How to Train Your Young Dog to Sleep in a Dog Bed

If you do not have a dog bed yet, pay attention to where your dog sleeps and how he likes to sleep. If your dog stretches out or sleeps on his back with his legs up in the air, he may need a square or rectangle bed without sides. If your dog likes to curl up in a little ball and sleep on your lap or in the corner of the couch, he may prefer a bed with high sides he can snuggle against.

Purchase a bed based on your knowledge of your dog. Even if you happen to get the bed before the dog, try to purchase a bed knowing at least the size of your dog.

Pick a location where you would prefer your dog to sleep. Keep in mind, especially if you have a puppy, your dog may prefer to be near you. If you want your dog to sleep in his bed, you can keep it in your bedroom. Or you may need to move it back and forth or provide more than one bed in a common area such as a family room and one where you expect him to sleep all night.

Train basic commands before training to sleep in his bed. If your dog is a few weeks old, he may not be ready for training just yet. Before you teach your dog to sleep in his bed outside of just introducing the bed to him every time he sleeps, teach basic commands such as 'sit,' 'down,' and 'stay.'

Once your dog knows the command 'down,' walk him to his bed and use the 'down' command to tell him to lie down on the bed.

Give this action or the bed itself a name. You can simply say 'bed,' or you can give the entire action a name or command such as 'go to bed.'

Once he lies down on his bed, offer him a treat while he's lying down. Be sure to lay the treat down on the bed so he doesn't have to get up to eat it.

Anytime your dog leaves his bed to sleep elsewhere, walk him back to it and have him lie down again. Be sure to reward him and use the commands you gave for going to bed.

Make sure whether your dog is napping or going to bed for the evening, you are consistent with the steps above to encourage your dog to sleep in his bed each time he is sleeping. Be sure to walk your dog to his bed and not to carry him. If you begin to carry him to his bed, he will expect you to do that each time you give him the command to go to bed.

Starting with a time when your dog is sleepy, such as at the end of your day, introduce a command to go to bed. You can simply ask your dog if he would like to go to bed or go 'night night' or just use the command 'bed.'

Since your dog is very sleepy he will probably be open to being guided to a different place to sleep. Use a treat to get your dog's attention and move him toward the bed.

Use your command such as 'go to bed.' Head to the bed and place the treat on the bed for your dog to go get.

Once your dog has climbed onto his bed and eats his treat, expect him to lie down. Be sure to give him lots of verbal praise once he's on his bed. If he's sleeping he should stay there. If not, encourage him to stay by offering him another treat on the bed.

Anytime your dog is sleepy, whether daytime or nighttime, repeat the steps above encouraging your dog to go to his bed to sleep. You can use treats to entice your dog to move, and you can use treats to encourage your dog to stay there to sleep.

Your dog will begin to make the connection between the bed and how he feels when he's incredibly sleepy. Eventually, he will go to the bed on his own instead of allowing you to move him. When you notice him doing this, give him a treat on the bed and quietly praise him before he goes back to sleep.

Be consistent when you notice your dog getting sleepy or sleeping someplace else, and move your dog to his bed. When it's time for your dog to lay down and nap or when it's time for bed, encourage him to go to his bed by repeating the steps above, using treats to entice him to get there as well as encourage him to stay.

Your dog may want to nap wherever you frequent. If you have a home office, you may want a dog bed in your home office so while you're working, the dog can nap nearby. If you and your family are often in a family room, you may want a bed in that room as well, and of course at nighttime, your dog may want to be in your bedroom or in the hallway outside, or with a child.

Anytime your dog is sleeping in one of these places where you have a dog bed, encourage him to use the bed instead of your furniture or the floor. You can do this by waking your dog up if he's already sleeping and moving him into the bed with an encouraging reward treat.

Teach your dog a command such as 'go to bed' anytime you move him to his dog bed so he understands his bed is where he needs to sleep, especially when you command him to do so.

If your dog goes to his bed after you have asked him to go to sleep or go to bed with a command, be sure to give him a reward for following through.

Repeat the steps above anytime your dog is sleeping or sleepy. During scheduled nap times or at bedtime, you should be able to use the same commands no matter which room you are in expecting your dog to find his dog bed within that room and climb on it before going to sleep.

Even if your dog climbs on the bed on his own without you asking him to, during training sessions at least, offer him a treat while he's in bed so he's rewarded for sleeping where you would like him to sleep.

Be consistent no matter which room you are in. If you can supply dog beds around the house in all of the rooms your dog frequents, it will at least teach him he can sleep in any of these places and he should know where to go to sleep -- on his bed.