Sleeping and gluing to you in bed is your dog’s favorite activity as he likes that cuddling feeling.
But recently, he stopped doing that, and you are wondering why is that so?
Your dog will stop sleeping with you when he has overcome his fears and anxiety in his new environment. He has difficulty jumping onto your bed as a result of arthritis or being overweight. He is growing in size and needs a more spacious sleeping place. You have exhibited unfriendly behavior towards him.
He Has Overcome His Fears
Your dog will likely feel fear, anxious and nervous when he first joins your family.
This insecure feeling makes him want to be as close to you as possible, especially during the night when everyone is asleep.
He does not like to be alone and wants to be with someone he knows and who is familiar to him and YOU are his choice!
He likes the fact that you are there for him whenever he needs you.
Your dog will need time to get used to the sights, sounds and smells of his new home, and to familiarize himself with his new surroundings.
Once he is used to his new environment, he will be comfortable enough to sleep on his own.
He’ll be able to relax and start sleeping comfortably in his own bed.
Of course, you will need to make sure that he has a comfortable place to sleep in his crate or on his couch during the night.
He Has Overcome His Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a normal stage of development in a dog’s life.
A dog who is anxious about being away from his owner is often going through a period of adjustment.
It is also important to note that dogs, especially puppies, can have separation anxiety if they have not been well socialized before they move into their new home.
So, if you have adopted a young puppy from a shelter, he might not know how to behave when he is alone, or when the night turns silent.
As you spend more time with your new puppy and help him develop his confidence to be alone, he will love to have his personal space and time during the night.
That is when you will see him being less clingy to you and sleeping in his “den”.
He Is Unable to Jump To Your Bed (Arthritis or Overweight)
You may find your dog stops sleeping with you on your bed as he is unable to make his way (jump) to your bed.
This could be due to the following reasons:
1. Your dog is reaching his senior years and his joints are beginning to wear down (suffering from Arthritis) and he is having difficulty jumping up onto the bed.
2. Your dog is overweight. When he is overweight, it can be difficult for him to get his paws into position and lift his back off the ground to jump up onto the bed.
When this happens, it can be extremely frustrating for him, as he loves to be with you, but he is unable to do so.
You may also notice a change in his behavior.
He may become restless and start to exhibit signs of aggression, barking and whining.
If you suspect that your dog is experiencing arthritis, you should bring him to see a vet immediately.
Your vet can assess your dog and perform a physical examination, including an x-ray.
He can then recommend supplements that you can give your dog to help ease the symptoms of arthritis.
If your dog is overweight, it is important that you take the time to evaluate your dog’s condition.
You may need to make changes to his diet routine and feed him a low calorie diet to help him shed some pounds.
Take into consideration your dog’s breed, his activity level, as well as his age when planning for his diet regimen.
You should also keep your dog as active as possible. He needs to get at least 10-15 minutes of exercise every day.
This will help to burn out his excessive fat and keep his weight in control.
He Needs A More Comfortable Sleeping Place
As your dog grows in size, he may find it uncomfortable squeezing in a small bed with you.
This is when you will find him going back to his crate or kennel for his sleep.
There is nothing to be worried about.
Your dog does not dislike you but just wants to be comfortable in his sleep.
Just make sure that he doesn’t exhibit any abnormal behavior such as hiding from you, barking or whining at you or chewing on your furniture or bedding.
In fact, most dogs prefer to have their own couch or crate where they can rest whenever they feel tired or need to be alone.
Remember to make sure that the couch that you are getting for your dog is big enough for him to fit in comfortably.
The size of his bed will vary depending on your dog’s age, breed and size.
Another explanation is that you have completed crate training for your dog, and he now sees the crate as his den (a personal and secure place) where he can sleep peacefully.
So that makes him feel that sleeping in the crate is much more safe and comfortable than on your small bed.
You Have Exhibited Unfriendly Behavior To Him
Did you show your anger (shouting or yelling) at him recently because he is doing something that you dislike?
You see, your dog is extremely sensitive to your emotions and reacts to them.
That will make him fearful of you and start to hide and avoid you.
So always keep calm and avoid showing your anger or raising your voice at him.
It is important to know that your dog is not going to understand why he is being scolded if you never correct him on the spot.
Yelling at him AFTER the accident doesn’t help with the situation and could in fact make him grow his fear of you!
Your Snoring Is Affecting His Sleep
Maybe you have caught a cold recently and started snoring loudly in your sleep?
This is affecting your dog badly, and it is causing him to have sleepless nights.
He is moving away from you to get away from the snoring sound.
In this case, you will likely find him coming back to you once you have cleared your cold and the snoring stops.
You Have A New Partner In Your Bed
You just got married, and you now have a new partner in your bed.
That makes your dog stay away from you as he is still not familiar with this new person.
He is unsure if that person is going to be nice to him and needs time to get to know the person.
When your dog gets used to your partner, he will gradually approach you and sleep with you again.
You Got A New Scent In Your Room That He Dislikes
What smells nice to you might not be pleasant for your dog.
For instance, you might like the aroma of air freshener citrus flavor, but that is what is deterring your dog away from you.
He does not find the scent to be appealing, and it is stinking and offensive.
What you would need to do is to know what are the scents that your dog dislikes (usually scents that irritate your dog’s sensitive nose such as citric, vinegar, ammonia, mothballs) and keep them away from your room or places where he is going to sleep.
He Is Feeling Too Hot
If you find your dog stays away from you ONLY during summer, that could be the case that he is feeling too warm squeezing with you in a bed.
He likes to cling to you and sleep with you during winter as your body will offer him warmth during the cold weather.
But when it comes to summer, he may find the heat unbearable and will prefer to sleep on the cold floor.
That could explain his action of not sleeping with you during certain seasons.
You’re Tossing and Turning Around A Lot
You may have the habit of tossing and turning around in your sleep and that is disturbing your dog, and he can’t get proper sleep.
And guess what would he do?
He would simply leave you and look for a quiet and peaceful place to sleep. That’s a normal reaction, and it’s nothing wrong.
Or it could be the case that he doesn’t like been stroked when he is asleep (if you have the habit of petting him whenever you are awake from sleep).
He Wants To Perform His Watchdog Duty
If your dog belongs to a watch dog breed such as Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Miniature Schnauzer or Scottish Terrier, he possesses a natural instinct to keep a watch-out for your home during the night.
That makes him want to sleep in a place where he can have a better view of the doors and windows to guard the house.
This is when you will see him sleeping on his couch (which enables him to rest comfortably) and have an easy view of all entry to the house.
He may also sleep on the living room floor where it’s not as comfortable, but at least he is able to stay close to the door, windows and other possible entry points of your home.