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Guest dogs sleeping alone?

Hi! So I’ve recently been dealing with this issue where I don’t know if it’s okay to make guest dogs sleep by themselves at night. My dog sleeps on the floor in my room. And she usually gets along really really well with other dogs… like she will play non-stop, all day long with almost any dog… that is, until it’s bed time. When another dog comes into my room and tries to get onto my bed (when I’m in bed) my dog gets really protective and tense... and she’s a German shepherd so she gets really intense very quickly. This makes it difficult to allow other dogs to sleep in my room at night, as I want to be able to keep everyone in a safe environment, especially while I’m sleeping.

So I specify on my profile that I don’t allow dogs on my bed. On one hand, this benefits both dogs by giving them some space and down time, as my dog will usually play all day with most dogs. But on the other, more and more I just feel bad about leaving them shut out of my room at night by themselves. I do everything that I can to make it comfortable for them… I put a big bed down for them, leave a low light lamp on, and I even put classical music on to calm them. But I also get that they’re in a new place and want to feel safe at night. So is it okay to make them be alone at night? Any advice?

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BTW, if you are going to tell clients that dogs aren't allowed on beds, then you probably should remove the multiple pics from your profile that show dogs on a bed.

Karen R.

I agree. I wouldn't even be showing MY personal dog on the bed in my pictures.

Jessica S.

Maybe I wrote this without the right details. I do let dogs on my bed, they chill & play on my bed all day, but then some want to be with me while I sleep and my dog doesn’t like that, not sure why. So if they don’t accept sleeping on the dog bed in my room, they have to sleep elsewhere for safety

Madison L.

This isn’t an issue that I have with every dog, just some. If they’re insistent on getting on my bed at night and my dog strongly opposes, then I have to do something to keep them safe from the argument that is sure to ensue.

Madison L.

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Deb A.

Book a Stay
Irvine, CA

You need to set the policies that work for you. That includes being transparent with the owners and telling them that dogs aren’t allowed on your bed and all the efforts you take to make them comfortable in the other room in order to have them confirm that they believe their dog is a good match for your home prior to booking.

First and foremost, you want to return the pets in the same condition that they arrived in, unscathed by any potential infighting. If you’re accepting dogs from multiple households at the same time, you may have to create safe spaces in the other room for that purpose, so you can sleep.

Comments

Thanks for your advice! It’s a little difficult because it really just depends on the dog/their dynamic with my dog. So it’s not that straight forward. But I’ll just start letting owners know that they may have to sleep in a separate room. Thanks again for the advice!

Madison L.

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Anne B.

To add a couple more thoughts, along with what has already been shared;

It's much more beneficial to start strict & conservative, which allows for leeway if a great match happens. Realistic Expectations can be adjusted as you learn what really works.
Setting expectations that are absolutely achievable (Example: no guest dogs in certain rooms/floors, etc) almost guarantees success :) Don't offer exceptions that can't be guaranteed (and don't apologize for being reliable)!
Owners and pets alike appreciate when they 'know' what to expect because boundaries are in-place and enforced!
Special exceptions can absolutely take place, but should not be the norm or "expected" (everyone will get frazzled)

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Karen R.

Book a Stay
Chicago, IL

As a sitter, you are under no obligation to allow dogs to sleep on your bed. It is safer to say that dogs are NOT allowed on beds. If a guest dog gets along with yours, then fine. If they don't, then have an appropriate place for them to sleep. My home has two floors. No dogs, including my own, are allowed upstairs. They all sleep on the first floor and I have several dogs beds from which they choose. I have never had an issue, even with dogs who are accustomed to sleeping with their owners.

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