Sleep

[Pollywaffle]

the worst thing is when you have three lots of snoring..OH and the two dogs...! But I wouldn't miss that sound for anything because it signals that all is right with my world...

[twodoggies2001]

I also have two mini schnauzers and my younger boy sleeps under the doona with me and has done so from basically the start. My older boy used to but now sleeps on the couch in the family room because he is almost blind and that decision was his. When they were both able, they never climbed on the bed unless invited and know when there is a bed cover on they are to stay of. If my bed sleeper gets off during the night he is not allowed to come on unless I tell him to. In the beginning, he wanted to be fed at 7am, until I startd to ignore him and now he doesn't bother me until I am ready to feed him when I am ready to. Sometimes I stretch it out until 8am. I agree, there is no dominance issue just because he shares our bed. He still knows his place in our hierarchy but we are fairly strict with both of them. Dogs are not stupid and are very much like children and if they find they can get away with something once, they will try again. We as owners need to set boundaries which I feel the dogs need and want. They are below us in the family ladder and need to know that. Are you the couple who bought new chairs and now the dogs sit in them instead of you and that they are banned off the couch and you both sit on the floor with them? There is no way this situation would happen in our home, but that doesn't mean we love our dogs any less. They just know their place. You need to set these boundaries and stick with them so most of all, the dogs don't get mixed messages.

Yes that is us who brought the new chairs and the dogs sit in them not us. But i am happy to report that since getting them there own beds yesterday they have not even looked sideways at my chairs. They seem to be loving there new beds. Sleeping in them right now actually. Our boy even slept in his last night - his decision. We have decided to allow them to sleep in our bed if they chose but have now set boundaries and are inviting them onto the bed on our terms. It only begun yesterday so we have a little way to go, but so far so good.

Good to read. Just keep up the good work and good luck