Boot Pets From Your Bed

Quick Win

Is your beloved pet wreaking havoc on your sleep? Start training your dog to sleep in his own bed. For cats, try bribery. 

Try This Today

• Reward good behavior. Place your dog’s new bed on the floor next to yours so you’ll still be sleeping nearby. Give her treats and praise whenever she lies comfortably in her bed.
• Go for distance. Once your dog is used to sleeping in her bed, move it farther from yours. If the pup still disrupts your sleep, move the bed to another room, repeating the rewards. Close your door, so your pet doesn’t wander in during the night.
• What about cats? They keep odd hours and have been known to hurl themselves against closed doors. The right cat bed (either a formal bed or a blanket “nest”) might lure kitty off your bed. If that doesn’t work, sweeten the pot with a few treats in his new quarters. If your cat is waking you up early to eat, consider an automatic feeder.

Why

We adore our furry friends, but they don’t always make good bedmates. Like humans, dogs and cats can snore. They may also groom themselves and move around during the night and bring allergy-inducing dander into the bed. And let’s not forget their favorite game, “attack the toes.” A third of Americans report that pets “always or often” disrupt their sleep, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. For anyone in this boat, the academy recommends creating a separate, comfortable place for pets to sleep.