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Cosleeping with a dog

913 views 20 replies 18 participants last post by  olien 
#1 ·
Well before my DD came along my dog always slept in my bed. After she was born he moved to a crate next to my bed and then a dog bed next to my bed. Well a couple of nights ago he jumped into the bed while me and my DD (now 16 mo) were asleep. I woke up with my dog warming my feet. Last night the same thing happened again. Is this something to be concerned with? He is a very good dog and I would feel so mean having to crate him again but what if he crawled up to the pillows and laid on my daughter?!? Is she old enough so that I don't have to worry about it? My dog is only a little bigger than my daughter but I am a bit concerned.
-cheers
 
#2 ·
Unless she is a habitual pillow-sleeper, or displays signs of resentment or aggression toward the baby, or you've woken up with her on your face, I would really not worry about it. In my experience, the only danger of cosleeping with pets has been getting sore from not moving due to a baby in front of you and a pet behind you.


Oh, and she's 16 months? She's well old enough to protest invarion of her space, and to move away (or move the dog!).
 
#3 ·
we cosleep with our DS 6mo and 2 yr old DLR (darling labrador retriever). We tried at first to keep her off the bed but invariably, every night she would make her way up. Moxie stays at the end of the bed, on my feet, and is never a bother to any of us so we just roll with it. Only advice I would give is to tape down your pups tags to his collar. An ear scratch or jumping in bed makes a jingle that could wake up baby
 
#4 ·
Thanks Gals! I am soo happy to hear I am not the only one with a dog and kid in the bed. When I used to let him in the bed all the time he would only crawl up onto the pillows to lick my face to wake me up when I slept in past sunrise. He has to be the first dog in the neighborhood to walk around the block. Oh, and I like the abreviation DLR! If I knew what kind of mutt my doggie was I'd make him and acronym too.
 
#5 ·
Usually by the time I wake up in the morning, there's me, DH, DD, DS, *and* the beagle in the bed. Thank goodness we've got a king-size bed!

Our dog has always slept on our bed, by our feet, even when the kids were new. I'm sure it would send some people over the edge, but we knew where he was, where the kid(s) were, and it worked for us. If your DD is 16 months, it'll be fine. There's nothing cuter than finding the toddler and the dog curled up together, IMO!
 
#6 ·
Our dog has always slept in the bed with us, too. He's extremely well behaved and respects boundaries. He only sleeps at the bottom of the bed between my feet and DH's feet (he's a lab mix and about 55 lbs). I think DS would be THRILLED if the pup wanted to snuggle up with him in bed but we don't let that happen.
 
#7 ·
Our dog sleeps with us and our 3 month old. We tried keeping him on the floor, but he was just so used to the bed we decided to try it. He almost always stays by our knees, but I have woken up a few times to find him laying next to DD. I don't worry about it b/c I've woken up every time he's done it and he never actually touches her.
 
#8 ·
Our dog has always slept with us, too. She takes the foot of the bed where DD sleeps (the most space for her). She tends to lie down for a bit before we all go to bed, so she warms the pillows for us
. Then, when I take DD to bed, the dog politely moves herself to the foot of the bed. It's her bedtime routine
.

BTW, we sleep 4 of us + the 55 lb. shepherd in a CalKing.
 
#9 ·
Loki (80lb labrador retriever) occasionally makes his way into bed with us (he's NOT a cosleeper by nature... too much movement and he gives us the "screw you guys" look and goes to his kennel or the couch
), but he stays at the foot of the bed and is very deferential to the baby generally, so I say the more the merrier.

Now, if he were like my sister's dogs, who like to be snuggled up against any human they can find, I'd be more cautious. I'm also a very light sleeper and notice any comings or goings from the bed, so I don't worry that the dog would for some reason come up to the head of the bed without my knowledge, not that he's shown any interest in being anywhere near the pillows.
 
#10 ·
The only time my daughter ever ends up cuddling with my dog is when she is napping and I am typing on my laptop while sitting in bed. Our dog just walked up and layed down next to me, my daughter opened her eyes and squirmed over to him. It's too cute, I wish I had my camera charged and with me!
 
#11 ·
We co-sleep and have from the beginning with 3 dogs, now 2 and 2 cats. Our dogs stay at the foot of the bed for the most part. The cats sleep with their respective humans, or I should say ON their humans. The only dog that ever slept up near the pillows was my oldest male weim. He had always slept against my back from the time he was a puppy. Having a baby in the bed just meant that he had to stay there once he got there. I REALLY liked it! It's so much easier to sleep on your side if something is holding you up! I miss him very much, and not just for that reason!!
 
#12 ·
If you can train him to stay at the end of the bed, I wouldn't worry. But if he insists on sleeping by your head, you might have to make him sleep in his doggie bed. When we had cats, they were used to sleeping right on my pillow. We eventually had to keep them out of our room because they would not leave us-or the baby-alone.
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't do it with a newborn... A dog is an animal, you never know what could happen if the baby startles her..

Just speaking from experience, when I was a child I needed 30 stitches to my face when I startled our dog....

Just food for thought....
 
#14 ·
we kept the dogs out for the first six months or so. then we kept them off the bed for the first year or so. now two dogs sleep on the bed, but we keep them at the foot of the bed. the third dog (a greyhound. and greyhounds are known for their bad sleep manners) is never allowed on the bed. but of course my DD was born on this bed and there was a dog on the bed while she was born! she loves her dogs and asks for them. and the dogs are very tolerant of her (we did have one dog that was not and we found a new home for that dog)
 
#15 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Miasmamma View Post
We co-sleep and have from the beginning with 3 dogs, now 2 and 2 cats. Our dogs stay at the foot of the bed for the most part. The cats sleep with their respective humans, or I should say ON their humans. The only dog that ever slept up near the pillows was my oldest male weim. He had always slept against my back from the time he was a puppy. Having a baby in the bed just meant that he had to stay there once he got there. I REALLY liked it! It's so much easier to sleep on your side if something is holding you up! I miss him very much, and not just for that reason!!
Aww, that's such a sweet story. I love Weimeraners and someday hope to own one. But for now I just have a good old fashioned all american road dog (aka a mutt I found hitchiking!).
 
#16 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by 2mama View Post
A dog is an animal, you never know what could happen if the baby startles her..

Just speaking from experience, when I was a child I needed 30 stitches to my face when I startled our dog
Which is why I wouldn't do it. My girl slept at the end of my bed until Caitlyn became mobile. Once C started moving around on her own Akasha was kicked out of my room
I am NOT willing to take a chance on Caitlyn waking up and startling Akasha and something happening like the previous poster mentioned. I love both my "girls" way too much to take any chances. Plus Caitlyn is way too distracted by Akasha at night and just wants to play with her instead of going to sleep.


fyi, Akasha has NEVER shown any sign of aggression towards Caitlyn or any of the other kids, but I am still not willing to take any chances.
 
#17 ·
Because our dog (beagle mix) hadn't ever spent time around little ones, we kept her on the floor while dd was a babe. Now dd is 3yo, the dog is amazing with her-- and I'm actually really happy that the two of them sleep together in dd's bed. I get a bit nervous with dd in her own room, and it makes me feel safer having the dog in there with her- knowing that she'd make a ruckus if anything weird happened (and the dog always stays at the foot of the bed when there's a person on it-- they both like their space) I was a little hesitant about it at first, but feel pretty comfortable now.
 
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