I lost the bed fight with my dog

Some nights my Sprollie dog will sleep on my bed. Now I know I put him right on the corner of my bed so I have enough room for myself to move around a bit. So how come at 3 am I wake up and so called mutt is in the middle of the bed lying sideways taking up all the room. Other times I have woken up lying along the pillows, across the bed.
He will always arrange his paws to be in my face.
Last night I thought I heard a motorbike revving then realised he was snoring.

Also when he joins me on the sofa, I'm happy with the space I have, but then 10 mins later I seem to be hunched up to the smallest space with my legs crossed as he has mystically manoeuvred to within a millimetre of my space and is fast asleep with his legs abound in the air. How do they do it without moving?
Why do they so look so soft and cuddly when they are asleep that you think awwww I wont move him, like this morning when he decided to have a lie in.
I have, many times, got up in the middle of the night moved around the bed and got in the other side. So much easier than to shift his unwilling, heavy body over the space of my bed.
My dog grins too, when he want's ball time in the garden or when he wants to go to bed.
How he has learn't to do an Elvis smile I will never know.
Dogs farting in bed too, I do it back to him now.

originally posted by: sussy
Some nights my Sprollie dog will sleep on my bed. Now I know I put him right on the corner of my bed so I have enough room for myself to move around a bit. So how come at 3 am I wake up and so called mutt is in the middle of the bed lying sideways taking up all the room. Other times I have woken up lying along the pillows, across the bed.
He will always arrange his paws to be in my face.
Last night I thought I heard a motorbike revving then realised he was snoring.

Also when he joins me on the sofa, I'm happy with the space I have, but then 10 mins later I seem to be hunched up to the smallest space with my legs crossed as he has mystically manoeuvred to within a millimetre of my space and is fast asleep with his legs abound in the air. How do they do it without moving?
Why do they so look so soft and cuddly when they are asleep that you think awwww I wont move him, like this morning when he decided to have a lie in.
I have, many times, got up in the middle of the night moved around the bed and got in the other side. So much easier than to shift his unwilling, heavy body over the space of my bed.
My dog grins too, when he want's ball time in the garden or when he wants to go to bed.
How he has learn't to do an Elvis smile I will never know.
Dogs farting in bed too, I do it back to him now.

If it makes you feel better, I'm going through the same thing right now. We have a 5month old puppy that is kicking me as I type this. I've had the little sh!t for two months now and I don't think that I've had a good night sleep since bringing her home.

The struggle is real my friend

a reply to: sussy


At midnight our dog turns into a 80 pound contraceptive.😜

a reply to: RainyState

Ah the puppy years, nipping at feet, jumping on your tender parts and licking their butt then you. I so very do not miss them.
But who can resist a puppy.

a reply to: thesaneone

Drag mine into the spare bedroom, can't have them watching, It just not done. Mummy does't do that kind of thing... wink wink

You are the dominant pack leader...

Get him/her under control.

Dogs are natural pack animals.

From the ATS veterinary surgeon...

Warmest

Lags

a reply to: thesaneone

you have that problem too?
we can't even hug standing up without her jumping and trying to get in the middle of us.
thankfully my dogs is more around 55 pounds, so somewhat easier to push her out the bedroom

a reply to: Lagomorphe

Thank you A.T.S vet but he is in control, oh sorry you was talking to me?

a reply to: sussy

I have a king-sized bed in my room and I am only 5'1" tall.
While my 2 kitties were still alive they took up a lot of space.
I had to get comfortable before they did because we wanted
the same spot.
Missy always slept by my pillow and Max liked to use one of my
feet as his pillow.If they got comfortable first we would have
a tug of war with a little meowing on the side.

a reply to: mamabeth

I had a mental cat in the past that if ever he saw your feet sticking out of the bed he would attack it. Regardless of what time of night it was..

We have an 80 pound bloodhound who often shares our bed and couch with us.

So.... much.... drool....

I don't mind though, he really is my best friend.

Thatis the price you pay for a true friend.

a reply to: sussy

So how come at 3 am I wake up and so called mutt is in the middle of the bed lying sideways taking up all the room.

Because every time you roll or adjust in your sleep, he takes the space you just vacated, a little more each time, until you are displaced, same with the couch.

Battle for who's dominant, who runs the pack is ongoing, you haven't 'lost' just take your space back. If you want to show who's boss, kick him off the bed or couch entirely, growl at him while you do it. Look direct into his eyes after and don't look away first. Don't let him back onto the couch / bed/ until he knows his place.

Its a battle of attrition, ongoin, so you will have to take back your place at the head of the pack a little at a time, the same way he took / takes it a little at a time, from you.

Understanding how animals , especially pack animals look at the world is key. Dogs with more 'instincts' will try to run the household, its natural for them to try to rise to the top.

Just keep reminding him, then praise when he submits.

I have mild animal allergies, so ours don't share the bed with us. It lets me have one place that is relatively allergen free. They do share everywhere else.

Believe me, until you have a large Ragdoll decide that he *will* have your lap in a computer chair, you have not experienced animal/furniture space wars.

a reply to: intrptr

Thanks for your reply, the old pack leader game. I'm only joking, watched enough of Cesar Milan to last a lifetime. Yes it all makes sense and I have done it but chicken is such a sweeter alternative. "Dog off couch as I am the leader. No? ok wants some chicken? Good boy"
I've had a few dogs over the years, growing up with them. They always did as they were told, none of this leader- pack stuff.
Nan's day was a smack on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Don't recommend it.
But sausage and chicken, no dog or man can resist.

a reply to: sussy

Gotta be your pheromones.

originally posted by: sussy
a reply to: intrptr

Thanks for your reply, the old pack leader game. I'm only joking, watched enough of Cesar Milan to last a lifetime. Yes it all makes sense and I have done it but chicken is such a sweeter alternative. "Dog off couch as I am the leader. No? ok wants some chicken? Good boy"
I've had a few dogs over the years, growing up with them. They always did as they were told, none of this leader- pack stuff.
Nan's day was a smack on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Don't recommend it.
But sausage and chicken, no dog or man can resist.

In effect you are rewarding the bad behavior with a treat. This teaches pooch to break the rules to get a treat.

We have a little tiny dachshund also displaces my mom in bed. Not me though. She doesn''t try that with me. I don't punish her, I just push her aside when she tries to take the middle of the bed. She might growl and leave, or submit.

I prefer her sleeping at my side.

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: sussy

Gotta be your pheromones.

That's it's own nightmare. Good thing my un-neutered Akbash doesn't get excited when we share the bed. He puts his back to me, so we spoon....sometimes I even have to force my way under him, at least he's on top of the blanket. I don't give up my particular spot, it's just that some nights there's two of us occupying it 😂, until he moves.

Getting out of the shower is a huge issue. He gets sooo excited. Thankfully, I have a large female dog too, and she tackles him off of me. She's so good, and comes with a unique kind of intelligence.

Yeah, those of us with pets, really do need big beds...💕🐾

a reply to: snowspirit

Yeah, those of us with pets, really do need big beds...💕🐾

I used to have this issue with 2 rotties taking my couch and leaving me the dog bed.

Fortunate that I can get a spot couch again but unfortunate I lost a part of me when Tyson died back in 2012.


Now its just me and Sonja (on the right side). its an old photo Sonja is now 8 years old, in that pic she was around 2 years old.

She has her bed, she even has a couch but she ends up getting up on my couch with me most of the time.

Learned really bad habits from my sisters Dalmatian on how to lift the quilt covers when we are getting ready for bed so she gets under the covers with me when its cold.


I have to sleep with a spare blanket covering my bed so I can trick her into thinking she gets under the covers now when she really is under her own blanket.

a reply to: sussy

No offense intended to you OP, but my dogs view me as the leader (without any of that dominant training stuff.) All I have to do is sit on the edge of the bed and whichever of the 2 dogs are on the bed will immediately alert, and then if I show signs of "time to sleep" they jump off the bed. No words spoken, no eye contact made. It's my space.

After I'm settled in, Emmy will jump on the bed, wriggle her way under the covers and let out a groan that says "ok, I'm settled in." If she encroaches too much I just say "Go to bed" and she runs to her crate. Yes she's a cutie, but the bed is my space for sleeping.

Before anyone gets excited, my dogs see me as the leader, the provider of food and water and enjoyment. They know when we go out on hikes and long walks, that I will lead them to water, allow them to rest up a bit, play with them and provide them with protection. When off lead dogs approach, they let me handle the issue without any words or requests. (And we've been charged by several off lead dogs...)