{"id":11844,"date":"2024-01-27T22:27:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-27T22:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/?p=11844"},"modified":"2024-04-05T10:43:55","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T16:43:55","slug":"why-dogs-stop-sleeping-with-their-humans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/why-dogs-stop-sleeping-with-their-humans\/","title":{"rendered":"We Asked Vets: Why Dogs Stop Sleeping With Their Humans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our canine companions are known for their habit of snuggling up with us. Sharing our bed with our dog has been shown to reduce our stress and anxiety<\/a>, so naturally, we’d be concerned and confused when they decide to choose a different sleeping spot.<\/p>\n

We discussed this question with two of Not A Bully’s advising veterinarians, Dr. Menicucci<\/a> and Dr. Patel<\/a>, and here’s what we came up with:<\/p>\n

It can be difficult to pin down the exact reason why dogs change their usual routine and stop sleeping in bed, but it usually revolves around some specific change in the household routine, especially your sleeping routine. <\/strong><\/p>\n

However, these changes can be subtle and often not so obvious to us.\u00a0Other changes, like shifts in temperatures, increased anxiety or stress, acute or ongoing health issues, and normal aging can all be responsible as well.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We’ll take a closer look at each explanation and help you figure out which reason makes the most sense for your pup. We’ll also help you understand how you can get you pup back in bed!<\/p>\n

1. Household and Lifestyle Changes<\/h2>\n

Dogs are creatures of habit and are deeply attuned to their surroundings and the routines of their family members. Even small changes in the household, like rearranging furniture or coming home at a different time, can disrupt a dog’s sense of security and comfort, leading them to seek a different sleeping spot.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are more obvious changes too like the arrival of a new pet, a new baby, or even a new partner. Children arguing with parents, household members staying up later than usual, more noises around the house, changing your dog’s feeding schedule and a long list of other household shifts can all cause your pup to switch sleeping spots.<\/p>\n

What makes this difficult, is that even if these changes don’t make logical sense to us, they can still explain your dog’s behavior change. For example, coming home at a later time could lead dogs to seek a sleeping spot where they feel more secure or comfortable, perhaps in a quieter part of the house, as they may associate your delayed return with a disruption in their usual security and routine.<\/p>\n

One UK study, while not directly tied to canine sleeping locations, looked at separation-related behaviors (like anxiety, stress, and destructive behavior) before and after the pandemic lockdown in 2020. The study found that 9.9% of dogs<\/a> developed new separation-related behaviors following the easing of lockdown restrictions, which highlights the impact that changes in routine can have on our dog’s mental health.<\/p>\n

In one dog training client that I worked with, we found that when she switched from using the garage to enter the house to using the front door her dog started sleeping by the front door. As confusing as it sounds, adding a home gym and parking on the street, through a cascade of reactions, led to her dog sleeping outside her bed. Her dog eventually went back to the bed after working on some stress reduction for her pup but it goes to illustrate how complicated this can be!<\/p>\n

So take your time assessing any change that may have occurred in your home, even the small ones. Remember, you have a logical explanation for these changes but your dog doesn’t.<\/p>\n

Once you understand what changed, you can either shift things back or support your dog through the specific change with consistency in the new routine and gradual acclimation techniques. If you’re not sure how to do that, you can always ask one of our dog trainers directly<\/a> and share your specific situation.<\/p>\n

2. You’re Tossing and Turning At Night<\/h2>\n

We’ve already covered changes in your routine like late nights or adding a new person to the bed but a more subtle change you may not be aware of is\u00a0how<\/em> you sleep- and the impact of stress on your sleep.<\/p>\n

Tossing and turning in your sleep can be quite disruptive to dogs, especially if things are already a little tight in your bed. If you’re stressed, you may be tossing and turning more than usual without really noticing it. Studies from Oxford<\/a> and others have shown<\/a> that increased stress during the day leads to more tossing, turning, and twisting at night. Other studies<\/a> have found that caffeine can cause some folks to have restless sleep with lots of tossing and turning.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the cause, your dog doesn’t want to get bonked on the head at night! So naturally, they decide to choose another spot to rest.<\/p>\n

You may find your dog sleeping closer to your head, where they’re less likely to catch a flying arm before they decide to leave your bed altogether. However, I’ve seen that most often in dogs 20 pounds or under, and larger dogs typically just look for a new spot to lay.<\/p>\n

In this case, improving your\u00a0own<\/em> sleep could not only improve your dog’s rest but also bring them back to your bed. Of course, you could also try a bigger bed with more room to flip and flop! In some cases, it might not be your fault and if you have a dog like this then the biggest best still isn’t enough:<\/p>\n