I opened Instagram and saw a post from a dog trainer titled, “Never Let Your Dog Sleep with You.” Sure, there were arguments against letting a dog sleep in bed with its owner, and maybe those arguments make sense for large breeds, but how exactly is a Yorkie or a Spitz going to cause any harm in bed?
At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference—whether you’re okay with fur and dog smells on your bed. No matter how well you clean your dog after a walk, you’ll never get it completely spotless.
The biggest behavioral argument from trainers is about dominance—that letting your dog sleep in your bed will make them feel like the boss, which could lead to behavioral issues later on.
I sometimes let Asti sleep in my bed when we’re in a hotel, for example. At home, we can play on the bed with a blanket or hang out on the couch, but I don’t let her sleep with me for several reasons—none of which have anything to do with dominance or training.
We decided not to let Asti sleep in our bed purely for our own comfort. First, it’s just uncomfortable to sleep as a trio. Second, Corgis shed like crazy—we already live in a cloud of fur, and I have no desire to sleep in it too.
Asti’s favorite blanket is also covered in fur.
Does Sleeping in Bed Affect a Dog’s Behavior?
I don’t believe that letting a dog sleep in bed has any impact on their training or behavior. When Asti was a puppy, she ran across the bed, slept wherever she wanted, and still grew into a wonderful, well-behaved dog. You can even watch her puppy bed zoomies in this video.
Speaking of dog trainers… The ones we went to when Asti was three months old completely ruined her. The internet is full of advice that you must start training a puppy as early as possible, so we followed that advice and ended up with problems instead.
The first trainer was a woman who bred German Shepherds—or rather, it was her husband who handled the first session. He made Asti lie down on command using a choke chain meant for Shepherds.
Since Asti was our first dog, we trusted the trainer when she said, “Corgis are all like this—they squeal, they pretend.”
Looking back, I now realize how terrified Asti must have been. A strange man, in an unfamiliar place, choking her with a chain and forcing her to the ground. It was awful. I regret not stopping it immediately.
And that’s not even the worst part. After more of these training sessions, Asti learned to obey, to sit, to lie down—but she also stopped trusting us. She started guarding her food after the trainer told us, “Stick your hand in her bowl—she shouldn’t growl.”
Don’t Repeat Our Mistakes—Train Your Dog Through Play, Not Force
After my experience with “trainers,” all those posts about “Never let your dog sleep in bed or they’ll become dominant” sound like nothing more than an excuse to stir up engagement on social media.
If you read older books by actual professionals, you’ll learn that dominant dogs are born that way. Statistically, only about 1 in 15-20 dogs have naturally dominant behavior. And even those dogs require proper handling—not through force, but by understanding and working with them.
If you suspect your dog has dominant tendencies, start by reading international literature on the subject. That way, when you talk to a trainer, you’ll have a basic understanding of your dog’s personality and be able to judge the trainer’s methods instead of blindly trusting them.
Asti Can Sit Anywhere, Not Just on the Bed)
The person who truly helped me build a strong bond with Asti wasn’t a trainer—it was my neighbor, who owned a few Dachshunds.
He once told me something wise that I’ll never forget:
“You just have to love your dog. If you do, they’ll give you the best of themselves. A dog needs trust. If you don’t trust them, you’ll never truly understand each other.”
At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what he meant, so I didn’t try to follow his advice. But over time, it became clear.
The moment we stopped drilling Asti and instead just started loving her—petting her, playing with her, feeding her, going on walks—she became a perfectly well-mannered, obedient dog.
So here’s my conclusion: If you want to sleep with your dog, go ahead. Do everything with love and understanding. Honestly, it’s the same approach as raising kids.
That said, Asti still has plenty of her own beds—three, in fact, spread throughout the apartment. The first one we bought is still her favorite, and it’s sturdy enough to last through all our moves.
Her Favorite Sleeping Spot ❤️
Wishing happy tails to all!