Whether to keep your dog with you in bed when you go to sleep is one of the highly debated topics amongst the pet-keeping community. It has been reported that half of the people interviewed believe sleeping with your dog has benefitted them in countless ways.
So now the question arises, when is the right time to let your dog into bed?
How long until dog can sleep in bed?
Typically, you should wait until your puppy can handle themselves before letting them into the bed. That means your furry companion should be able to hold in their bladder, keep the whining and biting to a minimum, if not never at all. This usually is possible around the 8-12 weeks mark.
Table of Contents
Dogs are absolute social creatures, so they cherish each and every moment they can spend with their masters. This includes wanting to sleep with or near them as well. However, as a responsible owner, one must know when would be the perfect time to introduce your fluffy friend to your bed.
How long until my dog can sleep in my bed?
While there are some people who would not allow their dogs to sleep in their bedrooms, more and more people are accepting their pups into their hearts and beds. With any decisions made when it comes to the wellbeing of the pet and the pet owner, the pros and cons should be measured.
It is advised that you wait before you introduce your dog to the bed, for habits need to be rolled out periodically, rather than just allowing them on. It is believed that there is a right way to train your dog, and there is a wrong way that enables bad behavior out of them.
First things first, a puppy in a new home will without a doubt be fussy and whiny- and wanting to comfort them is absolutely understandable. However, it is still ill-advised to let them onto the bed so early on. They are too young and will be restless, whiny, and might even empty their bladder onto your precious mattress.
It is advised instead to have them nearby during this period. Put the crate or bed near you so you can easily reach to calm them down as well as keep an eye or ear out for them.
Now to answer the main question, when to allow the companion onto the bed? While the time differs for each owner and pet- the general consensus is to wait until they exhibit self-control.
By this, it means to see if your dog can send you proper signals when they need to relieve themselves. A better sign might even be when your dog can obey the wait or sit command. It should be obvious, but they should also be at a size where you are not worrying about rolling over and seriously hurting them.
Timeline-wise, the most common answer is when they are around 4 months or 16 weeks old. But again, it should be mentioned that it is different for every dog and owner.
Also Read, Should Dogs Have Bedtimes?
When can my dog start sleeping in his bed?
While dogs in their infancy need constant human/owner contact to make sure they feel comforted, after a while, they do need to be independent.
If you begin crate training, the ultimate goal is to teach your dog that they can be self-governing as well as preventing and curing separation anxiety. One of those steps includes letting them sleep in their own dog bed.
Since this is basically behavior training, it is advised to start early. It might be of medium difficulty and can take 3 to 6 weeks for proper results.
Extra tip: keep the bed or crate nearby so even if you are “separated,” the pup can smell or hear you, so feel calm.
Also Read, Will Dog Poop on Bed?
When can my dog stop sleeping in crate?
Crate training, as mentioned above, begins early. But it does not take long for them to outgrow their crates and begin to move on.
It should be mentioned that puppies 6 months or younger should not be kept in a crate for more than 3-4 hours continuously at a stretch.
However, it is not an age thing- it is more of whether you can trust them or not. Whenever they can be trusted to not chew on things or wreak havoc whenever unsupervised, they should be green-lit to be allowed out of the crate. Usually, it is around three to four weeks of age.
When to move puppy crate out of bedroom?
The process of getting the crate out of your bedroom is one where it takes gradual time and effort. If you suddenly move it, it is simply going to a hard time for both you and your pup.
As your puppy learns to be independent, you can limit test to how far you can put the crate away. Gradually start to move it farther and see how they react to it. As they grow up, they should be able to handle having the crate away from you and out of the bedroom.
While, again, as mentioned before, the timeline is different for every pup owner, the estimated time frame is around 5 months old.
How long should a puppy sleep in your room?
It is advised for puppies to be crate trained as early as possible, but once you know they are old enough and have been trained properly- they can basically be allowed anywhere in the house.
However, as mentioned before, the youngest pups need constant love and attention to be made comfortable and cared for. Once they have accepted you as their owner and family, they will learn to be autonomous, and you can start phasing them out of your bed and so, your bedroom.
Same with moving the crate, it ultimately boils down to trustworthiness and timeline-wise, 4-5 months in age.
Is it safe to let dogs sleep with you?
The common fear when it comes to letting your furry friend spend the night with you is it being detrimental for both of you. Lack of sleep, transporting diseases to one another, and hurting each other are three of the most common worries.
While dogs tend to be fidgety and have odd sleeping behaviors, most owners that do allow their dogs into their beds have reported having a good night’s sleep more often than not. It is also beneficial to have someone you love and care for around you, for it provides comfort and security.
It is highly unlikely that either of you will contract diseases if you maintain proper hygiene and precautions. Allergies can easily be controlled with HEPA filters if your budget allows it.
That leaves the last concern of hurting each other by rolling over in unfortunate times. This can be combatted by letting your pup grow into a size where they are not as fragile anymore- which will also perfectly fit into the time where you need to crate train your dog.
To sum it up, it is completely okay for the dog to sleep with you in your bed as long as you are cautious and clean, and the dog knows their commands, so they know when to leave the bed when asked to.
Pros and cons of dog sleeping in your bed
Pros:
The pros of letting your dog sleep in your bed are as follow.
- Decrease the chance of separation anxiety for your dog.
- The dog is calmed enough not to be as scared of thunderstorms or fireworks.
- Can keep warm in cold weathers.
- Increased bonding with your dog and vice versa.
- Increased chances of sleeping better and more comforted once you have found your rhythm.
Cons:
Like the flipside of the coin, the cons of having them sleep with you are given below:
- Since dogs are finicky sleepers, there’s a chance of incompatible sleeping patterns trouble your sleep.
- They could fall off the high bed and hurt themselves.
- Unclean or improperly cared-for dogs could introduce you to fleas and zoonotic diseases.
- The bed could be too warm in summers.
As discussed above, there are pros and cons to having your dog sleep with you, but it truly depends on the dog and the owner in the end. It could deepen the bond you share by providing security and comfort, or it could harm both of you by increased incompatibility and so arise tensions. Only you can judge how good it is for you two in the end and make the trade-off accordingly.