Our furry friends are truly our family members. After your dog has been an integral part of your home for a while, you start to wonder how you ever lived without him!
Over time, your dog and you have established certain routines, such as regular walks and playtime. Although you mostly know how your pet will react to certain situations, some of its behaviors sometimes surprise you, and you are not sure if it is a problem or a harmless cause.
Your and our question of the day is: Why is my dog sleeping under the bed?
Some dogs are big sleepers, and they could fall asleep anywhere and at any time. But, is there an exact reason why your dog, of all places, would want to sleep right under your bed? Let’s find out!
Why Is My Dog Sleeping Under The Bed?
Any unusual behavior of a dog usually has a certain justification.
This is also true with your question about why your dog would choose the space under your bed to be his own bed! Read the following list and we are sure you will find the exact cause of this behavior in your puppy.
1. Your Dog Adores You!
We put this reason first because we believe that it will be your favorite one to read. Believe it or not, dogs can sometimes tell their owners that they don’t like them by their behavior.
Fortunately, you are not in that group since your dog clearly loves you so much that he doesn’t want to leave your side at any time. Some dog breeds are, by nature, more attached to people and show more emotions.
So, if your dog persistently chooses to sleep right under your bed, it is possible that he wants to be around you all the time, and does not want to be separated from you even during sleep. Separation anxiety is something many dogs have problems with.
If this is the reason for such a dog’s behavior, we would say that you should not worry, and that everything is fine with your dog. Of course, the only problem is if you want your dog to sleep in his own bed or somewhere other than in your bedroom.
2. Your Dog Wants To Protect You
Some dogs are guard dogs by nature. This is one of the characteristics that certain families look for in their pet.
So, we have wonderful big guard dogs to choose from, and for those who still prefer smaller dogs, especially inside the house, there are also small guard dogs. Don’t be put off by their size – they can guard you very well, too!
One of the reasons why some dogs, especially guard dogs, sleep under your bed is because they want to protect you.
Simply, these dogs are always on the lookout, and they take their role as protectors of the family very seriously. For this reason, they do not want to move away from you even when you are sleeping. Living with a dog like this could feel like having a shadow in your own home!
3. A Cold And Dark Place To Sleep
The hot summer months have just arrived, and with them, your dog starts sleeping under your bed. There is a high possibility that your dog’s usual place to sleep is currently too hot.
Many dogs do not tolerate high temperatures well, and I believe we all know that we should protect them during hot days and make sure that they are not exposed to strong sunlight. If your dog sleeps under your bed in the summer, then this is a place that is cool and dark enough for him.
This is the place where your dog has decided to be the place in the house where he will get the best sleep.
4. A Warm And Cozy Place To Sleep
Contrary to the previous explanation, where the dog is looking for a place where it will be cooler to sleep, the opposite situation is also possible: the dog is looking for a place to warm up!
If it’s winter and your dog usually sleeps on the terrace or in the yard, it’s possible that he’s cold.
He has found a way to crawl into a place that seems warm and safe to him, which is under your bed. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to give the dog a blanket to cover and warm up and finally get a good night’s sleep!
5. The Dog Has Done Something Wrong
Our dogs can be very stubborn. Despite all your efforts to train him, his outbursts and disobedience are still not rare.
If you have a disobedient dog at home, the reason why he would sleep under the bed may be that he is aware that he has done something he shouldn’t have done, and knows that he will be punished. The place under the bed is not only a place to sleep, but also a place where the dog hides.
Although he knows that he will have to go out eventually, he probably hopes that you will not be too angry, and that you will forgive him for his mischief by then. As much as they sometimes drive us crazy, we can’t help but adore them, especially when we read something like this!
6. The Dog Wants To Be Alone
One of the common reasons why dogs want to sleep under the bed is that they want to be alone. Now, you are asking: Why would dogs want to be alone in the first place?
Maybe you had more visitors than usual in the last few days. Maybe your pooch just needs some privacy. He figured that the place where he would certainly not be bothered would be right under the bed. This is not a reason to worry either.
In some ways, dogs are den animals and need their own safe space. Our dogs, just like us, sometimes need some alone time in order to recharge their batteries and get back to their normal activities.
7. A Perfect Place To Hide Anything
Why does my dog sleep under my bed?
Maybe this is his perfect place to hide all the stuff he has! What kind of things could our dogs possibly have?
Think a little. You must have given your puppy a bone or his favorite treat at least once, after which, he took it and walked away with it as if hiding it from others.
Well, dogs love to hide food and toys. Some will choose to bury them in the yard, and some others will hide them right under your bed! To make sure that no one will touch his things, your dog will faithfully stay on duty and sleep under the bed.
8. The Dog Is Lonely
One of the reasons why your dog would sleep under the bed is because he feels lonely. Maybe you’ve been busy with commitments over the past few days, and have spent very little time with him.
Maybe even when you’re at home, you can’t wait to get into bed, and you’ve neglected your standard walking routine.
You may have recently started leaving him alone at home. All of this affects your puppy’s emotions. Various causes can lead to feelings of loneliness and even depression in dogs.
Make sure your dog knows he is not alone, and give him your attention. If you are often away from home, ask a family member or a friend to come and check on your dog. Any familiar company will do him good.
9. The Dog Is Scared
Dogs can be startled by some phenomena, and things that people usually do not attach too much importance to. This is especially common when our puppies are very young. For example, a dog can be startled by loud noises, such as thunderstorms.
Also, he can be suddenly startled by something inside the house, such as the sound of a vacuum cleaner.
Even some people that our dogs see for the first time can seem scary to them. In these situations, the dog may whine and try to find comfort.
The place he has chosen as his safe place may be the space under your bed. You should detect what the cause of the dog’s sudden fear is so that you can help him. Also, petting and cuddling the dog can make him feel more secure.
10. The Dog Feels Threatened
For some reason, it is possible that your dog feels threatened. The reason may be another pet in your home, or another person.
Whatever it is, something has disturbed your pooch’s peace and safety. In order to find comfort, he prefers to sleep in the place where he will be closest to you.
In these situations, it is good to try to comfort the dog, and prove to him that he should not feel threatened, and that he is completely safe in your home.
11. The Dog Is In Pain
One of the reasons why your dog would sleep under the bed is, unfortunately, the presence of certain health issues. So, he not only sleeps under the bed, but is probably also hiding from family members.
Since our dogs cannot explain to us in words what is bothering them, it is certainly good to monitor their behavior. What you can do is check if there are any visible signs of illness on your dog’s body.
Also, it is useful to know about the dog poop color chart, as well as the urine color chart, so you can assess if everything is okay with your dog’s health. If you notice some other symptoms, such as diarrhea in your puppy, it is best to contact a veterinarian.
It can be a transient viral infection, but it is also possible that it is a more serious health condition. In any case, a trip to the vet will clear your doubts.
12. Previous Traumatic Experience
You recently welcomed a rescue dog into your home. Well, this is an act to admire, and definitely a noble thing to do. However, it seems that the dog is quite shy and scared. It also seems that the only place he wants to sleep is under the bed.
Although adopting a dog is for sure something any dog owner should consider, unfortunately it has some downsides. When you bring a dog from the kennel to your home, you can not be completely sure what his previous home looked like.
This is unlike if you decide to go with a professional breeder who will provide you with the dog’s vet records and who took care of the quality of living conditions of his dogs.
Many dogs in shelters experience certain emotional or physical abuse, which leaves them with long-term trauma.
Even if your home is a completely safe environment, the puppy will need some time to get used to the new house and new people.
If you notice that the dog is anxious and seems to be afraid of everything, approach it with special tenderness. After a while, the dog will start to trust you, and you will be happy because you managed to give a puppy a safe haven.
13. The Dog Is Getting Old
Why does my dog sleep under the bed?
It seems like it was yesterday when you brought your furry friend into your home. But, the years have passed, and your pet is now an older dog.
Dogs are pack animals, and we are used to seeing them always around us. There was no activity that your dog didn’t want to take part in.
But, just like people, our dogs change as they get older. They no longer show the same interest in playing, and they often refuse to go for walks.
As they get old, dogs start to enjoy enclosed spaces rather than being surrounded by many people.
Many of them will want to sleep under the bed precisely to have privacy and to rest without anyone else around them. This is a particularly sensitive period in which every dog owner should show special love and understanding towards their favorite pet.
See Also: Senior Dog Panting At Night: 14 Reasons & How To Help
Dog Sleeping Under The Bed: How Can You Help?
If your dog loves to sleep under your bed, you might either like or approve of this habit, or you might want to completely stop this behavior in your dog.
Some dog owners enjoy it when their dog sleeps close to them. They don’t have problems with their animal best friend being under their bed for the entire night.
On the other hand, some people do not prefer this. Simply, they like to get a good night’s sleep, and they don’t want their dog barking or snoring, waking them up in the middle of the night.
Also, young puppies tend to breathe fast while sleeping, and many dog owners might find this scary, especially when they are suddenly woken up by their puppy’s heavy breathing.
And, we can’t forget one more reason – if your puppy is not potty trained, there will be a lot of mess in your bedroom!
If you have a large dog breed, and you think you are safe from having a problem with your dog sleeping under your bed – you are wrong! A dog wanting to sleep under the bed is not a small-dog thing. Some larger dogs are also likely to develop this habit.
So, what is exactly wrong with your dog sleeping under the bed? Well, it can’t be said that there is something wrong.
But, we are aware that our dogs might have some parasites, such as fleas that can be transmitted to humans. We would all, of course, love to avoid this, and keeping your dog from sleeping under your bed is one of the important steps to do so.
Now, for all dog owners out there who want to stop this habit in their dogs, we have some advice that we believe will be helpful.
1. Discover The Cause
The first step in solving any problem is to determine the reason for its occurrence.
So, the first thing you need to do is find out why your dog actually wants to sleep under your bed in the first place.
Is this the most comfortable place for him to sleep? Has he recently been scared of something and is afraid to be alone? Maybe he likes to be near you most of all, and doesn’t want to be separated from you even when you are sleeping.
You are the person who knows your dog best. Therefore, we believe that it will not take you long to establish the root cause of this behavior in your dog.
2. Wait A While
In some cases, the dog will simply stop sleeping under your bed after a while. Maybe it will happen even before you establish the exact cause of this behavior.
Maybe this place suited him for a few days, and now he is looking for another place. So, you can wait a few days before taking any steps.
There may not be a particular reason for your puppy’s sleeping position to change. Just like humans, dogs sometimes act in certain ways without any particular explanation!
3. Do The Crate Training
The ideal time to start crate training your dog is when he is still a small puppy. When the dog learns early where his place to sleep is, this will guarantee better sleep for him and for you, too!
If the dog went through crate training when he was still small, his crate will represent a safe and peaceful place where he will feel most comfortable. But, things will not always run smoothly. Some dogs will need months to get used to sleeping in their crate.
We know that hearing your dog cry at night in his crate is not pleasant at all, but we guarantee that sleeping in a crate has many benefits for your dog.
So, how should crate training look?
Choose The Best Crate
The first thing you need to do is choose a crate that will be the best option for your puppy.
The crate should be the right size for your dog, so the choice will significantly depend on the breed and age of the dog. The most comfortable crate is the first step for this type of dog training to be successful.
Check Out: The 5 Best Dog Crates For Shih Tzu Dogs In 2022
The Puppy Should Be Comfortable In The Crate
The next step is to get your dog used to the fact that the crate is a safe and comfortable place for him. Here, it is best to accustom the dog to the crate a little at a time. So, on the first day, you can leave him alone in the crate for 10 or 15 minutes, and you can increase this period of time each day.
Do everything to make the dog feel as comfortable as possible in the crate. Take his leash off after a walk, and direct him to go rest in the crate.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Treats are something that every dog loves!
We can also use them as positive reinforcement in crate training. Every time the dog spends time in the crate, reward him with his favorite treat. This way, he will begin to associate being in the crate with a reward.
Once your dog gets used to his crate, this will be his safe place. Not only for sleeping, but your pooch will feel comfortable there even when you are not at home with him.
4. Consult A Dog Behaviorist
If you have tried everything, but it seems that your dog refuses to stop sleeping under your bed, there is one more thing you can do, and that is to consult a dog behaviorist.
Such professionals can help you determine the exact cause of your dog’s behavior. After that, they will help you find a way to modify such behavior, and how to direct the dog to the correct behavior.
Here, it is, of course, important to choose a person who has proper experience and education. Most of all, this person should be a dog lover who will know how to approach your pet.
If You Are Letting Your Dog Sleep Under Your Bed…
In the case that you don’t mind your dog sleeping under your bed, what you definitely have to do is take care of the cleanliness of your bedroom even more often. Just imagine all that dog hair all over the place, especially when the dog is shedding!
Of course, this will also depend on the dog breed you have.
If you have a Labrador Retriever, which sheds a lot, you can expect to use a vacuum cleaner more often than, for example, a Poodle, which sheds very little and is known as a hypoallergenic dog.
If you or any of your family members have problems with allergies, it is definitely not a good idea to have your furry friend sleep under your bed.
Also, we remind you to make sure that your dog is comfortable under the bed. After all, maybe this will be his favorite place to sleep for a longer time period.
Final Words
We hope that at the end of this article, you are able to answer your question: Why is my dog sleeping under the bed?
As you can see, there are more common reasons for this dog behavior. Usually, this behavior should not be too serious. However, we don’t want our dogs to feel insecure, scared, or anxious inside our home.
Giving a safe haven to our dogs is one of the many beautiful perks of having a pet. The truth is that most of us won’t even mind our pooches occasionally sleeping under our bed. However, it would still be better for your dog and for you to have his own place to sleep.
So, crate training when the puppy is still young is the best idea. Just be persistent and gentle to your dog and you will both manage to have a good night’s sleep!