If your dog was once eager to spend the night in your room but has decided to sleep somewhere else recently, you might be wondering what the reason for this change of heart is.
In order to help you figure out why your loved one doesn’t seem interested anymore, we’ve put together a list of possible reasons for their sudden change in stubbornness.
The list includes some tips on how to make sleeping arrangements more appealing and less awkward.
There’s also a guide on how to provide them with an appropriate place for them every night!
Table of Contents
10 Reasons Why Your Dog Sleep Doesn’t Sleep In Your Room Anymore
1. Your dog doesn’t feel safe
A big factor in why dogs don’t sleep in your bed anymore is a feeling of safety.
Dogs desire order and structure, so if they know things are going to be messy, possibly destructive or annoying, they’ll find somewhere else to sleep instead.
If you have a new baby sleeping in your bed, then the very presence of a baby can add some excitement and anticipation for your canine friend.
This can cause them to stay away from the bed altogether!
If this is the case, then you may want to move them into their own room until the baby has grown up enough (and old enough) not to bother your pet with his or her antics at night.
2. They’re still learning the rules
If you’re not sure what’s going on, it may be that your dog doesn’t know what to do.
The fear of getting in trouble for being in the wrong place is enough to keep some dogs from jumping into bed with you at night.
It may take some time for a new dog to learn that this is where she belongs if you’ve previously trained her elsewhere.
If you’re already training your pet to sleep at the foot of the bed, then use positive reinforcement to direct her there.
Even if you’re not going to follow through with a real ‘scolding’ later, it can be enough to give her a negative association with the idea of sleeping on the bed.
This will help her to avoid the behavior in the future.
3. They’re simply not comfortable
Your dog may have never liked being on your bed in the first place.
In this case, they’ll be avoiding sleep time anytime you invite them up there because it’s simply not comfortable for them!
After all, people and pets have different needs and different preferences for places they’d like to sleep at night.
It could be because the temperature is wrong for them and it has become too hot or too cold in your room.
It could also be that the location is uncomfortable for them because they’re in a spot with too much light or too little.
Look at it from their point of view and think of other places they might like to sleep instead.
If this is your dog’s problem, then you’ll need to find an alternative place for him or her to rest.
This could be a dog bed, a crate or kennel, a comfy corner of the room, or even a rug on the floor.
Whatever it is that makes your dog happy and comfortable is the right choice.
4. They’ve been punished for inappropriate behavior
If your dog previously had access to your bed at night and then suddenly stopped getting up there one day, it may be due to something you did in response to their behavior.
If they were climbing up on the bed and being disruptive in some way (barking or whining), you may have tried to stop them from doing it by scolding or punishing them.
If this is the case, then you’ll need to teach your dog that their actions were not acceptable.
This should happen as soon as possible and preferably on the same day.
You’ll need to show them what was wrong with their sleeping behavior, by letting them up on the bed with you at first before scolding or punishing them.
When they realize that they messed up by climbing in bed, this will help prevent any future attempts at mischief.
5. They have separation anxiety
Some dogs develop a fear of being separated from you while they sleep.
If your pet has never done anything like this before, then it may be a sign that separation anxiety is developing for whatever reason.
This problem is often summarized by the panic your dog feels when you leave them alone at bedtime because they’re afraid of what they may do if left alone.
You’ll need to take action in order to help them cope with their fear of separation.
You can start by having your pet sleep in a crate or kennel at first, then moving them into your bedroom with you (or the crate or kennel) on the nights that they don’t have separation anxiety issues.
You’ll have to monitor them closely while they’re there, and make sure that you never leave them again before they’re used to being away from you.
6. They’re ready to start sleeping in their own room
Some older dogs are ready to start sleeping in their own room.
If you don’t want to have them sleep on the floor or outside and instead want them on a bed of their own, then place a dog bed there for them.
It’ll be best if it’s near your bedroom at first, so they can get used to sleeping in the area without getting lost or lonely.
As long as your pet is feeling comfortable in the dog bed, they’ll start to think of that place as their own and stop sleeping at the foot of your bed.
If you have the time to take them out often, they may even get used to the idea of sleeping with you there. This will make it possible for them to sleep in both places!
7. They had a change of heart
If your dog used to sleep with you but now is sleeping in his or her own bed, it may be because he or she got tired of the smell of your odor on the bedding.
If so, you’ll need to wash the bed thoroughly at least once a week and make sure that your dog doesn’t sleep on any beds that aren’t washed regularly.
They could also have gotten tired of being woken up during the night to go ‘potty’. If you keep a clean crate at home then this should not be an issue anymore.
8. They’re too big for your bed!
This one may seem obvious to some pet owners, but it can be overlooked when you’re not sure what else is going on with your pet at night.
Your bed is probably not large enough for you and your pet both to sleep comfortably.
If you’re a small person, then it may be that there’s just not enough space for you and your dog to share the same bed at night.
You’ll need to consider an alternative if this is the case, or else your dog will be much happier in his or her own room (and probably healthier as well).
9. They got scared by the motion of the bed
If your dog is a limp noodle of a pup, this might be the issue.
As they near adulthood, some dogs are scared by what they think is a falling object.
If this is the case for your pup, then you’ll need to find ways to help him or her get used to the motion of the bed and its movement as you sleep.
You’re going to have to find ways that don’t scare him or her too much so that sleeping in your bed isn’t something he or she doesn’t want anymore.
10. They’re ‘too old’ for the bed
You may have an older dog who isn’t comfortable sleeping on your bed any longer.
When this is the case, it may be because he or she has arthritis that makes it hard to lay down and keep still.
Their joints may be sore due to age, or they could have a medical condition like cancer that makes lying still difficult.
Whatever the reason, if your dog can’t get comfortable then it won’t matter how much you try to entice them to sleep in your bed – they’ll just refuse until they don’t feel as bad.
13 Ways To Encourage Them To Come Back To Your Room
Here are 15 ways to encourage your dog to sleep with you in your room again.
1. Remove the temptation of a cozy dog bed.
If your dog has started sleeping in another room, see if there’s a reason behind it, such as an appealing piece of dog bedding.
This is especially important if you have more than one pet that could be vying for your attention while you’re trying to get some sleep.
Don’t make special arrangements for one pet and not another. Make sure that all your pets are comfortable on their beds and have no reason to try to get into yours!
2. Adjust the temperature in your bedroom if you’ve been away for an extended period.
While you were away, the temperature in your house may have turned warmer or cooler.
When you return home, you will want to comfort your dog by adjusting the room temperature to what she is used to.
You can use a programmable thermostat so that you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to adjust the temperature back when you want your dog to sleep with you again.
3. Always provide water for your dog when she sleeps with you.
Did you know that many dogs die of dehydration?
If your dog drinks a lot of water when she sleeps in her bed, but then suddenly stops drinking when she sleeps somewhere else, this could be a sign that something is amiss. Be sure to provide water on a regular basis if your dog sleeps with you.
4. Be consistent with your dog’s bedtime routine.
If your dog is accustomed to sleeping with you in your room, but suddenly decides she doesn’t need to sleep in that room anymore, it could be because of a change in her routine, or her body clock might have shifted.
Before this happens, make sure that you are consistent with your nighttime routines.
Thus, your dog will not be confused as to where she should sleep, and hopefully, she will want to sleep with you on a regular basis.
5. Make sure the area around the door is clear of obstacles.
If your dog sleeps in a room that has an adjoining door to your bedroom, see if there are any obstacles in her path. If there are, remove them so that she can get into your bedroom easily if she chooses to.
6. Be patient with your dog until she re-adjusts herself.
If you’ve been away from home for too long and you’ve recently returned, it may take awhile for the two of you to adjust to each other again.
Don’t push her during this time or reprimand her for sleeping somewhere else until she has had a chance to adjust to life with you again.
7. Make sure your dog is completely comfortable with you before you fall asleep.
Take time to play with your dog and then cuddle up next to her on the bed.
Let her know that you are available for petting and playing, but only do this when she’s calm. Before you know it, she will be snoring away in your room again!
8. They want to be with you
Your dog could have fallen out of love with sleeping in your bed simply because he or she wants to stay up late and sleep in as long as possible.
Or, maybe it’s just the opposite. He may be too anxious about the idea of you going to bed and leaving him by himself!
Either way, if this is the case for your dog, then don’t push him into your room, and instead, let him sleep elsewhere until he becomes more comfortable with you.
9. Keep a few toys nearby as comfort objects.
There are dog-friendly items on the market that look like stuffed animals but actually come with a little squeaker inside them.
When your dog is ready to come back into your room, offer him a few of these.
He may jump up on the bed and begin playing with the toys. If he does, then distract him with a game of fetch or tug-of-war.
After a few minutes of play, lay down next to him calmly so that he knows that you’re available for some quality time together as well.
10. Give her special treats when she comes into your room.
If your dog has been sleeping in another area of your house while you sleep, then go into his room before bedtime and try to coax him into the bedroom.
Be sure to give him a special treat when he comes in, and then show him where his bed is.
11. Use a night light in your bedroom.
Your dog may be afraid of the dark and so you should definitely have a night light on so that he/she will feel more comfortable while sleeping.
12. Get your dog a bed in your room.
Your dog may be content to sleep in his crate instead of on the bed, but he isn’t going to feel comfortable if he’s lying on the floor.
Buy a nice dog bed that can go right onto the floor of your room, and then give him plenty of chances to lie in it before you go to sleep.
13. Leave the door open so that he can come and go as he pleases.
Allow your dog the opportunity to move about the house whenever it wants to during the night. This way he/she will feel more comfortable about staying with you in your room.
Remember, if your dog has been sleeping in another room lately because of any of the above reasons, make sure you take steps to remedy the situation to help her sleep with you in your bedroom again!
Final Thoughts
When your pet refuses to sleep in your room, it’s not necessarily for any one reason.
In fact, it could be for all of the reasons we’ve listed above. It’s up to you to take them as they come and assess the behavior before taking any action.
Once you know why your pet is refusing to sleep in bed with you, you’ll be able to make necessary changes to their routine or environment in order to solve the problem.
We hope that this was helpful!
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