Dogs are pack animals and prefer to be around their owners and other dogs. However, this can cause problems at night if you prefer that your dog sleeps outside your bedroom. Many people with allergies or who are light sleepers prefer that their dogs sleep in another room. Unless dogs are crated at night, owners will need to be consistent and patient while training their dogs to stay out of the bedroom.
Establish the bedroom as off-limits at all times. Allowing a dog in the room during the day but then prohibiting it at night only confuses the dog. If necessary, keep the door closed or put up a baby gate when you are sleeping or not home to reinforce this behavior.
If the dog enters the room, tell it "No" in a loud and authoritative voice. If it doesn't leave immediately, lead it gently but firmly out of the room. You can practice this by walking in and out of the room several times and watching for the dog to follow you into the room.
If your dog has a favorite sleeping place, encourage it to sleep there by praising it or offering a treat when it chooses to go to the spot on its own. Never lead the dog there immediately following a correction -- otherwise, the dog may associate the sleep area with a negative experience.
Tips
If your dog is already accustomed to sleeping in your room, move its bed and all toys out of the room to the new sleeping area. If your dog typically sleeps on the bed, it may help to move one of the blankets to the new area so your dog can sleep with a familiar item while adjusting to the new routine.
Be consistent and never allow the dog to enter the bedroom. If you allow a dog in the room as a "reward" or because you don't have time to enforce the rules, you may undo all the training completed.
Warnings
Don't trick your dog by calling it into the bedroom and then punishing it when it follows your command. This confuses the dog and may lengthen the training process.
Warnings
Don't trick your dog by calling it into the bedroom and then punishing it when it follows your command. This confuses the dog and may lengthen the training process.
Tips
If your dog is already accustomed to sleeping in your room, move its bed and all toys out of the room to the new sleeping area. If your dog typically sleeps on the bed, it may help to move one of the blankets to the new area so your dog can sleep with a familiar item while adjusting to the new routine.
Be consistent and never allow the dog to enter the bedroom. If you allow a dog in the room as a "reward" or because you don't have time to enforce the rules, you may undo all the training completed.
References
Tips
- If your dog is already accustomed to sleeping in your room, move its bed and all toys out of the room to the new sleeping area. If your dog typically sleeps on the bed, it may help to move one of the blankets to the new area so your dog can sleep with a familiar item while adjusting to the new routine.
- Be consistent and never allow the dog to enter the bedroom. If you allow a dog in the room as a "reward" or because you don't have time to enforce the rules, you may undo all the training completed.
Warnings
- Don't trick your dog by calling it into the bedroom and then punishing it when it follows your command. This confuses the dog and may lengthen the training process.