page is a list of other pages you can read from the book, How Many Dogs!?

Exerpt from

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

If you have the option of allowing your dogs several rooms on the same floor that the humans sleep on, that may be your best option. If you trust your dogs with the run of the house, then simply let then choose where they sleep, as I mentioned. It’s okay if they choose a different floor than you sleep on if you and they are comfortable with this. I have dog beds in almost every room of my house and I strongly believe that there should be dog beds or comfy places they are permitted to use, in each room where the family spends a large amount of time. This gives the dogs a place to call their own and in turn, gives them options for rest periods. So provide comfortable dog beds and/or blankets in each room that they may choose. The spots that they choose during the day may differ from bedtime. Don’t try to make them sleep on the bed if they don’t want to. And in the same vein, don’t try to make them sleep on a dog bed if they prefer the floor. But if they prefer your bed and you prefer they sleep elsewhere, that is perfectly fine. Not everyone is comfortable emotionally and/or physically with their dogs sleeping in bed with them. That is an individual thing. But keep in mind the facts: if they are not comfortable, they won’t choose the spot you want them to sleep in, simple as that. This is why the beds/blankets on the floor need to be comfortable to THEM. Giving the dogs options is important, especially if you have all large dogs and a not so large bed.

So if they are on the bed, should you move them around or ask them to get off the bed if you don’t have enough room? Absolutely! You are the one who needs to be able to provide for them. You need your beauty sleep. Gently rearrange the sleeping arrangements when need be. Do not give in on that. You are the leader here and you have the opposable thumbs. It is also perfectly fine if you want one dog but not another to sleep on the bed. But don’t make that a habit unless that dog is the only one who does not have compliance problems. (If that is the case, you should be working on this issue with the goal of resolving it.)