Most dogs if not all, want their own space,  so it is not unique for a dog to not stay by your side all the time. I mean, when you sleep.

Before you get upset of why your pup isn’t like other pups you often see on YouTube, it’s important to consider the underlying factors why your fur-baby doesn’t like your bed.

Yes right, bed.

I’m going to share with you my 6 strategies in encouraging your dog to sleep beside you, but first, allow me to talk a little bit about this other factor.

So, maybe you sleep with someone, and your dog isn’t a fan of him or her. This happens often. Just coz you live together (you, your partner, and your dog) doesn’t mean the dog likes both of you. Dogs can sense when someone doesn’t like them. Have you heard of ”pheromones” ? Kindly google it.

(Just kidding!)

Pheromones are like hormones from our body. In layman’s terms, it’s the chemical factor that humans have which triggers a social response between members of the same species. It’s this unexplainable reason behind why we’re attracted by someone, vice versa. These ‘pheromones’ work outside of our body like unnoticeable perfumes but distinguishable for animals like dogs. So, that ‘pheromone’ thing signals dogs to beware of something. It’s that mysterious pheromone that alerts them to stay away.

In most cases, it’s the space or spot where your pup sits and lays down. So, keep in mind that if the space for sleeping creates an uncomfortable feeling for your dog —she’s out.

Here are ways to make your dog sleep beside you:

1. Make Sure Bedroom Is Cool or Cold

Dogs in general prefer the coolest spot they can find, so if your bed isn’t cool enough for them to lay down for hours, then they won’t stay long with you on the bed. When the environment is hot, they tend to pant and breathe heavily. That’s when the idea of being there isn’t very appealing for them. If it’s cool, it’s a perfect spot to sleep.

2. Place A Cold Floor Tile On Your Bed

Sounds silly, I know. But trust me it works like magic. There are many different kinds of floor tiles that you can find in your nearest home builders. In my case, since my pup is a toy poodle, I bought a 40×40 ceramic tile. You can also go for a natural stone since it’s also one of the coldest flooring options out there. 40×40 floor tile is the a perfect size for my pup. I purchased it for 4 USD, and it’s worth it. Besides, it is by far the best trick of all. I suggest putting cushion pads on all sides or maybe tape the pointy and rough parts to avoid getting hurt.

3. Use A Fan

This is particularly useful for dog owners who live in a tropical country like myself. A chargeable fan would be great coz you can freely move it however you like. I use a tiny fan coz I have a tiny little one. It has a blue light, so my pup stares at it all the time. It’s hilarious. Her eyes are focused only in one direction, and I’m busy watching her every move.

4. Use A Cooling Pillow

There’s a ton of cooling pillows these days on Amazon. Find one that’s fit your budget. One alternative for this a cool pillowcase. I personally like cotton and silk textile coz they both have a soft and cool feel when sleeping.

You may try whatever pillow and pillowcase that your pup might like or maybe there’s already one. If so, don’t wash it. Sounds gross but some dog owners do this. If you hate the idea, then pretend I didn’t write it in here (chuckle). In my case, I’ve noticed that my pup has a favorite pillowcase. Perhaps she (my pup) likes the smell of it coz that’s what I often use. The cloth is 100% cotton, so maybe that helps too.

5. Put Bones or Toys on the bed

Like any other dogs, my pup likes to bite her bones and plays with her favorite toys every day. Whenever I put all of them on the bed, she stays there most of the time. It’s annoying to keep all of it on the bed when it’s sleeping time but I did it anyway —all with the aim of getting her sleep together with me. It was my strategy a year ago.

6. Set Your Bed A Place For Cuddling

Dogs love cuddle time. If you cuddle on the bed and pattern it till your dog gets used to it, then you can take advantage with that. They love belly rubs so much. It’s adorable to see them roll back and wait for you to rub their bellies (chuckle). So, why not do the belly rubs at night. When it’s time for bed, you can train them to stay on the bed or else there’s no belly rub. You can even level up and rub the belly until they fall asleep. Sounds awesome — only for them though.

7. Praise Your Dog When She’s On The Bed

We knew it. Dogs love compliments. They love your praises and they live for it —just as they live for treats. My pup is adorable, smart, and clingy poodle. She likes hearing ”good girl Bambi”, ”good job Bambi”, ”wow Bambi”. These are just a few of the thousand words I say every single day. One thing that’s very important for this trick to work is, your compliment should be unique to your dog. Saying your dog’s name after ”good girl” would definitely help.

 

Now, if you ask me my favorite, it’s going to be #2.