Should You Let Your Dog Sleep in the Bed With You?

There is something nice and comforting about having your furry best friend snuggling up next to you or warming your feet while you sleep and many people sleep with their dog in the bed with them. However, as any dog trainer or Animal Doctor Staten Island will tell you, establishing Alpha Position is important and letting your dog know who is boss will help you to curb any behavior issues. Many people have asked their animal doctor Staten Island whether or not sleeping with the dog in the bed is a good idea. After all, won’t it make your dog think you are on the same level and cause him to become disobedient?

The general consensus among most dog trainers is that dogs should not sleep in the bed with humans. When a dog is in a pack in the wild, the coziest sleeping spot is always kept for the higher members of the pack. Your dog needs to respect you as the leader of the pack, as this is the best way to train and manage behavior problems. You will find that if you let your dog sleep in the bed, he will not respect you at other times when you are giving him commands. 

If you really want to let your dog sleep in the bed with you, he should not jump up of his own accord but rather be invited up by you on your terms. If he tries to push you out of the way or take up room on the bed, he should lose his bed privileges. It is better to teach the dog to curl up at the foot of the bed rather than sleep up with you on your pillow. 

To learn more about dog training, contact your Animal Doctor Staten Island.