If your dog does not like sleeping in your room, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.
So, why doesn’t my dog like to sleep in my room? Likely reasons why your dog won’t sleep in your room are that it finds your room uncomfortable, you have inadvertently encouraged it not to stay in your room, or that your dog is being protective.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog won’t sleep in your room and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can do about it and there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause.
Why doesn’t my dog like to sleep in my room?
Below are reasons why your dog does not like to sleep in your room.
It finds your room uncomfortable
The cause could be that your dog does not find it comfortable in your room. The issue could be that your room is too hot, bright, loud or cramped. This would be more likely if the room it chooses to sleep in is less hot, bright, loud or cramped.
It wants to be protective
It could also be the case that it chooses to sleep in a different room because it is being protective. This would be more likely if the room it chooses to sleep in is one that people have to pass through and if it tends to get very protective around the home.
Encouraging the behavior
Another reason why it does it might be that it thinks that you do not want your dog to sleep with you. This would be more likely if it has always slept in the other room and if you reward it when it sleeps there.
Instead, it would help to reward it when it sleeps in your room or when it shows signs of sleeping there. It would also help to follow the other tips mentioned below.
It’s used to sleeping in a different room
The cause might be that it is used to sleeping in a different room and it feels safer when it sleeps there. It could also be the case that your dog is not sure of what it would be likely sleeping in your room so it chooses not to do it. This would be especially likely if it has never slept in your room and it has always slept in a different room.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog did used to sleep in your room
If your dog did sleep in your room, in the past, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might have something to do with a change in your room or because you encouraged your dog not to sleep in your room.
If your dog does sleep in your room sometimes
If your dog does sleep in your room sometimes, it would also help to consider what is different when it does sleep in your room. For example, if your dog sleeps in a different room when it is hot it could be the case that it chooses to sleep there because it is cooler in the other room.
What to do about your dog not sleeping in your room
Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Positive reinforcement training
Positive reinforcement training is where you reward your dog for displaying behaviors that you want to see or for showing signs of displaying them.
To use positive reinforcement training to get your dog to sleep with you one option would be to train it to learn the down command and to tell it to lay down in your room during the day then to reward it for doing so. You would then tell it to lay down there at night as well.
Give it space to lie down
If there is not currently a space for your dog to lie down, in your room, it could also help to make a space for it.
Avoid encouraging it not to
Negative reinforcement is where you inadvertently get your dog to do undesirable things more by giving it things that it wants when it does them. Instead of rewarding your dog when it chooses to sleep in the other room, try to train it to stay in your room and to reward it for doing so.