Dog owners: In the bed or out?

We had 5 large dogs at one time and they did join us in bed. They'd all hop up at lights off and by morning there would be about 2 remaining. The problem was that, because they were so large (2 were greyhounds), they would take up all the space and the cats wouldn't have much room left to snuggle. Tyler (one of the greys) used to stretch out next to me and he was actually taller than my husband when stretched. I ended up allowing him the guest room bed (a queen sized water bed) as his bed at night and he really liked it.

After they all crossed and we eventually adopted our current 2 boys, I decided that I didn't want them in bed with us. It is primarily because we have about 7-8 cats in bed with us at night and the dogs would disturb them. Hubby wants them in bed, but they are just fine sleeping on the floor next to us. They get the sofa so they are not abused.

Vino sleeps with me, but Girl must be crated at night. Vino is my little old man, so once he gets in bed he barely moves, its even hard getting him up sometimes in the morning Vino is a Lhasa so he doesn't shed, its just cat fur I have all over the place

My parents never allowed the dogs in bed with anybody, and once I moved out, and had my own pets, I also didn't allow it. However - at some point my mother relaxed the rules, and when I visit, at least two of her dogs, and often all three (two large Labs and a medium-sized mutt), expect to sleep with me, and it's not the most restful situation, as they vie for the "best" place, scratch enough to shake the whole bed, get the bedclothes incredibly dirty, and so on. I'd probably allow a small dog like Brody up on the bed (we have a king-sized), but if we were talking large, multiple dogs, I wouldn't. Ditto up on the furniture. I find it a bit uncomfortable to watch TV at my mom's, and have to share the couch with three dogs and a cat. They all seem to think it's their "duty" to keep me from being lonely when I visit, even to the point of two of them accompanying me to the bathroom.

I say the more in bed the merrier!

Thanks for all of your opinions I don't think there is anything wrong at all with letting them sleep in your bed, but when Brody is in bed I wake up every hour. I have worked out a bit of a compromise with him... He cuddles with me for a few minutes when I go to bed and then when my fiance comes to bed, Brody gets moved to his doggy bed. In the morning (I get up first), I take Brody out first thing and then when he comes in he gets to get back in the bed with my fiance. This seems to be working fine so far

Typically, Maxie sleeps in a basket under the bed. My husband went out of town a couple of days ago and the first night, Maxie jumped right up into his spot and has been sleeping there since he left. I don't mind. It was unusual considering she had never voluntarily jumped into bed before. We'd occasionally lift her up there, but she'd always jump down.

Ok, question to those allowing the pets in bed (especially the dogs) - where are they when you and your spouse/SO want to "do the deed"?????

Well, if "the deed' is being done, everyone gets kicked out and the bedroom door shut.

The dog has already managed to startled me once with cold nose to bare bottom as I left the shower, I'll never give him another opportunity

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Well, if "the deed' is being done, everyone gets kicked out and the bedroom door shut.

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Ummmm (looks to the right and to the left to make sure no kids are reading...)

DH and I never shut any doors, especially now that the kids are out of the hosue. And there are other places besides the bedroom

Anyway, we have a male dog AND a female dog and they seem to "get in the mood" when we do. And YES they are fixed!! But they stay on the floor and at a respectful distance!

Poor Brody... This was his last chance at having someone help convince me to allow him to sleep in our bed at night. It appears it is going to the gutter though. Poor little guy
He looks so sad in his bed.

Lilly not only sleeps in the bed she sleeps under the covers. And the same with my dad's dog and Macy sleeps on the bed but on top of the covers. Although I had attempted running her out of the bed it didn't really work for long although if she is muddy I make her stay down.

Fosters sleeps in the bed with Colin and I. He also has a huge bean bag beside the bed that he likes to sleep on as well He's spoiled rotten!

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Well, if "the deed' is being done, everyone gets kicked out and the bedroom door shut.

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We kick all animals out of our room then too

Originally Posted by missymotus

Nunuk is not allowed on the bed or any other furniture, he sleeps on his own bed.
Furniture is for the masters, that's why the kitties are allowed

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Did you get that name from The Lost Boys?
I loved that movie!

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Ok, question to those allowing the pets in bed (especially the dogs) - where are they when you and your spouse/SO want to "do the deed"?????

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Jake sleeps in the bed with us.. On the couch and would sleep in my lap if I let him. He's a 70lbs cat! Or so he thinks. When it comes to "the deed" he gets kicked out Otherwise, he's right there with us... Inbetween and under the covers... He's my "Velcro Vizsla Puppy"

I have three dogs. The dauchaund HAS to sleep with us. She get in the bed when i do, flips on her back and I tuck her in like a child.

Emma the lab would LOVE to sleep with me. Occassionally I let her but as a rule, she sleep in her bed because she pushes on me and I can't get any sleep. I wake up because she kisses me. hehe So she usually sleeps on the floor on a pallet by my side of the bed.

Molly only sleeps in her crate. She prefers it. She has carpet and a blanket in it.... I don't think she would get on the bed if I tried to make her.

The big dogs are not allowed on the furniture. They lay at our feet.

The cats rule our house and sleep where they want to....

My dogs don't sleep on my bed. They sleep in my closet on a bunch of pillows and blankets I put in there. My my little dog Benji is allowed on the furniture, except the nice, new furniture my mom just bought. Daisy, the big dog, would be allowed on the couch in the basement, but she never tries to get on the furniture.

there is no way that "the boys" could sleep with us. Charlie is now weighing in at 62 lbs & Dawg weighs 80 lbs. Neither DH or I are tiny, and we only have a queen sized bed. They have their own beds on either side of the bed.

My dogs do both... They have their dog bed but they also sleep on the couch or in peoples' bed. My Golden is 65 lbs and 24" tall and she shares the bed with me. Every night I tell my Golden Retriever Ginger "Bedtime!" and she will get up and walk into my bedroom and stand next to the bed waiting. Once I get into bed and comfortable I invite her up (she won't get on the bed unless invited) and then she climbs up next to me. I have a twin bed so there's not a lot of extra space so Ginger had to learn what position to get into otherwise I'd either have no space for my feet or she would be falling off the bed--she had to learn to lay next to me with her back to me and her feet sticking off the side of the bed.
I like to go to sleep with my arm under Ginger's head or sometimes I'll cuddle up and lay my head on hers... She's not a big shedder so that's not an issue, and she is VERY laid back and does not move around much at all in the bed. She also makes a really great "space heater" under the blanket on cold nights!
Actually I bug her with MY moving around instead of the other way around. She ends up leaving and laying on the floor or going to the living room to her dog bed sometime after I've fallen asleep most nights. I think it's because I toss and turn and kick her too much.

On a normal night in our house, you have me and DH, Madden, Pooch (65lb german shepard mix) and Daisy (7lb teeny weenie) all piled into our king size bed. I wouldn't have it any other way. (Plus, I never get cold!!)