Dr Harry - Dogs On The Bed

[Simply Grand]

After promoting this as a story on Better Homes & Gardens tonight, they've just shown it and it went for all of 1 minute. Dr Harry says the old school line that if the dog sleeps on the bed his eyes are level with you and he thinks he's as good as you are, which is a problem with dominant dogs...

Denise Austin was on and made the more valid point that she loves having her dogs on the bed but regularly has them sleep elsewhere so that they don't become dependent on being with her to settle.

I'm all for having your dog sleep wherever YOU want them to, as long as they are warm and safe, but choosing to have your dog sleep on the bed isn't going to make them dominate you *eye roll*

[Rozzie]

Dr Harry's not really aimed at people who 'know' dogs, is he.

[silentchild]

Yep I completely rolled my eyes at the 'if your dog sleeps on the bed they will think they are better than you' line too.

Pretty sure my dog sleeps on my bed cause it's soft and warm and comfy, not because she thinks she is a superior being to me, lol.

Sometimes I even let her sleep on my head, Dr Harry would have a fit. :laugh:

I think what's more important is if your dog will happily get off the bed when asked - if it growls at you when asked then you've got a problem.

Edit: my cat sleeps on my dog in the same bed sometimes, does that mean the cat thinks she is better than the dog.... Probably.

Edited August 15, 2014 by silentchild

[Scottsmum]

Yep I completely rolled my eyes at the 'if your dog sleeps on the bed they will think they are better than you' line too.

Pretty sure my dog sleeps on my bed cause it's soft and warm and comfy, not because she thinks she is a superior being to me, lol.

Let's face it - most dogs I know ARE superior to humans... and Scottie totally owns me BUT he doesn't sleep on the bed - by his own choice. (He'll come for a cuddle but 9/10 times gets into his own bed after lights out).

I think it might be time for Dr Harry to retire. I think he's run his course.

[Loving my Oldies]

He has become a buffoon and does more harm than good.

[Pjrt]

I agree that if your dog won't move or get off the bed without growling and snapping then there's a problem but if just sleeping on the bed is going to make your dog try and become the boss, then I'm in big trouble. If they actually sleep in the bed under the covers and have the audacity to wake you up in the middle of the night to lift up the quilt for them after a toilet run, does that mean the next step is eating your face off while you sleep? :laugh:

I think they start with your toes and work up?

[HazyWal]

My two will growl and snap if woken, startle reflex is very common in greyhounds.

[Cody]

Yep I completely rolled my eyes at the 'if your dog sleeps on the bed they will think they are better than you' line too.

Pretty sure my dog sleeps on my bed cause it's soft and warm and comfy, not because she thinks she is a superior being to me, lol.

Sometimes I even let her sleep on my head, Dr Harry would have a fit. :laugh:

I think what's more important is if your dog will happily get off the bed when asked - if it growls at you when asked then you've got a problem.

Edit: my cat sleeps on my dog in the same bed sometimes, does that mean the cat thinks she is better than the dog.... Probably.

Cats think they're better than everyone else. :p

[Yonjuro]

Kathy Kopellis McLeod has a little book on common "dominance" myths and the dog on the bed is one that she debunks as well as eating before your dog, walking in the door before your dog and other "dominance" crap that gets spouted all too often :D

[hankdog]

It's probably one of those "all dominant dogs will do it but not all dogs that do it are dominant" things.

Personally I'm very lucky that Tubster allows me to sleep in his bed. I've been an insomniac my whole life and now I hop in bed with my snoring, farting bulldog and sleep like a baby. Weird but true.

[HazyWal]

It's probably one of those "all dominant dogs will do it but not all dogs that do it are dominant" things.

Personally I'm very lucky that Tubster allows me to sleep in his bed. I've been an insomniac my whole life and now I hop in bed with my snoring, farting bulldog and sleep like a baby. Weird but true.

:laugh:

[Chequeredblackdog]

It's probably one of those "all dominant dogs will do it but not all dogs that do it are dominant" things.

Personally I'm very lucky that Tubster allows me to sleep in his bed. I've been an insomniac my whole life and now I hop in bed with my snoring, farting bulldog and sleep like a baby. Weird but true.

Think you've found a niche market there! You'll be a ba-gillionaire!

[Staffyluv]

Dr Harry is so full of it..

Ollie dog slept on my bed and now Zig sleeps on my bed.. I have no issues with dominance with my dogs.

If they bed hog and I boot them, they get into the crate in the bedroom..

[Ranga]

Don't even start me on Dr Harry and horses ...

[huski]

I have my dogs on the bed too but I have very strict rules. It is still my bed and if they muck around they are out. If I put them in their crates to sleep and they whinge or don't settle right away because they want to come to bed with me I don't let them on the bed again for a few nights.

When I let them sleep on my bed I expect them to get up there and stay there until I get up the next morning.

It's definitely a privilege I give them but definitely doesn't make them dominant over me, lol.

[Loving my Oldies]

I agree that if your dog won't move or get off the bed without growling and snapping then there's a problem but if just sleeping on the bed is going to make your dog try and become the boss, then I'm in big trouble. If they actually sleep in the bed under the covers and have the audacity to wake you up in the middle of the night to lift up the quilt for them after a toilet run, does that mean the next step is eating your face off while you sleep? :laugh:

I think they start with your toes and work up?

No it is definitely face first, because they like to lick eyes, ears and mouth. Might be goodies lingering there :D :D

It's probably one of those "all dominant dogs will do it but not all dogs that do it are dominant" things.

Personally I'm very lucky that Tubster allows me to sleep in his bed. I've been an insomniac my whole life and now I hop in bed with my snoring, farting bulldog and sleep like a baby. Weird but true.

THAT'S my problem. My dogs are too quiet.

[BigDaz]

If I put them in their crates to sleep and they whinge or don't settle right away because they want to come to bed with me I don't let them on the bed again for a few nights.

Do the dogs know they are being punished for something they did a few nights ago?

[huski]

If I put them in their crates to sleep and they whinge or don't settle right away because they want to come to bed with me I don't let them on the bed again for a few nights.

Do the dogs know they are being punished for something they did a few nights ago?

It's not about punishment at all, it's about making sure they adjust to sleeping in their crates again.

[Little Gifts]

I've always felt that a group sleep-a-thon is nothing more to a dog than the pack sleeping together as they would in the wild. My two have specific spots they like to sleep in (as do I). I know that Tempeh always wants a spot that gives her full view of the room as she considers herself the advance guard. Fine by me. But if my sister's dog ever gets up and joins us the youngest one always moves and lets her sleep where she chooses, which tells me she is respecting pack order. If the weather is cold mine snuggle into me and each other, but they are still in their basic spots on the bed. I also like being able to reach out during the night and feel their furry bodies. I like having bed buddies!

[Simply Grand]

I have my dogs on the bed too but I have very strict rules. It is still my bed and if they muck around they are out. If I put them in their crates to sleep and they whinge or don't settle right away because they want to come to bed with me I don't let them on the bed again for a few nights.

When I let them sleep on my bed I expect them to get up there and stay there until I get up the next morning.

It's definitely a privilege I give them but definitely doesn't make them dominant over me, lol.

Yes I'm the same, you can come to bed when I do and settle down or you can go sleep in the lounge room. And you can stay asleep and settled until I'm ready to get up or you can go out. Because that what suits me more than anything else but they also get those consequences consistently so they can decide.