Dog Suddenly Sleeps Alone and Won’t Sleep with You Anymore – 8 Reasons Why

Do you have a dog that suddenly doesn’t want to sleep on the same bed? This can be concerning especially if the dog was sleeping together with you for many months or years. Here are some common reasons that may lead to a dog preferring to sleep alone than with you or other humans in the house.

1. Your Bed is Too Soft

Individual dogs have different sleep surface preferences, just like people do. Some dogs don’t like to sleep on a surface that’s too soft.

2. Your Bed is Too Small

Some dogs prefer to splay out when they sleep, and your bed might not provide them with enough room to do that comfortably.

3. Your Puppy is Lonely, and isn’t Used to You Yet

If your dog is still a young puppy, and you adopted them recently, they may still be used to being around their mother and siblings.

4. Your Dog isn’t Tired at Night

If your dog’s been on their own all day while you were at work, they may not have gotten enough physical exercise, and mental stimulation, to be particularly tired at night when you go to bed. Different breeds have different exercise needs, but most dogs benefit immensely from daily walks and active outdoor play.

5. Your Dog is Excited because it can Sense Something Outside

All kinds of animals come out at night, including possums, rats, raccoons, and more. Dogs have sensitive hearing and a keen sense of smell, and are often able to detect animals outside that humans wouldn’t notice. This can get your dog excited, or make them feel agitated and stressed, keeping them awake.

6. Your Dog is Emotionally Stressed

If you adopted your dog recently, or you’ve moved houses, or some other major event has happened in your dog’s life, they may be suffering from emotional stress. This can make them anxious, and give them trouble sleeping – just like humans who are stressed out. Some dogs may randomly jump up in their sleep due to the emotional stress.

7. Your Dog has a Physical Health Problem

Pain or itching can keep your dog awake at night. If you notice unusual behaviors like licking at their paws or joints constantly, pacing nervously, retching or coughing, or drooling a lot, your dog may be sick or injured.

8. Your Cats are Sleeping on the Bed

If you have cats as well as a dog, your dog may have been muscled out of your bed by the cats if they’ve already claimed it for themselves.
It’s too hot in your bed.

More bodies generate more heat, and dogs’ normal body temperature is already slightly higher than our own. If sharing your bed with you drives the temperature up too high, your dog might find it uncomfortably hot. Some dogs actually prefer to sleep on a cooler surface, like a hardwood or tile floor.

Should I let my dog sleep in my bed?

According to the American Kennel Club, around 50% of dog owners let their dogs sleep in their beds at night. Co-sleeping with dogs has been studied, and isn’t necessarily harmful to you or your pet.

However, there are a few issues to be aware of. Sleeping next to your dog can aggravate allergies, if you have them. People who sleep with their dogs also tend to report more sleep disturbances than people who don’t, possibly because dog sleep is polyphasic. Dogs go through several sleep-wake cycles during the night, waking up in between.

Sleeping in your bed can also worsen aggressive or territorial behavior in dogs who exhibit those traits. Dogs with resource guarding issues may begin seeing your bed as their own territory, and get defensive over it.

Where should dogs sleep at night?

Different dogs prefer different places to sleep. Some dogs sleep with their owners, while others prefer to sleep in their crate, in a dog bed, or even on the floor. Any of these places are fine for your dog.