5 Ways to Keep Your Bed Dog Free

Hey hey sassy mamacitaaaas! We meet again 😏 And if you’re reading this, you’re PAWS-ibly going through the same struggle that we were 🐾 We love our pups and wanna keep them as close as we can, but hey – every healthy relationship needs boundaries 🤪 And in this case, it means we wanna keep our bed dog-free.

When Jordan and I first got married, we were very into the big, snuggly family vibe – it was so cute having the dogs in bed with us. Buuuuut pretty soon we started realizing that it’s just not practical. They get the bedding dirty so quickly (and we over here investing in quality linens like boring adults these days!), they shed all over, and Hazel girl is always stealing our spots! So I started doing some digging and found some ways to keep our play/sleep lives separate hehe. Here’s what’s worked for us:

1. If you don’t want them in your bed… get them their own!

It probably sounds obvious, but it took us a while to find doggie beds that the girls actually LIKE. If they don’t like it, they aren’t gonna use it, and your bed ain’t gonna be dog free, so I highly suggest you don’t try to force them. Lola was our problem child – but she has been loving this anti-anxiety dog bed we just got for her, it makes her feel all safe and surrounded! Hazel will pretty much go with the flow.

2. Play on the floor.

If you’re always out of reach, of course your dog is gonna want to join you! So instead of playing from the couch or the bed, get down on the floor and play with them face to face! It might take a toll on your knees, but remember: this isn’t about you, it’s about the linens. Sacrifices must be made 😉

3. Start giving “midnight snacks”.

When it’s bedtime, tuck a chewy snack in the corner of the doggie bed. Don’t draw attention to it, just get ready for bed like normal, and if your pup jumps onto your bed, put them down and tell them to get in bed (or whatever your command for bedtime is). Once they obey, they’ll find the treat and will hopefully curl up to chow down for a while. By the time the lights go out, they’ll be comfy and ready to snooze.

4. Train that pup.

As much as I wish I had a magic answer for you, ya really can’t skip this stage. You will need to teach your dog what “bedtime” means and enforce it regularly. Here’s something to keep in mind: when your dog jumps up, instead of picking them up and putting them INTO their doggie bed, just put them on the ground and give the command. This way, it’ll teach them that getting into bed is part of the command, not just STAYing in it.

5. Try a toy!

Y’all, this is the CUTEST thing I’ve ever Amazon’d. If you haven’t seen the SmartPetLove Snuggle Puppy, you’re in for a treat. This lil plushie helps dogs who have sleeping problems! It heats up, and has a heartbeat vibration that your dog can feel 😭 Plus, it has 4.5 stars with almost 5,000 reviews! If your dog whines a lot in their bed OR kennel, you’ve gotta try it out. 

I hope these tips help you and your furry friends! Have you found any magical answers to this puppy parenting struggle?! How do you keep your bed dog free?

XOXO Dani