# Bedtime Manners



## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Kobi used to sleep in the bed with me about 50% of the time. Now, I just can't stand it. He hasn't slept in my bed for an entire night for at least a month, and every time we try, it fails! He just has no manners!

First of all he usually tries to hump me. I tell him no and that puts an end to that very easily. That's not really a "problem" but basically a ritual if we're going to the bed. Then, if I can pull the sheets out from under him, I can cover myself up. Once I get all settled in and ready to go to sleep he will start licking himself. If I allow this to go on, he might do it for 10-15 minutes. Usually I last about two minutes and this is when he gets crated for the night. If he doesn't do that, he'll run to the other room and grab a toy to gnaw on. Of course this makes a ton of noise. I used to have the door closed, but ever since I got a cat I have to leave it open. Finally, assuming he decides to lay down, he'll dig until I let him under the covers, stay there for about two minutes, then get up and spin around til we're BOTH completely uncovered and I have to grab the covers, untangle him, and rearrange them to cover myself back up.

It's not really a problem that he sleeps in the crate, I just can't believe I used to be able to share a bed with him and now I just find him annoying  He is rude!

Once I put him up for the night, the cat will come over from wherever he was patiently waiting to claim a spot next to me on the bed. This of course makes Kobi whine until I tell him it's time to go to sleep


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Congratulations on your decision to crate Kobi. He is quite a character. Not rude at all IMO. He does what he is allows to do.

I would/will not allow our dog in bed with us.
I know experts advise to crate dogs in a separate room but we just cannot do it and our Sam spends the night in his 36" wire crate with us in the master. Because of this, he is quiet and sound asleep all night, every night.
Perhaps we just got lucky, but then again we set firm boundaries like no eating the cat's food and the cat is not a chew toy...


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Since the cat is willing to sleep in bed, I'm not sure you really have a problem that needs to be fixed. Especially because the cat may start to yowl in protest if supplanted from your bed.  But, if you do want Kobi to change his bedtime ritual, you have to change yours. The change can either be a phyiscal change or a behavioral change. 

For instance, get a fleece blanket, put it in his crate for a few nights. After Kobi knows the blanket is his, put it on the corner of the bed where you want him to sleep. Whenever he drfits off the blanket, remind him 'rug' or 'blanket' or whatever command you use to send him to a spot. 

Another example would be making him sit on the floor while you get into bed and settled. Once you are settled under the covers, give the command for getting into bed...'up' or 'bed' or 'rug' ...whatever you use. Then enforce the command by sending him off the bed for a few minutes whenever he disturbs you. Command him back up after a few quiet moments on the floor.

Glad to hear the cat is working out as part of your family!


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

He is well behaved in the crate, so I'm not terribly concerned about moving him back to the bed. In fact, I think I prefer him in the crate. Once he got to a certain age, I think I started sleeping worse in the bed. I just find it funny he acts this way : At first, it was easier to let him sleep in the bed sometimes. Now, since I have a more set schedule and he is older, it doesn't really matter.

I'm definitely not going to create trouble for myself by trying to move him back to the bed! He's doing just fine in the crate, plus he can't get in trouble there!


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

This all definitely sounds very familiar. I wrote a long post about Rosie's bed antics, but alas, my post disappeared...


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Your description of Kobi's (former) bedtime routine is HILARIOUS!! Yeah, I can picture that. ;D


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Yes, and they not only like to be covered, but to fling the covers down and then pin themselves on top of them so you can't recover yourself. I figure the being covered part is because of their short hair. But I don't know, maybe it's part of the velcro thing, to get to where your skin is so they can burrow (and lick you). Ms1234, I also find that covering Rosie makes her calm down. I sometimes do this if she is upset by a TV program (not uncommon, she's a very anxious girl and many things on TV upset her--not only scary shows and scary music, but also things like people dancing or walking toward the camera). I just cover her head lightly with a blanket like you would a parrot cage and she's off to sleep (see no evil...).


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Wow! I had no idea about the cover-calming effect. 

For Fourth of July, I had all kinds of distraction plans that went out the window when the firecrackers started earlier than expected. Savannah started shaking so badly, that I just took her to her crate and she went right in. When I checked 15 minutes later, she was still shaking, so I covered her with an old flannel shirt that I wear in the evenings. She stopped shaking. Next bed check 15 minutes later, she was still at the far end of her crate, still covered, still not shaking. I thought it was the way the shirt felt and smelled familiar, but maybe it was just being covered. I checked again before the fireworks started and again after the fireworks were done around 10:30 or 11:00 and she was still there in the back of the crate, still covered, still not shaking. Go figure.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I have a V and a GSP. Ozkar my Vizsla (7 months), he sleeps under the covers. I really mean under too. He gets down onto my feet and pretty much stays there unless he needs to get up for something. He's a great feet warmer. He sticks his little nose out the side so he can breath cool air. There is a short settling ritual of finding the right spot, but it's seconds, not minutes, due to me kicking him out of bed if he faffed about going to sleep. He soon learnt that bedtime is sleeptime. 

My GSP, however, is a little lady. She waits till Ozkar is well settled in bed, carefully works her way onto the bed without disturbing anyone, lays down on top of the covers next to me and goes to sleep. I often wake up in the morning with her little chin resting on my shoulder.....


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Awwww... that is sweet. She has some manners!

About the covering up effect... Willie is quite worried by thunderstorms. However, if I throw his blanket over him during a storm, he calms right down and stays put. My theory is that he feels he has successfully hidden from the "Thunder Monster" and as long as he stays covered, he will be okay.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Now that is sweet 

Both mine hop out of bed and into the crate when a storm comes. I have a cover over the crate to create a hideaway and they both feel very secure in there during thunder. 

I'm still giggling picturing Willie hiding under his blanket thinking he's OK as long as he stays there!


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## Mercutio (Jan 18, 2010)

This is a great thread 

Kobi, I can just imagine the cat patiently waiting for his spot to be vacated. Ours waits till I'm nearly asleep then licks Keon the nose to be let under the covers. Unfortunately for Merc, he sleeps on his own...


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