Sleeping in the Bedroom
What is the wisdom on this? We've been pretty successful with Chelsea in a crate in her own space by the pantry, and we are in our room upstairs. Before bed we have snuggle time with her while we brush teeth and get on jammies, but then at 10:30 it's "let's go Night-night" time and she bounds downstairs to her crate. The trainer said that sleeping with the animal in your bedroom forms a bond and that it is something that should be done. What do all of you think? Should we move the crate to the bedroom? She seems happy enough with the arrangement and sleeps through the night, but we don't want her feeling alienated, or as if she is not part of the pack. I know this sounds like I'm stressing over nothing- but I've never had a dog that was crate trained before and I don't always feel confident that she is happy with the scenario, albeit, I've always had major overnight destruction and interupted sleep from previous OES and other breeds getting up to no good in the middle of the night. Please tell me what the pros and cons are of having the OES in the bedroom (crated) vs crated in another room. Thanks! Up. |
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| I think your situation sounds great! If Chelsea is happy to go in her crate at night then you guys are definitely doing something right. I hear all the time how dogs are den animals and their crate is like their own personal den which they love, so Chelsea might like the alone time in her den.
Also I hear lots of stories of dogs whining when their crate is in the room with you because they want to sleep in bed with you. Will Chelsea ever be allowed free roam at night? Maybe if you give her the choice (when she is ready of course) to sleep where she wants youll find out where she is the most happy |
| Hmm, well, all of our babies sleep with us. Mopsey cuddles up at the foot of the bed so that she can look out the window. And the kittens sleep at the tops of our pillows. Its a funny site! There were times in the begining when all went nuts at night and we had to kick them off, but they got the point after a few months and all is well. LOL I have to say that its really a matter of opinion as far as letting them sleep in the bedroom is conserned. If you feel comfortable with it, then go ahead and do it. But if all is going well and your relationship with your buddy is a good one, then continue doing what your doing. Trainers have a lot of different opinions. The next one you meet might think that sleeping in the bedrooom is a BAD idea. I've met them. Keep us posted on your decision! |
| I can't remember how old Chelsea is right now, but we did the same way as you with Jack and Annabelle. They were crated in our utility room/pantry. They loved it, had a command of go to bed and in they would go with no complaints. At around 8 months old, I guess a guilty consience hit and I thought I should let them sleep in our room. They just weren't old enough at that time. Annie would have accidents from time to time and Jack just seemed restless at night. I should add our bedroom door was closed at night. I put them back in their room for a few more months and then when Jack was 12 months old we tried him again. We also left our door open after just a few nights and he did great. He would sleep well. Annie then turned 12 months old and she got the same rights only now she had no accidents and they do great sleeping in the entire house now. Sometimes they are up in bed with us, other times they go in our bathroom and sometimes when CJ is working and it is time for him to come home, I can find them sleeping by the front door listening for Daddy to come home. They know the rules, but if we were to leave a lid off of the trash or something they would get into it, but we have been trained well to make sure the lid is secure.
I think it would just be personal preference with Chelsea. If could always try and see how she likes it and if she is restless she can go back to her room. The kids are wanting the dogs to start sleeping in their room, I haven't got to that point yet, just because if the dogs did need out in the middle of the night I am not sure they could get it done. I wouldn't want my 7 year old having to worry about making sure she listened for them. Anyway, I am bored and rambling on. LOL Let us know how it works and how training goes. Good luck, Stormi and co. |
| I had all my dogs sleep in my room when they were puppies. It gives a puppy great comfort to be in the same room with you and it helps the bonding process. I used a crate for the last 2 and moved it back and forth until they were house broken and then we left the crate in the bedroom. I always took the dog for his last potty run and then we went night night he got a small milkbone and I would wish them a good nights sleep from my bed and they could see me. There was only whining if they needed to go out again. Sheepie dogs want to be with us as much as they can and having them sleep in our bedroom strenghtens that bond while we sleep. |
| I agree about the bonding. Dancer was allowed to sleep in our room, right in bed with me from the day I brought her home. She never once had an accident in the bedroom. I didn't have her in a crate at night, only during the day in the kitchen when I wasn't home. But that is probably why crate training didn't work with her at first. When we got Sky, I started right off with crate training, but kept her crate next to my bed. It took a lot longer to bond with her though, but there was no way I could handle their rough and tumble playing all night long. Since we moved, we started out with Sky in her crate in our bedroom, and Dancer in our room wherever she wanted to lay down, usually right between us. Well, during the day boh dogs are in crates while we are at work, and one night while I was busy trying to wash floors at about 1 am and had both pups in their crates in the kitchen, I went into my room to change and promptly fell asleep. that was the first night my baby girls spent in their crates, away from me, in the kitchen. I felt so guilty, but realized they hadn't whined, they hadn't peed in their crates, and everything was fine. They also slept longer, instead of insisting I get up and take them out at 5 or 6 am. So, for the last 2 weeks they have been in their crates at night. It works, but i miss them, and I wish I could have both sleep in my room with no crates, but they playfight almost constantly and I think it would take all night for them to settle. Plus, since Sky is crate trained, I doubt she would hold it all night like Dancer if she were to be left loose in our room..... someday I hope to be able to allow both to sleep with me though, and I can't wait to let them have free roam of the house.
Sorry for the long post....LOL |
| They just weren't old enough at that time. Annie would have accidents from time to time and Jack just
Your daughter must be reading The Magic Treehouse series...my son is and loves it! I am not sure about Samantha sleeping with us yet, although she has discovered the bed. By 6 am (that's when I get up) she is over the crate and then will jump on the sofa or into my bed. I wish she knew the difference between weekends and weekdays! |
Actually no, I have never heard of the series. I looked it up and figured out it was the names you were referring to. Jack and Annie.... 
Actually Jack is AKA for Jackson Wiggle and Annie is AKA for Annabelle Kissyface. My kids named them, otherwise they would have been John and Yoko. LOL Jack and Annabelle have stayed with the kids schedule of things which is only an hour better than Samantha. The kids usually wake up at 7 on the dot and then we get jumped on and know it is go potty and play time. They go to sleep at 11 everynight, if we are still up they sleep at our feet and then follow us to bed when we go. It has been a big treat to finally let them sleep in our room and have the run of the house. It took awhile, but they earned it, and this way and there has been not any setbacks. I feel very protected at night when my hubby goes to work as well. They are secondary to ADT, but I think they are probably a little more effective. LOL Sorry for yet another long post. Stormi and co. |
| Question: Normally they say to not let your dog sleep on your bed, so you can establish who is alpha in the home. Making them sleep on the floor or in their crate helps do this.
I know some people do not have to worry about this because it doesn't affect their dog b/c they do not have aggression problems, but those who do, do you think this could affect some of their behaviors by treating them as "equal" too soon? I remember seeing an episode on this on Animal Planet and they talked about how it also shows even the kids fall under Alpha's "top priority list" ....when everyone BUT the dog get to be on a bed at night? I'm just trying to help those who may be having some problems. It makes me feel terrible to hear some people on this board are having problems with their OES' challenging them for alpha. |
| The best thing you can do for your puppy is to raise it to be a dog. With that said they should not be considered an equal to in my case me or my husband. I never had a family bed but if there was a noisey storm and my children were afraid they camped out in our room on a bed of blankets and many times they went to their own bed after the storm. I don't have any pets sleep with me or are allowed on my furniture. When Oreo no longer needed a crate he had his bed in the living room and just loves it. He will take a clean blanket and put it in its spot when I wash the other blanket. It is important that they have their space. I put a baby blanket on an ottomen for my cat and that is where he laid down. I have said this before there is a book called, Mother Knows Best and it gives you guide lines in a relaxed way on how to train your puppy. It is a simple way to train a puppy and it is consistent which is what all dogs need they are creatures of habit. We give Oreo a big milkbone in the morning after he has gone potty and if you forget it Oreo will be found sitting in front of the kitchen cabinet that his biscuits are in. Thanks for listening I have gone on to much. |
| Shaggydog,
That must be an adorable site to see Oreo waiting at the cabinet for his milkbone. I think a picture might help me to better understand what you mean.  LOL
The kids will still come climb in bed with us on rare occasions from usually either being sick or thunderstorms. We are pretty use to the T-storms here, so it usually has to be a very loud one to send them our way. Stormi and co. |
| Stormi, I have to update our site for Oreo. I have some photos so you can see him. On www.sheepiestuff.com he is the dog holding a copy of The Tale's End. Go to the photo gallery almost at the bottom of the page in #1 Oreo is there #4 He is my funny Valentine and he is in #15 first dog on the left, preparing to eat his Santa hat. To keep my post legal we tried many times to get Oreo to hold The Tale's End and he just would not do it finally the peanut butter we put on it kept his attention long enough for a photo. They seem to move just when you take a photo. He did take a bite out of his Santa's hat and it was tossed out. |
| Those are great pictures! Oreo is one cute boy.
I am glad Jack can't read, if he would have read peanut butter would have went nuts. Just hearing the word can make his bottom start going out of control he gets so excited. Which doesn't help much when my daughter wants a PB&J for lunch, LOL, he waits with sad eyes wondering if his kong will be filled up too. Annabelle likes the it, but not as much as Jack. Thanks for the pics, Stormi and co. |
| I read that you aren't supposed to sleep with your dog in the bedroom as it creates problems with the dogs perception of who is 'the boss'. A friend of mine has quite a hyper, aggressive dog (not an oes) and she was advised to remove the dog from the bedroom. Granted, the dog went nuts and she has scratches on every door of the house to prove it (!) but apparently if she had made him sleep in his own room, this would have been avoided.
I like the thought of my puppy (which I am considering getting so this is as useful to me as the person making the enquiry!) sharing my bedroom but I hate the thought of problems associated with this...going by the replies though, it doesn't seem to make a difference (maybe my friend's just unlucky?!) |
| Having raised 3 sheepie dogs I know that having them sleep in my room is the way to go. I refer to the book Mother Knows Best a guide to raising a healthy puppy in its body and mind for all breeds. It is a great book for all puppy owners. |
| Last night's scenari: Husband on one side of bed, Great Pyr bitch perpendicular to his body high on bed, sheepdog bitch snuggled against husband's butt, male sheepdog curled up on remaining corner of bed, male Pyr #1 next to husband on floor, male Pyr #2 at foot of bed, female Pyr #2 on other side of bed............me heading for guest . No room in the inn. |
| With all your puppy loves on the bed I bet your heating bill is low!!! You painted a very cute picture. |
| LOL.... the dogs are my thing around here, hubby loves them, but they're my girls. When he realized I intended to let Dancer sleep with us, and when Dancer quickly realized she could take his pillow and his side of the bed, NOT MINE, he just shrugged and moved over. Lost cause trying to fight the three of us for space and blankets. LOL Sky sleeps on the bed too every chance she gets, but stays toward our feet. |
| Pooh is crated in the bedroom since the night we brought him home. After the third night, he started sleeping through the night. (Except last night he was up at 2:30 and finally "harumphed" at about 6am.
As for the bond, it helps the dog realize that it is not alone in a room, it is with it's people. And remember, Dogs have people, cats have staff. |
| Picture this: the Boyfriend who likes to spoon and the Little Boo who takes up the bottom half of my side of the bed. The top half of me has plenty of room but I spend half the night trying to figure out where to put my feet -- they usually end up hanging off the side of the bed. I could get a bigger bed, but the snugglers would still be plastered against me! Besides I love it! |
| When my husband and I and the two sheepdogs are all in bed, he makes plans for more sheepdogs. "One can sleep here and one can sleep over there."
I'm afraid that if we get more dogs we'll get a bigger bed and the cycle will never end. |
| It is interesting the sleeping habits of our sheepies. Oreo is our third sheepie boy I go to bed early and Oreo comes to the bedroom with his Daddy. From his crate days he still wants that little chat from me the kiss on his snoot and his 3 small milkbones. When I changed my bedding to a feather bed and comforter the cat and Oliver would not sleep on it. Very odd the cat would lay on a pillow on the bed. Dudley would wrap himself around the toilet with his head under the tank and his back was against the wall well when the door bell rang I thought the toilet would one day be ripped from the floor. LOL |
| Isn't it nice to know others are nuts? Yes, I have a toilet wrapper too, but only in summer or when a lightning storm is about....like this morning. I had fallen asleep in my reading chair when suddenly around 4:15 a bolt of lightning and thunder crashed through the sky. Husband was already in shower so the bed was open. I dove in and several others joined me. Husband was trapped in shower as the toilet wrapper was wrapped blocking his exit.
I reached out and felt the female sheepie, she was trembling due to the storm. Fortunately it was brief and by 5 all was quiet but due to stress, everyone went out for "first call."  |
| My OES Bentley sleeps on my bed at my feet. I wouldn't have it any other way. He has never challenged me ever. or my kids for that matter. He knows who's boss the other 16 hours per day. |
Tanyathenurse..........i dont have any fancy answer,but my buddies sleep w/ me or my daughter.Altho Mickey for now sleeps in his kennel thats downstairs because of his potty training and I dont trust him yet.When he is all grown up he WILL be able to sleep w/ me and or my daughter.My collie sleeps with me every night,but he goes to bed w/ my daughter 1st at 8pm,then she falls alseep,and he sneaks into my bed,and of course Eddie my daughters maltese/yorkie sleeps under the covers in my daughters bed!! he has his place w/ never having to wonder where Eddie is at night,he is under the flannel blankets w/ his head on a strawberry shortcake pillow  ,but he knows I would NEVER tell anyone for that would make him look less vicious!! i love having my buddies sleeping w/ me,its more comfy for me,and also i feel safer,w/ my big strong attack dogs!!hehe!!they are just as much family as my daughter or boyfriend.i just have to wash liens more often but thats ok... |
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