Have totally messed up dog sleeping routine, help!

[Federico]

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Hi! First post...

My husband and I have a gorgeous two-year-old mini dachshund. We started her out as a pup sleeping in a crate downstairs, which she seemed totally happy with. Then, after a year, we had a serious amount of building work done, which involved taking the back off the house and replacing it (for several months) with plywood. My husband was working away a lot, and I was super nervous of being alone at night with such shoddy security. So.... I started sleeping with the dog on my bed.

The problem is, when my husband's home, I *really* don't like doing this - he moves around a lot, and she's so small I'm terrified that between us we'll squash her. I can't sleep properly, because I keep waking up to check she can still breathe. We've tried putting her crate in our room as a compromise, but she cries and attacks the crate for (quite literally) hours, until we crack and let her back on the bed (I know, I know...)

We both think that routine is the thing, and I fear we'll have to go back to crating her downstairs overnight (the whole house is open plan, so if we leave her on the sofa she just runs upstairs and cries at the door). But that seems mean. He's still away four nights a week, and on those four nights I'm happy to have her sleeping with me, but it just seems to be confusing her. Any thoughts on solutions? (I'm fully aware this is my fault)

 

[JudyN]

Welcome to the forum.

And don't beat yourself up - it's understandable that you would want the security of having her near to you at night. And of course she could have been stolen in the night if she was downstairs in a crate.

A possible solution is for her to sleep in her own bed next to yours. You will have to be very persistent for a few nights, gently removing her from the your when she climbs on, and praising her when she goes on hers. And really, you need to do this when your husband is away for the night too. You can get dog beds that can be on the same level as yours - google 'bedside dog bed'. This sort of thing: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/121949102397750700/

She might need one with steps, like the one I posted - even if she can manage now, you don't want her jumping off from that height repeatedly, and she will probably need them when she's older.

There's also the possibility of separate beds for you and hubby, but I'm guessing that at least one of you wouldn't be happy with that!

 

[Federico]

Ah, thank you! That's a great suggestion - I think she likes being on the same level as us, so that sounds perfect. I'll take a look.

 

[Tinytom]

You could buy a baby next to me bed ...its like a small cot that goes beside your bed and unzips one side so that the baby is next to you ...I have seen a few second hand ones...

 

[Hemlock]

That looks brilliant, Tinytom. At the risk of stating the obvious, do put something soft like a big pillow between bed and ground so there is no risk of injury jumping on and off.

 

[arealhuman]

Welcome! Interesting idea about the beds, the first one on Pinterest looks very expensive though. Occasionally my dog will insist on sleeping on our bed, he's about the same size as a JRT but somehow manages to take over most of the bed at night somehow (kind of funny, kind of annoying!). I think he only does it when he;s in cuddle mode, which at bed time isn't that often.

Let us know how you get on.