Poll

My dog sleeps...

outside
in the house
in my room
on my bed
in physical contact with me

Author Topic: Where does your dog sleep?  (Read 16253 times)

Offline fuzzywzhe

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Where does your dog sleep?
« on: June 05, 2005, 06:20:21 am »
Hehe - I'm just curious how many other people sleep with their dog. ;D
« Last Edit: June 05, 2005, 06:22:35 am by fuzzywzhe »

Offline LuvmyMal

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2005, 06:45:45 am »
Count us in for our bed, it just started about a week ago, but now I can't sleep without her there!

Offline moonlitcroatia

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2005, 07:55:54 am »
Greta (pictured) used to sleep on the bed with me, but now that she is older and very stiff it is too much effort for her to sleep there.  Plus, since she is so stiff, she takes up most of the bed.  So, she sleeps next to the bed on her own comforter.

Lou fluctuates throughout the night, climbing onto the bed and then moving down to the floor.  Same with Betti.  It also depends on if it is hot or cold in the room.  Last weekend, when we went camping, Betti slept under the blankets.  When I leave for work in the morning she climbs up on the pillow, either using it as her entire bed, or with her head on it like a person.
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Offline jules

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2005, 08:09:46 am »
heres Spotakiss's favorite place to sleep.Go figure?

Offline morticiaangie

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2005, 09:41:31 am »
I desperately wanted Bogart to sleep with me when I got him - the man that had him before me had put some VERY strict rules in his life and I would call him up on the bed and the whole thing would shake like one of those quarter taking vibrating motel beds - so I had to relent for his sake. I got another greyhound "foster" that I ended up keeping.... he had horrible nights - restless - whining - barking in my face - until I realized that he would sleep all night in the bed with me - HUGE MISTAKE - this particular dog had real alpha issues... I understand that there has to be a structure within the pack - however I could never get him to understand that I was the alpha in the big scheme of things.... I loved this dog but allowing him to sleep in bed with me gave him the idea that we were equals and I slowly lost my position as head of the pack. He ended up turning on me one day after he had gone trash diving and I was trying to remove a steak bone from his immediate area. It was a bad bite - it broke my heart. I had small children in the house and decided that the best thing to do was to put him down - I was his third home because of behavior issues and I couldn't deal with him being with someone else who may not treat him well or the fact that he may bite again. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do - I have put down sick animals before - but never a healthy animal with behaviour issues. It still makes me cry if I think about it too long. How did I get off on this.... sorry about that!!!
LONG STORY SHORT - my dogs prefer to sleep in their crates - so that is where they sleep every night - they were in my bedroom for years - but recently my husband and I have given them their own room - this is taking some adjusting - I am not sure I like it!!!!   :( 
Here are some pics of them in their "bedrooms".
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Offline Jaimie

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2005, 09:50:02 am »
OH Boy.. if you are having Alpha problems the worse thing you an do is have your pooch sleep with you in bed and I should know because I went through it with my first Dobie, now all my dogs sleep happily in their crates ;D.  It took me 3 months to get Ace to stop sneaking into bed before I decided to crate him at night, it was terrible, lots sleepless nights. :(

Offline morticiaangie

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2005, 09:52:06 am »
Trust me it was a lesson learned the hard way - and one not soon forgotten!!!  :'(
"The life given us by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal."
~ Cicero 106-43 BC

Offline Jaimie

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2005, 10:09:45 am »
I hear ya ;)

Offline coonie1970

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2005, 10:16:47 am »
Spotakiss looks like she is saying " Excuse me but this is my bedroom!! You didnt even knock first."
I live that puppy she is so cute. I see she is in her lanky stage. Judge would love to meet her.  :D
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dohertyswissy

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2005, 12:37:06 pm »
Ranger sleeps just about anywhere!  lol!  At night, though, he has his own doggie bed beside ours.  He just sprawls right on out.  It is so cute!  The dog has no modesty...just spread eagle for the whole world to see.

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2005, 01:28:17 pm »
our dogs sleep in bed too. We have them spread out though, Galahad is the one who always sleeps with me, the other ones sleeps with the kids and I think they are on some kind of understanding that they take turns with the different kids. Duging day, they sleep either on a bed or on the couch or somethimes over a vent, confisticating the cool air. They have nice doggy beds, but noone seem too impressed by them, I guess I could have saved those money  ;D

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Offline GrumpyBunny

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2005, 01:33:09 pm »
Our guys sleep on their doggy beds on either side of our bed.  Ranger sleeps on my side, Gwen sleeps on her daddy's side.  

I get up pretty early for work, and Ranger used to sleep in bed with his daddy after I got up (he gets up with me now.  YES!  He loves his mommy best!).  I would go back into the bedroom for something and find him in bed on my side of the bed, laying on his back with his head on my pillow, kind of like "Hmmm, so this is how people sleep..."  He would give me the dirtiest look, like "Excuse me!  SOME of us are trying to get their beauty sleep".
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Offline pndlake

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2005, 01:33:33 pm »
In the winter, Niki plays a game she made up regarding the bed.  She won't jump in bed unless I am laying in it.  Then she pretends that she can't make the jump into the high mattress.  She waits until I get out of bed to help her up then quickly plows into my side of the bed.  I prevail though as she gets pushed over.

During the summer months she prefers the cool grass outside.
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Offline GrumpyBunny

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #13 on: June 05, 2005, 01:54:53 pm »
During the summer months she prefers the cool grass outside.

Does it get very hot where you live?  We are in San Diego, so we don't have to worry too much about the heat, but my mom in Phoenix has two collies...  During the summertime, they don't even want to go outside for walks, let alone sleep out there...
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Offline fuzzywzhe

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Re: Where does your dog sleep?
« Reply #14 on: June 05, 2005, 05:01:31 pm »
I never understodd the reasoning that if you allowed an alpha dog on your bed it would create problems.

You sleep alone, therefore you are the alpha dog, right?

Well, if the dog sleeps alone, is he the alpha dog?

And if you sleep together is the dog sleeping with you and therefore becoming the alpha dog or are you sleeping with the dog, and therefore YOU are the alpha?  If just doesn't make sense to me.

I've slept with my dogs for a long time and never had a problem.  I've had alpha dogs in rescue a few times.  Rescues don't sleep in my bed (I do not allow rescues to get too comfortable in my home because I don't know what sort of person is going to adopt them)

I've once been threatened by an alpha female Siberian, and I simply backhanded her across her face for showing teeth, and that pretty much established our heirachy after that.  She never challenged me again or showed aggression with me.  I know that a lot of people say you shouldn't physically hurt a dog, but in my opinion, this is short sighted.  It's not something  you should do lightly but it's a tool.  If a dog bites me while in rescue, I'm supposed to euthanize them and I'd rather beat a dog up than kill one.

With regard to physical punishment, it's extremely important to distinguish between a dog showing aggression because of fear, and another showing aggression because of dominance.  If a dog is showing aggression because of fear and you hurt them for it, it will only establish in their mind that they were right to be afraid and should have been aggressive because you were aggressive.  Never hurt a dog that is showing aggression because of fear.  Either don't interact with them or if you do get bitten, just grin and bear it and don't show pain or fear.