My Yorkie Insists on Sleeping in my Bed...ALL the time. I love my Yorkie, but this is interfering with time with my husband. What can I do?
This is actually a common problem. Among married dog owners, 34% have stated that having their dog in their bed has been an issue when it comes to husband and wife spending "quality time" together.
This is usually due to allow the dog to develop a habit. When owners have puppies, they often love the idea of snuggling up to their furry friend at night. However, a dog is a creature of habit. It does not take long for a Yorkie to learn that their human's bed is the most comfortable area to sleep and they also feel safe when sleeping next to their owner.
This is just fine for some people. However, this does become a problem when the dog refuses to sleep anywhere else and a couple is never able to have time alone.
As with any dog habit, things will be easier if you allow your Yorkie to slowly get used to the idea of a change, as opposed to suddenly trying to enforce new rules.
Here is what you can do, to train your Yorkie to stop sleeping on your bed and actually enjoy sleeping in his or her own area:
It is suggested to obtain an extremely soft and comfortable dog bed.
Place the dog bed on top of your bed. Please be sure to have the dog bed in an area in which it cannot fall off of your bed. If your bed rests against a wall, you will want to put the dog bed in the corner, against the wall and the headboard.
Encourage your Yorkie to lay in the dog bed, it can help to place a new & interesting toy in the dog bed or a small, yummy treat.
Lay close and pat your dog, while you each lie in your own bed.
For each 10 minutes that your Yorkie stays in his or her own dog bed, give great rewards of praise and happy words.
If your Yorkie crawls out of their bed and into yours, gently place them back.
After a week or so, place the dog bed on the floor, very close to your own bed. Again, put a new and interesting dog toy into the dog bed, this will keep your Yorkie focused on the toy and not on their location.
Your dog may show resistance. He or she may beg to be on your bed or whine. Ignore this behavior as much as you can. After a while, a dog will become tired and just give up. It is at that point that your Yorkie will retreat to their own bed. When your dog is laying quietly, give calm & soft words of praise. Do not speak excitedly or loudly, as your Yorkie may mistake this for you trying to get their attention and come to join you in the bed !
Remember to always praise good behavior and to ignore negative behavior. Your Yorkshire Terrier will soon learn that sleeping in their own area = praise, treats & toys and that trying to get back into your bed = being ignored, having no treats and not receiving praise.
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