Why Won’t My Dog Sleep with Me? 10 Reasons!
Last updated on March 23rd, 2023 at 04:01 pm
Reading Time: 7 minutes
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Why Won’t My Dog Sleep with Me?
Some dogs sleep at their owner’s bed because they feel comfortable and secure there. All of a sudden, when your four-legged friend refuses to sleep with you, you start wondering, why won’t my dog sleep with me?
Many pet owners feel that their dogs don’t like them anymore. But, it’s not true. There are lots of reasons as to why your dog might not want to sleep with you. We’ll cover most of them down below. So, a little advice for you is, don’t take it personally. So, do you want to know the reasons why won’t your dog sleep with you anymore? If yes, then keep reading.
Why Did My Dog Stop Sleeping with Me? – 10 Reasons
When dogs start sleeping with their owners, there can be many reasons, such as a change in the sleeping environment, health issues, and a bad mood. Moreover, they refuse to sleep with you when they find another cozy spot in the home. So, there can be unlimited reasons for showing this behavior. Let’s have a look at the 10 most important reasons.
- Found Other Comfortable Places in Home
Dogs look for comfort whether they’re in your lap or on your bed. So, wherever they’ll feel comfortable, they’ll sleep there. Therefore, they look for cozy places. Moreover, they can also feel comfortable at floor tiles, carpets, couches, crates, and the hallway.
They keep rotating between these places from time to time to find what makes them feel cozy. If they don’t find any place that makes them comfortable, they’ll be back in your bed sooner or later.
- To Protect You
Some dogs love to serve as guard dogs. When they sleep with you, they can only protect you. Therefore, they prefer to sleep away from you so that they can remain alert to protect your home. For example, when they sleep on the floor, and anything unexpected happens, they feel vibrations and get up immediately.
If your furry friend prefers to sleep near the front door, it means he wants to act as a security guard. You should enjoy his loyalty.
- Personal Quirk
Like humans, dogs have their own preferences, and they like to be independent. Moreover, some dogs are clingy, and they love to cuddle, while others don’t love that. So, your dog would love to sleep at places that make them comfortable and suit their personality due to their independent nature.
- Getting Older
When dogs get old, they suffer from age-related pains and aches. For example, they might find it difficult to climb your bed due to arthritis, injuries, muscle pain, and elbow dysplasia. Therefore, you need to take your pet to the vet for immediate treatment.
- Due to Training
Many pet owners train their pets to sleep on their beds instead of sleeping on couches or human beds. Therefore, when pet owners want them to sleep on their beds, they refuse to do this because they are trained this way.
- They Feel Safe at Other Places in the Home
As long as your furry friend sleeps with you, it means he feels secure and comfortable. But when he decides to sleep elsewhere, it means he has found any other safe place in the home. Therefore, he feels safe beyond being close to you.
You should appreciate it if your dog is feeling safe elsewhere because it’s not a good sign when your dog lives in your bedroom all the time.
- Seek for a Calm Sleeping Environment
Are you still wondering why won’t my dog sleep with me? It can also be the reason. Some dogs prefer to have a quiet sleep. But when you kick, snore, or shift on the bed, it distracts them. Therefore, they look for a calm and peaceful environment where they can sleep long.
- Issues with the Sleeping Place
When your sleeping bed doesn’t have enough room or is too soft for dogs, they’ll refuse to sleep there. Some dogs prefer sleeping with their belly up, so they need more space. Moreover, they might not want to sleep with you because your sleeping bed doesn’t offer them enough support.
Some dogs prefer to sleep under the bed or in their crates where they feel more protected. So, before allowing any doubts in your mind, try to find the reason why your dogs don’t want to sleep with you.
- To Cool Himself Down
Sometimes sleeping in bed with humans can be too warm for dogs, especially during summer. Therefore, they prefer to sleep on hardwood floors and tiles to cool themselves down. If your dog prefers sleeping close to your bedroom’s door, it means he’s getting some fresh air from underneath the door. More importantly, it helps them regulate their body temperature.
- Emotional Stress
If you have recently adopted a dog or may have changed your home, these changes make dogs emotionally stressed. Therefore, they don’t want to sleep with you. However, once they get used to their new home, they might prefer sleeping with you, so give them some time.
Internal Factors That Stop Your Dogs from Sleeping with You
When you think, why did my dog stop sleeping with me and don’t get the answer, it can be because of some internal factors? It’s easy to identify outside influence, but sometimes, behavior change is due to internal issues. Unfortunately, identifying and fixing internal influences isn’t easy.
Before you make any changes in their sleeping environment or habits, ensure that you take your pet to the vet for a checkup. Some internal factors that stop your dog from sleeping with you can be:
- Age
When dogs get old, their sleeping habits change, so they prefer sleeping alone. In addition, older dogs need more sleep than adult dogs. Therefore, they look for places where they can get long and restful sleep.
Like humans, dogs also suffer from dementia that causes them to sleep more. As a result, there is a possibility that they might sleep at different times than they usually do. Therefore, let your aging dog sleep anywhere he feels happy and comfortable.
- Health Issues
Some dog owners feel that dogs suffer from health issues when they get old, but it’s not the case. Some dogs have ongoing illnesses that put them in discomfort. Sleeping disorders can spring up at any time in a dog’s life because they have nothing to do with the dog’s age.
Due to insomnia or sleep apnea, they might prefer to sleep away from you. Sometimes, internal physical discomfort forces dogs to try new sleeping positions and locations. Therefore they don’t want to sleep with you anymore.
Other physical ailments can disturb your dog’s sleep and force them to sleep away from you. These issues can be simple and severe, like tooth pain or kidney failure. So, whenever you notice any abnormal behavior, don’t wait for the condition to worsen. Instead, call your vet to get an appointment.
- Personality
Dogs have complex personalities, and it’s not easy to understand their mood. You might be providing them with everything to enjoy their night’s sleep, but you can’t force them to sleep with you. Never feel that dogs disrespect you because they do what makes them comfortable.
Why Won’t My Dog Sleep with Me? Is It Something to Worry About?
When dogs don’t want to sleep with you, you shouldn’t be worried about it. In fact, you need to take it positively and appreciate it. But, yes, you need to be concerned if they’re denying sleeping with you due to health issues or age-related problems. Otherwise, let your dog sleep in a home where they feel comfortable.
How to Train Dogs to Sleep with You?
As mentioned earlier, some dogs prefer sleeping alone, so you can’t force them to sleep with you. But if you still want your furry friend to sleep with you, follow the below-given tips.
- Bring Dog Bed into Your Bedroom
If your dog enjoys sleeping on his bed, then bring his bed to your bedroom. It will accustom dogs to your room. However, when you change their sleeping environment, it can make them stressed. Therefore, you need to be patient until they get back to a regular sleeping routine.
- Training
You can teach different commands to your pup like stay, down, and bedtime. Do this in your bedroom so that they can learn to sleep on your bed when you say these commands. Dogs take weeks to learn these commands, so be patient.
- Reward
You can bring your dog to your bed by offering him some treats. Reward him when he listens to your command and doesn’t decide to leave your bed. However, don’t overdo it because too many treats can result in health issues.
Final Words
Why won’t my dog sleep with me? You’re not alone because many pet owners often ask this question. One thing should be clear that all dogs are not the same. Moreover, they have different personalities and behaviors. So, you can’t force them to sleep with you. We have shared some reasons why your dog doesn’t want to sleep with you anymore.
About The Author
I'm a content writer and researcher. But bottom line, I loveee animals. I had my first animal which was a guinea pig at age 8. Later had a bunny, dog and a lot, a lot of fish. Writing about what I know about pets will allow me to share my knowledge and love for them with everyone else. Dealing with dogs my entire life, I know a lot.
