I get my pup one week from today so I don't speak from experience, but I do have a plan. My pup will learn to sleep in his crate next to my bed until he is at least 6 months old. When he becomes an older dog and knows the difference between right and wrong, and I know that I have trained him well he will be allowed in the bed. This way social dominance won't become a distraction in early training.
Puppy Sleep
Hey guys,
I'm new to the board. I pick up my 8 week old Vizsla Friday, and I'm very excited! I was just wondering what everyone does about the sleeping arrangements with their new puppies. Most people I talk to say their Vizsla sleeps right in the bed with them. How does everyone feel about this? I have read in several books that this can be bad and lead to dominance issues, but every Vizsla owner I speak with lets their dog sleep with them. How do you feel about this? I plan on crate training the puppy, but what would you all recommend? Thanks for the advice.
-Andrew
I'm new to the board. I pick up my 8 week old Vizsla Friday, and I'm very excited! I was just wondering what everyone does about the sleeping arrangements with their new puppies. Most people I talk to say their Vizsla sleeps right in the bed with them. How does everyone feel about this? I have read in several books that this can be bad and lead to dominance issues, but every Vizsla owner I speak with lets their dog sleep with them. How do you feel about this? I plan on crate training the puppy, but what would you all recommend? Thanks for the advice.
-Andrew
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Everyone is different in their approach. While it's nice, at first, to have your dog sleep with you in bed, it does get old. Even though Vizslas are medium size dogs a bed can still get very crowded. And depending on your lifestyle this may quickly become an issue - try explaining to a spouse, partner, gf/bf that they have to make room on the bed because you're going to be getting company.
So the decision is one of personal preference, but I will say once you let them start sleeping on the bed it's hard to get them to stop. Also, if you work or won't be around for long periods of time during the day I recommend that you don't crate your dog at night. 8 hours at night and then additional time during the day is really too long for a dog to be crated. Feeding them in their crate is a great way to make them feel more comfortable in there, if you feel like you have to make them sleep in their crate to start out, you may want to try and leave the door open so they don't feel trapped.
Also, puppies really aren't going to sleep through the night anyway, so if you're getting an 8wk old expect to be getting up every 1-2 hours to take him out in the beginning...
So the decision is one of personal preference, but I will say once you let them start sleeping on the bed it's hard to get them to stop. Also, if you work or won't be around for long periods of time during the day I recommend that you don't crate your dog at night. 8 hours at night and then additional time during the day is really too long for a dog to be crated. Feeding them in their crate is a great way to make them feel more comfortable in there, if you feel like you have to make them sleep in their crate to start out, you may want to try and leave the door open so they don't feel trapped.
Also, puppies really aren't going to sleep through the night anyway, so if you're getting an 8wk old expect to be getting up every 1-2 hours to take him out in the beginning...
Yeah, he won't be crated all day... at the most 2 hours a day. I was gonna leave the door open if he didn't sleep in the bed with me. Thanks for the advice though! The first night is going to be one to remember i'm sure haha.
My two Vizslas do sleep on my bed, but they are trained to sleep in a crate when necessary, such as when travelling. All pups that I get will sleep in a crate overnight for at least the first six months. It helps them accept the containment, to settle and it helps with toilet training.
With my younger Vizsla I started with the crate beside the bed, but he would react and start crying to any noise I made such as shifting in the bed. He was soon transferred to a crate in the bedroom and when sleeping through was moved into the bedroom.
Vizslas certainly don't need to sleep in your bed (although it's hard to resist letting them ;D). If you want them to sleep in another room like the laundry, then that's where I would start them.
Enjoy your pup!!!
With my younger Vizsla I started with the crate beside the bed, but he would react and start crying to any noise I made such as shifting in the bed. He was soon transferred to a crate in the bedroom and when sleeping through was moved into the bedroom.
Vizslas certainly don't need to sleep in your bed (although it's hard to resist letting them ;D). If you want them to sleep in another room like the laundry, then that's where I would start them.
Enjoy your pup!!!
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