To tell you the truth, if Wyn, my Welsh Springer, wanted to sleep on my bed, I would let him do it provided he didn’t thrash around keep me awake all night.
But, from the time he was with his littermates, Wyn has chosen a quiet place by himself to sleep. He sleeps in his own bed in the corner of the bedroom, and sometimes, he’ll start the night with a nap on the couch.
If you are looking for a dog bed for your pup, here are a few shopping tips:
* Size is important. Get a bed that is big enough for your dog to lay on his side. Big dogs with long legs do well on rectangular beds.
* What type of coat does your dog have? If you have a flat coated dog that has a tendency to get cold, you might also be adding blankets (e.g., a small blanket or towel) to your dog’s bed.
* Older dogs and dogs with arthritis and joint issues can benefit from an orthopedic bed. You can find these online.
* Consider durability. If your dog likes to turn in circles and scratch the fabric before she lays down, as much as you’d like for her to live like a princess, forget the satin and velvet fabrics.
I took Wyn to the pet store years ago and he chose his own bed. I put several dog beds on the floor in the middle of the aisle and he got into the bed that was his first choice. Of course, it was the most expensive. I took him on a walk around the store, returned to the beds, and put them on the floor again. The pricey one. That was his choice and he was stickin’ to it.
I don’t know what he was responding to. On three occasions, I’ve been drawn in by pet catalogs and I’ve ordered what I consider to be a very high quality dog bed. Larger than the current bed, thicker, and with a built in pillow around the edges. All three times, Wyn has wanted no part of the new beds.
I realize I could have thrown his old bed away and used operant procedures to convince him he needs a better sleeping experience, but why? The dog is smart enough to make a choice and he prefers the bed he selected all by himself.
Where do your dogs sleep?
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
winter naps in the afternoon on the sofa w/ me, snuggled in multiple fleesy throws. At night in crates – one on each side of the bed ( use as ‘night stands ). I’d truly love for them to sleep w/ us, but having had 2 house fires, I want to know in the middle of the night, in the dark, exactly where the dogs are. They are included as #1 on the ‘Fire escape Plan’.
Early evenings on the sofa, recliner w/ my husband, but ‘bed time’ is ‘crate time’.
All three labs are usually curled up somewhere on the bed with us. We have a king sized bed so me & the kids get one side while my husband gets the other. My male gets to warm and sleeps beside me in a bed or in his kennel which is within eye sight!
My sheltie, William, always starts the night on our bed, down at the foot. He then usually goes to his own bed and if he gets too warm, he finds a cool spot on the floor in the bedroom. He likes to stay close but does like room to stretch out (he likes to sleep flat on his side with his legs sticking out! Sometimes, he likes to get back up on our bet early in the morning (between three and five) but will only do this if I get up and give him permission. The only exception is if something frightens him and then nothing will keep him from Mom!