We know there is nothing better than a snuggle with your pooch in bed, but it’s not so ideal when they’re up, pacing and circling, at 3am trying to get a comfortable spot right in the middle of your bed.
Like most dogs, your pooch will have a family member they’d like to sleep with, however this shouldn’t mean you’ve got to give up your bed for them to get comfy too. You can even train your dog to sleep outside of your room if required, but most importantly, they settle on their nice and comfy bed, and that’s where they stay until morning.
In this blog, we discuss how to get your dog to fall asleep in their bed, and not share yours each night.
How To Teach A Dog To Go To Bed
Training your dog to go to sleep in their own bed is made easy when they’ve got a comfy, supportive bed and they have a repetitive routine. Make sure you’ve done some research into the correct bed, you can find more information on choosing your dog bed in our How To Choose A Dog Bed. It’ll take some time to train your dog to sleep in their bed, unfortunately, it won’t happen overnight, but doing so will be a big reward for you and your pup.
If your dog is used to sleeping in your bed with you, consider the placement of their bed before you start training them out of your bed and into sleeping in their own. Your pooch will feel similarity and safety when hearing your breathing whilst you sleep. Once you’ve bought the correct size and shape bed for your dog, you’ll need treats and patience to train them into sleeping in their own bed.
How To Get A Dog To Sleep In A Dog Bed
Your first step is to get a dog bed that your dog is happy to sleep in and is comfortable for them. If they’re a stretched-out sleeper, a mattress style bed will more comfortable. If they sleep in a ball, then opt for a high wall bed instead.
Secondly, choose the spot your dog will feel comfortable sleeping in - make sure it’s where the bed will stay permanently and it will always be accessible when it is bedtime.
Set a command you say to your dog each evening when it’s bedtime. When you use the command, make sure you’re giving your dog a treat when they get onto their bed. It’s good to practice this command, some may use ‘go to bed’ or ‘on your bed’, when you want your dog to lie in their bed. Practicing throughout the day will help install the command at night too.
When it’s time to go to bed, give your pooch their command, encourage them to get into their bed and then give them a treat. It may take a couple of nights to get this right, but they should pick it up fairly quickly.
If your dog leaves their bed during the night, ask them to get back onto their bed and offer a treat. If they wake again, do not give them a treat, simply use the command and ask them to get onto their bed.
If your dog prefers toys to treats, you could offer them a special bedtime toy they’ll love instead of a treat as a reward.
What Dog Bed Should I Buy?
Our dog beds are split into the following categories, Donut Beds, Box Beds, High Wall Beds, Mattress Beds & Puppy Beds. Although there is a lot to choose from, finding the correct bed for your dog is invaluable to both you and your pooch.
Donut Beds
Donut beds are especially good for dogs with anxiety, often the soft, pillow-like cushioning will relax and soothe your dog, which makes a great ‘bedtime’ bed.
Choosing a well-stuffed donut bed with durable fabric will ensure your pooch gets just the right amount of head and neck support whilst they sleep or relax. They’re best for dogs who love to curl up when sleeping.
Box Beds
Box beds are great for dogs who like to sleep in lots of different positions. The sides offer a comfortable head pillow when required, they can get cosy inside the bed curled up should they want to and they can also easily stretch out without pushing against the side of the bed.
Our box beds are made with durable, washable materials, with supportive stuffing to ensure the utmost comfort for your furry friend.
High Wall Beds
High walled beds are particularly good for dogs who love to cuddle up to something. The high sided walls gives them security and warmth whilst they sleep. If your dog loves to hang their head over the side of the bed too, this could be a great option for them.
Mattress Beds
Dogs who love to stretch out may love sleeping on the floor, but with a mattress bed, you can provide the support they need as well as letting them stretch out and enjoy their sleep.
Mattress beds are great for dogs struggling with arthritis or stiff joints as they’re easy to get onto and provide the right amount of firmness and support, there are even orthopaedic options for extra support.
Puppy Beds
Our puppy beds are designed for all breeds in mind, ranging a variety of different sizes and two different shapes.
Our Grow With Me beds are a great 2 in 1 bed for your pup to help them settle in, they're round with high sides so are great for snuggling in up in and they also have a removable inner ring so the bed can grow with them. Our other style of puppy beds are our cosy and calming puppy crate beds, these have been designed with puppy training in mind.
Our cosy & calming beds fill just over half of a dog crate so are perfect to help crate train and toilet train your puppy. The beds also work great as stand alone beds and have plush cosy sides perfect for puppies to rest their heads on. Puppy’s need support and warmth which our Lords & Labradors puppy beds all provide.
