The easiest method to keep your dog off the bed when you’re not home is to turn your bed into a “no dog” zone.
This means you need to enforce the rule consistently while you are home and find ways to deter your dog from the bed when you are away.
Dogs are clever creatures and they understand the rules. But they also know how to break them.
With the simple steps in this article, we will give you easy ways to enforce the rule of no dog on the bed.
All you really need is persistence. So get ready to learn how to keep dog off bed.
Read our related article, How to Stop Dogs From Going Under Beds. Worried about your dog going under your bed? Here’s what you can do!
Preventing is easier than curing
Puppies are adorable, and we all want to hug and snuggle them 24 hours a day, but if the rule is no dogs on the bed from the start, you must follow it as consistently as you want your dog to follow it.
It’s simpler to instill good manners than break bad ones.
Give Your puppy a Place to be
Create a safe space for your puppy during the day by providing a crate or dog bed.
When you put him in his dog bed at night, give him a treat.
This will help establish the notion that his space is a happy environment.
Remove your puppy if he tries to get into your bed.
Set him back on the bed after taking him or her out. When your dog returns to the ground, give him a treat.
Do this until it sticks, and pretty soon he won’t want to go back into your bed.
Always ensure that everything nice and enjoyable happens on the floor.
You can even consider giving your dog a space by using indoor playpen-style fencing. Make sure they have their own sleeping place.
Consistency is the key
Not only do you need to be consistent in your approach to keeping your dog off the bed, but it is a good idea to apply the rule consistently to other furniture in the house.
So while you are training your puppy to stay off the bed, train your dog to not get on the couch, the recliner, or the dining room chairs.
This sounds harsh, but it will actually make it easier for your puppy.
Instead of having to differentiate between different types of furniture, the rule is simple: Stay off all the furniture.
The approach when you’re not home
When you are not home, the best thing to do is keep your puppy in an enclosed area, so she does not undo all the training by getting onto the bed or the rest of the furniture when you are not around.
You can do this by putting your puppy in
- An appropriately sized crate
- A secure playpen area
- A separate room, like a laundry room
What if your dog is used to sleeping on the bed?
If your dog has been sleeping on the bed and you realize that it is time to move him off so you can get a decent night’s sleep, what do you do?
The answer to that is simple, but also harder.
It is simple, because you essentially follow the same steps as were outlined in the previous section:
- Give your dog a space to be
- Use positive reinforcement to train your dog off the bed
- Keep your dog away from the bed when you are not at home.
But this is more difficult to accomplish because your dog has already accumulated months, and possibly years sleeping on the bed.
As we mentioned earlier, it is always easier to build a habit than to break it.
That said, it is possible to accomplish this. In addition to following the steps above, consider incorporating the following suggestions.
Keep your dog next to the bed
Just because you want your dog off the bed, doesn’t mean that you can’t have her by the bed.
Make your dog’s special nighttime space close to the bed as a sort of consolation prize.
You can put her bed at the foot of yours or up by your head so she can see you.
This way, you can manage your dog’s loneliness by keeping her close by.
Moderate the rule with regard to other furniture
If your dog has already been sleeping in the bed, then chances are he is lounging around on all the other furniture as well.
At this point, it’s best to just focus on the bed. You want to do something that you are able to accomplish.
If you try to go for all the furniture you may get frustrated and give up.
Give your dog a larger area when you’re gone
Again, if your dog has been on the bed a while, then you probably have an older dog who is potty trained and may be used to staying home alone.
You still need to restrict your dog from your bed (and maybe other beds), but if a crate or the laundry room is not a viable option, then simply shut the doors to the bedrooms.
This way your dog can have some room to roam but still won’t have access to your bedroom.
Read More: Can My Dog Be Home Alone? We cover how long you can leave your dog and tips to make staying alone easier!
Other options
If the above suggestions aren’t working, there is another option.
One of the most simple methods to keep the dog off your bed (or any other piece of furniture) is to use scents to deter him.
Essential oils are a good way to go about this. You may dilute essential oils with water in a spray bottle and use it as a bed liner.
Here are the three essential oils to use if you want to know how to keep your dog off the bed.
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
Wrapping Up
If you don’t train your dog to stay off the bed as a puppy, they’ll grow accustomed to doing so when everyone is asleep.
It may take some time for your dog to understand the new regulation, so be patient with him.
