YNP #035: Where Should Your Dog Sleep?

Where should your dog sleep?  This is a simple question with multiple answers.  On one had I have a strong recommendation where your dog should be sleeping.  On the other, it really doesn’t matter as long as you make the decision and then stick with it.  To make this more clear I’m will split my answer into two parts: Should your dog sleep in or out of the crate? Where in the house should your dog sleep (including on the bed)? In this episode, I talk about when I have a recommendation, when it’s up to you and  things to conciser when deciding. Here is a preview of what I will talk about. Should your dog sleep in or out of the crate? This is where I have a strong recommendation depending on your dogs age and behavior. During potty training, your puppy should be sleeping in a crate.  Even if you know they can sleep through the night without an accident while in the crate, doesn’t mean they won’t have one if they are out of the crate.  Throughout adolescence (18-24 months) they should still be in their crate or at the very least a puppy-proofed room.  The more access they have to the house the more trouble they can get into. And when you are sleeping, I’m going to guess you aren’t supervising. Where in the house should your dog sleep? Beyond those two recommendations, your dog can sleep outside your bedroom, inside your bedroom but not on the bed, or on your bed. There is no right or wrong answer but there are some things to conciser. No matter where you decide your dog will adjust and be perfectly happy.  The key here is to decide early, and stick with it!  Once you let the dog up on the bed with you it is going to be a hard habit to break.   Listen to the whole episode to get all the details.  Enjoy!