Sleeping In The Human Bed

[Guest Melissa516]

We've had Ginger for a little over 5 weeks, and she is our first dog (and greyhound). On occassion, Ginger will jump up into my bed. I really don't mind having her in the bed. In fact, I have to confess... I'd love it if she turned out to be a cuddler.

 

This is us on the couch on Sunday!

 

My dilema is that she tends to want to lay right in the middle of the queen size bed, leaving little room for me. This is especially true if she gets into the bed before me. I'm having trouble getting her to move over. We have been working with her on the basics... come, no jumping, etc. But, when I try to verbally get her off of the bed, she just looks at me like she has no idea what I'm talking about.

 

A few weeks ago, I tried to gently move her over, and she kind of snapped at me. Just to be clear... I'm not freaking out over this in any way whatsoever. I actually think it was totally my fault. I thought she was awake, but maybe she really wasn't. Newbie mistake. Lesson learned. No harm done. Now, I am just super careful not to touch her unless I'm absolutely sure that she is awake. Immediately after it happened, I took her by the collar, gave her a firm no and nicely escorted her to her own dog bed (at the foot of my bed).

 

Last night, I went to the bathroom before bed and came back to Ginger laying right in the middle of my bed. She is so cute, but I have to sleep there too! Nothing I said to her seemed to convince her to move or get down. Not being sure what to do, I tried to gently nudge her over, hoping she would stand up or something. (I actually put her muzzle on first just to make sure I wouldn't get bit. She has not shown any aggressive tendencies, but after the snap I was a little uneasy.) She let out a fearful sounding whine when I touched her. I then took her by the collar and led her out of the bed, and she whined again. When she got to the floor, her tail was tucked between her legs, and she went on her own to her dog bed. I really don't think that I hurt her. I was very gentle. I'm just not sure what to make of this behavior.

 

Any thoughts or advise? Thanks!

[Guest Yankeegreyhound]

Hey Melissa, This is Christine, Sara and Hailey's mom (from the playdate a couple of weeks ago).

 

The only advice I have for you is to learn to sleep around her!!! That's what I had to do with Hailey. She would whimper and cry if I tried to move her. Eventually, I just gave up. So, if you are willing to deal with it, that's what I would do. Between the cats, Hailey, my husband and my 5 year old, I've learned to sleep in many various positions.

 

Another suggestion, I try to roll Hailey or pull the blanket with her on it. Works sometimes.

 

How is it going otherwise??

[NevadasMom]

In my opinion the human bed is a privilege given by you. You need to set the ground rules right from the beginning. I can say that because Trolley & I had a couple of disagreements over this when she first arrived. Including the growls & getting snapped at as you've described. She now knows that she has to be invited up on the bed & knows "off" very well. Someone here suggested putting her collar & leash on when I needed her to move which was a great suggestion. More space between you & the snapping teeth if it happens again. She'll learn quickly. Good luck!

[JAJ2010]

 

A few weeks ago, I tried to gently move her over, and she kind of snapped at me. Just to be clear... I'm not freaking out over this in any way whatsoever. I actually think it was totally my fault. I thought she was awake, but maybe she really wasn't. Newbie mistake. Lesson learned. No harm done. Now, I am just super careful not to touch her unless I'm absolutely sure that she is awake. Immediately after it happened, I took her by the collar, gave her a firm no and nicely escorted her to her own dog bed (at the foot of my bed).

 

 

 

 

This indicated to me that she is NOT ready to have bed privileges. The way it works in my home is that the human bed is MINE. Now I'm nice and can share, but I cannot risk a grumble or snap if I roll over in the middle of the night, or if a kitty walks on a pup, etc.

 

I have 1 cuddle hound that you can put stuff under her lips while she sleeps! She is allowed to sleep with us. My other pup doesn't like being touched while she sleeps. She's getting better but will grumble a bit when startled. She usually opts to sleep on her futon mattress at night.

 

Sounds like you might get a cuddle bug, but you need to give it another few months before you sleep with her

[Guest NewGreytFriend]

 

A few weeks ago, I tried to gently move her over, and she kind of snapped at me. Just to be clear... I'm not freaking out over this in any way whatsoever. I actually think it was totally my fault. I thought she was awake, but maybe she really wasn't. Newbie mistake. Lesson learned. No harm done. Now, I am just super careful not to touch her unless I'm absolutely sure that she is awake. Immediately after it happened, I took her by the collar, gave her a firm no and nicely escorted her to her own dog bed (at the foot of my bed).

 

 

 

 

This indicated to me that she is NOT ready to have bed privileges. The way it works in my home is that the human bed is MINE. Now I'm nice and can share, but I cannot risk a grumble or snap if I roll over in the middle of the night, or if a kitty walks on a pup, etc.

 

I have 1 cuddle hound that you can put stuff under her lips while she sleeps! She is allowed to sleep with us. My other pup doesn't like being touched while she sleeps. She's getting better but will grumble a bit when startled. She usually opts to sleep on her futon mattress at night.

 

Sounds like you might get a cuddle bug, but you need to give it another few months before you sleep with her

[krissy]

 

A few weeks ago, I tried to gently move her over, and she kind of snapped at me. Just to be clear... I'm not freaking out over this in any way whatsoever. I actually think it was totally my fault. I thought she was awake, but maybe she really wasn't. Newbie mistake. Lesson learned. No harm done. Now, I am just super careful not to touch her unless I'm absolutely sure that she is awake. Immediately after it happened, I took her by the collar, gave her a firm no and nicely escorted her to her own dog bed (at the foot of my bed).

 

 

 

 

This indicated to me that she is NOT ready to have bed privileges. The way it works in my home is that the human bed is MINE. Now I'm nice and can share, but I cannot risk a grumble or snap if I roll over in the middle of the night, or if a kitty walks on a pup, etc.

 

I have 1 cuddle hound that you can put stuff under her lips while she sleeps! She is allowed to sleep with us. My other pup doesn't like being touched while she sleeps. She's getting better but will grumble a bit when startled. She usually opts to sleep on her futon mattress at night.

 

Sounds like you might get a cuddle bug, but you need to give it another few months before you sleep with her

 

I agree. You've only had her 5 weeks which is hardly time enough to build up a strong relationship which establishes you as the leader.

 

Summit didn't start getting up on the bed until we'd had him about 4 or 5 months. He was very good about getting off whenever I asked him. The one night I went to get him for his last walk of the evening and he just didn't want to go out (which is unusual, normally if he even THINKS we're going for a walk he jumps off the bed to investigate the possibility). He was clearly awake because he moved his head and looked at me when I called him, but he didn't want to go. He doesn't wear a collar in the house (tag necklace only) so I put my hands under his shoulder/neck and lifted up while saying "Let's go". He growled at me (but didn't snap). It certainly startled me because he's such a sweet, gentle boy, and even though I know he's a dog and capable of that it did catch me off guard. I told him in an even, but stern tone, "No. Come on, let's go" and he got off the bed and we went for our walk.

 

He lost his bed privileges for a few weeks after that and was only allowed to jump up and then right back off when I asked him, to make the point that he was to get off when told. Then he was allowed back up on the bed whenever he wanted, and that's how it'll stay so long as he always gets off when I tell him. Haven't had a problem since, but in future if he were to refuse to get off the bed I'd grab a collar to put on him first.

 

Also, if I want to sleep in bed and I invite him up with me, he sleeps around me, not the other way around. And if he doesn't respect that and tries to sleep on top of me (or when he dreams and kicks me in his sleep) I wake him up and tell him to get off and go to his own bed.

[Guest NewGreytFriend]

I have to agree with JAJ2010--We have had our grey for 4 months--it took her a good 2 months to really settle into our home/life and really learn commands. As much as I like cuddling, we opted to keep ours out of the bed--she has her own bed at the foot of ours and it works beautifully. I am just too afraid of harming her when rolling over--and she snaps if you wake her from a deep sleep. By giving her her own space, we eliminate all those problems--I also think it has helped with obedience training.

[Guest Melissa516]

Thank you all for your support and advice. It helps to know that others have faced the same issue.

 

Hey Melissa, This is Christine, Sara and Hailey's mom (from the playdate a couple of weeks ago).

 

The only advice I have for you is to learn to sleep around her!!! That's what I had to do with Hailey. She would whimper and cry if I tried to move her. Eventually, I just gave up. So, if you are willing to deal with it, that's what I would do. Between the cats, Hailey, my husband and my 5 year old, I've learned to sleep in many various positions.

 

Another suggestion, I try to roll Hailey or pull the blanket with her on it. Works sometimes.

 

How is it going otherwise??

 

Hey Christine! It's going great. We just love Ginger. How did we ever live without a greyhound before? I have no idea! Hopefully we'll see you and your girls at another playdate soon. Thanks for the advice. How are you guys doing?

 

In my opinion the human bed is a privilege given by you. You need to set the ground rules right from the beginning. I can say that because Trolley & I had a couple of disagreements over this when she first arrived. Including the growls & getting snapped at as you've described. She now knows that she has to be invited up on the bed & knows "off" very well. Someone here suggested putting her collar & leash on when I needed her to move which was a great suggestion. More space between you & the snapping teeth if it happens again. She'll learn quickly. Good luck!

 

Thanks! The collar and leash sounds like a great idea.

[Guest greyers]

Ditto the too soon theme. We actually only have had 1 greyhound sleep in our bed with us. That was our first, and perhaps our last. She was the biggest bed hog. She never snapped and always did what she was told, but she would just sprawl out too much and hubby and I would wake up with sore backs all the time. I also am certain she would intimidate the cats and they would leave the bed every night.

 

Now we do not allow the dogs on the bed. We actually do not allow them on the couch at home UNLESS we invite them. The couch and bed are the CATS SPACE where the cats can spend time with their humans. Coming up on human (and cat) furniture is always a privilege and by invite only in our house. I would love to have a cuddle bug! But if I want to cuddle I get on the floor with my guys, which I do several times a day for extra log individual pets and cuddles.

[XTRAWLD]

I'm the boss of my own bed and Kasey has to respect that or he's OFF! He sleeps with us, right in the middle of our queen size bed between me and hubby.

 

Kasey more often than not takes up more of hubby's space than of mine, because Kasey knows he'll get told if he encroaches on my space the wrong way.

 

He also knows he'll have to move if he jumps up on the bed before I'm in there. He's welcome to keep my space warm until I get there but he's gotta move out of the way before I climb in. It's rare he will take over my whole side before I'm there and after sharing our bed for 5 years, he knows what do to when it's my time to get in. I don't take any bull from him at all - that bed is mine! I tell him with a voice that is deep and stern "OFF" or "MOVE" and he knows that isn't good news, I should really listen. He's usually up and moved on the first command.

 

At night, I prefer to have his feet facing my body and hubby prefers his body against him, which works out great....I am able to squeeze my legs under Kasey's jumble of paws, as long as I lift the blanket to lift his feet and wedge myself under should I sleep with my legs in his direction. On a few occassions he has almost pushed hubby out of bed. For the most part hubby doesn't mind (which baffles me), however when we are really desperate for sleep without this big thing in the middle, he gets booted off and can come back up to situate himself in more of a ball position!

 

Kasey growls rarely and only when we roll over to almost crush him - lol. He tells us his there, but he gets a swift smack if he gets too lippy with us at 3am.

 

If we don't want him up at all, we just tell him no when he asks to come up. He usually slinks off to sleep on his bed until we are fast asleep and will hop up in the middle of the night trying not to disturb us. Ginger is resisting and whining at you so she will get her way and that's just not how it works.

 

You have to be boss of your bed, or you will end up never sleeping, or sleeping on the floor, being grumpy and miserable. Sleep affects us in many many ways, as does sleep deprivation!

[kudzu]

I agree with others that it is too soon. I wouldn't allow her access to the bed if she is getting up without an invitation. And I wouldn't offer her an invitation if she does not yet respond reliably to basic commands like Up to stand up, Off to get off of furniture, Move to shift over & Bed to get on *her* bed. Those give you tools to help move or reposition her without having to touch her. A big bonus of the training is that it helps establish you as the leader of your relationship. Note that dogs do not generalize very well. So even if she responds to Off with the sofa that doesn't mean it will work for the bed. With most dogs, especially when you first start training, you have to basically reteach the command in multiple new locations before the dog fully understands that, for example, Off means get off of whatever you are currently on.

 

When I first taught my Greyhound to sit it was on her bed in a crate in our bedroom. She learned it in three trials. Yeah!! However, if you said Sit anywhere else in the house she would run to her crate in our bedroom & sit on her bed. I had to close the crate to prevent her from entering it & practice in front of the crate, then out in the hall & then the livingroom, etc. My next Grey, a senior male, didn't take it quite so literally. He learned to sit on a throw rug & he too learned it quite fast. For quite a while if you said sit he would look for a rug, even if he was already on carpet. Silly boy did that for darn near forever. Probably because rather than working harder to help him understand I was too busy laughing as he scan the room desperately looking for a throw rug or bed to sit on.

 

Like Greyers though, only humans & cats have rights to our furniture. Dogs are there by invitation only.

[Guest Swifthounds]

I would not allow a hound on beds or furniture until they know and comply with commands to get on and off those items. That said, this involves working to train them both getting onto the item on command and getting off. Choose any words you like, use a tasty treat, and do the training at times other than when the dog might want to get onthw bed (ie not at night - try mid day).

[Guest mariah]

Agree that it seems to soon. Teach her "get on your bed" or similar and an "off" command, practice alternating both commands on her own bed (at a time when she's not already resting on it to begin with) or on something neutral like a couch cushion on the floor, and work your way up to something more desirable like beds or furniture.

[XTRAWLD]

Ah to the time frame aspect - we didn't let Kasey up on the bed until a year after getting him. He was actually crated for nearly a full year at night, a half year only during the day until he learned his boundaries. I had to re-read that you've had her 5 WEEKS, not 5 MONTHS.

[krissn333]

I made this mistake with Ace when I first got her - her behavior led to her losing her bed privileges for a while. We worked on commands for "up" and "off". She also knows "move" now too - which just tells her that she needs to find a different spot on the bed. Ace, Fritz, and Pinky sleep in bed with me every night. Everyone has a spot that they sleep in and it has worked well for us, but, they all had to learn "move" and "come" to make it work. I can get them all to move around and lay down where I want them to - makes things a lot easier!

[greysmom]

Use these times to shape a command for her to learn. I keep fairly good treats in the nightstand and when I need a dog to get "OFF!" the bed, I give the command and either clap my hands (to get them moving) or lure with the treat (depending on the dog). Then, when they get "OFF!" and are on a dog bed, they get the treat. Now all my dogs will get "off" on command without (much) sulking. And I don't have to touch them and put myself in the orbit of their teeth.

 

We also taught Dude to "scoot." He was on the furniture within five minutes of coming home, and in our bed from the first night. We love to cuddle and he had no space issues whatsoever. I used the treat to lure him to crawl to a better position for the "scoot" command.

 

BUT - any growling at all by any dog loses their bed priviledges for at least several nights. It can take some stubbornness on your part because they will try and try and try and try and try to get back on the bed. Block them, give the command, lead them back to a bed, treat. Over and over. They will get it eventually. Actually, I think they "get" things really fast, they just don't want to!

[Guest Melissa516]

Thank you all so much! You know, I never thought to teach her to get on the bed or couch. Don't know why. But, it really makes sense. We're going to work on some new commands! And, keeping treats in the nightstand sounds like a plan too.

[Guest BrianRke]

This is what I do and it works like a charm:

 

I take 6 small training treats upstairs with me when I go to bed, the dogs follow behind. I get into the bedroom and shut the door behind us. I then give each of the 3 dogs a treat and put the rest on the nightstand. I turn down the bed, turn on the tv, get undressed, then I give them the second treat. While they are chewing, I jump in the bed and establish my space. Diamond will then jump on the couch and Frank and Daytona jump on the bed. I always move a little towards the center so they will be on the other side and I will have plenty of room.

 

I have done this for years and with different dogs, it really works.

Edited November 8, 2011 by BrianRke

[Guest Melissa516]

This is what I do and it works like a charm:

 

I take 6 small training treats upstairs with me when I go to bed, the dogs follow behind. I get into the bedroom and shut the door behind us. I then give each of the 3 dogs a treat and put the rest on the nightstand. I turn down the bed, turn on the tv, get undressed, then I give them the second treat. While they are chewing, I jump in the bed and establish my space. Diamond will then jump on the couch and Frank and Daytona jump on the bed. I always move a little towards the center so they will be on the other side and I will have plenty of room.

 

I have done this for years and with different dogs, it really works.

 

I like this idea too. Thanks!

[Guest Amber]

You could try teaching her a 'move' cue, using clicker and a treats maybe? If she doesn't really 'get' commands, just practice by tossing a small treat on the floor a little away from her and when she gets up to go get it, say 'move' in a light, neutral tone.

 

If you keep practising this a few times a day in all different areas of the house, she should get the idea that 'move' means, please get up and move over there to get a nice treat.

 

Best to try to teach this in a different area/situation than on your bed though, and make sure she understands it first.

 

I tend to agree that if she is acting out a bit on being removed from the bed, it'd be best not to allow her up there for the moment, until she's got the hang of 'being invited up' and 'moving over' when you ask.

[GeorgeofNE]

Some really good advise here (and one reply that made me chuckle).

 

Funny--I've had dogs my whole life, but George is the first dog EVER who won't move when I tell him to. And yes, he'll growl at me. My more experienced Greyhound pals suggested using the leash, not the collar, and that works great.

[a_daerr]

We had this EXACT same problem with Henry. Greyhounds seem to have "selective hearing." If Henry doesn't like the command I'm giving, he'll sometimes look away and pretend like he can't hear me! The best thing you can do is to assert your position as the leader. After a few good yanks on his martingale, Henry knows that he's only allowed on the bed when he's invited. We've done a great deal of work with learning the difference between "MY bed" and "YOUR bed."

[kudzu]

A few good yanks on the martingale can:

 

- hurt the dog

- hurt your relationship with the dog

- get you growled at

- get you lunged at

- some combination of the above

 

My preference is to have my dog eager to do as I request because it means good things can happen rather than because otherwise some unpleasantness will follow.