Where should Dachshunds sleep at night

Should Your Dachshund Sleep in Your Bed?

In 2018, the Canisius College in Buffalo, New York released a study stating that women sleep better when they share their bed with a canine companion (source).

With over 900 participants in the study, the results showed that dogs are less disrupt their owners sleep than a human partner or cat.

The response to the results of this study was overwhelming, with pet parents popping up all over to agree with the findings.

However, some trainers and doctors will argue against sleeping with your pooch.

There are a select few who think that letting your dog sleep in bed with you is a dominance issue and could lead to behavior problems.

The belief that your dog should not sleep in your bed with you is an outdated one.

But modern day animal behaviorists and veterinarians have debunked this myth. These old ideas were simply overstated and false.

Some doctors may recommend against letting your dog sleep in your bed with you because its unsanitary.

It seems as though the debate of whether or not your dog should sleep in your bed will always exist, despite what studies show.

The answer generally comes down to personal preference.

What say you, Dachshund parents? Should your Dachshund sleep in your bed? Lets discuss it!

Should Your Dachshund Sleep in Your Bed?

Dogs are family members, and many pet parents adore the idea of allowing their beloved pup sleep in the human bed.

The phenomenon often brings comfort to people a sense of security, if you will.

For example, I slept with my cat while growing up. I got used to having a warm, furry body next to me. Cuddling in bed with my Dachshunds brings back those comforting childhood feelings.

There are many reasons people may decide to let their Dachshund sleep in their bed.

Below we talk about some pros and cons of letting your Dachshund sleep in your bed.

The benefits of letting your dog sleep in your bed:

1. Staying warm and cozy during winter months: Dogs can be an incredible source of natural heat. This isnt the best for the summer (unless you keep your home extra cool), but your Dachshund can act as a mini heater during the winter.
2. Creating a sense of comfort: Sleeping with your Dachshund can create a sense of comfort and relaxation. People who suffer from anxiety or other ailments have reported that having their favorite pooch in bed allows them to calm down and get to sleep quicker.
3. Giving a sense of security: Although Dachshunds are small, many Doxie parents still feel more secure when sleeping in bed with them. Dachshunds are known to bark at the slightest noise so they can alert us unusual circumstances. Its like resting with your own personal security system.
4. Helping to keep a routine: Sleeping in bed with your Dachshund can help you keep a steady routine. Dogs often remind us when its time to go to bed and wake up. Dachshunds thrive on routine, and humans generally do, too. Allowing your dog to sleep in bed with you will help adhere to a necessary schedule.

Allowing your Dachshund in bed with you may actually be good for your dogs health too: Pets prefer to sleep in elevated spaces because it feels more secure. Plus, your dog may be comforted by your scent.

While there are many benefits to sleeping with your dog, there are some valid reasons not to also.

Reasons not to let your dog sleep in your bed:

1. It can potentially disrupt sleep: Although dogs dont disturb sleep like a human or cat might, there is still the possibility of disruption throughout the night. Dachshunds are small, but if they are moving around a lot and youre a light sleeper, it can mean you never fall into a deep, rejuvenating sleep. They also may decide they need to go potty in the middle of the night and wont go back to sleep unless you get up and let them out.
2. They may exacerbate allergies: If you (or your partner) are even mildly allergic to dogs, allowing your Dachshund to sleep in bed can potentially set off your allergies. Resting all night surrounded by fur and dander can simply make things worse for someone whos allergy-stricken.
3. There is less space for you: Dachshunds are small, but somehow they seem to take up a lot of room! They most often make themselves wider by curling up in a ball or sleeping sideways. If your space is already limited in bed, sleeping with your Dachshund can give you even less room.
4. Couples time can be disrupted: Having a Dachshund in the bedroom with you when its time for intimacy can put a damper on spontaneous activities.

Now lets talk about how you can make sleeping in bed with your Dachshund a healthier, more enjoyable experience.

Tips for Allowing Your Dachshund to Sleep in Bed With You

If your Dachshund regularly sleeps in bed with you, here are a few things you should consider:

Consider these tips if you want to allow your Dachshund in your bed.

• Wash your bed sheets at least once a week to remove pet hair, dander, dirt or anything else your pup may have picked up outside.
• Check your Dachshund for fleas and ticks on a routine basis so the pests arent brought into your bed.
• Give your Dachshund regular baths to ensure you have a clean, healthy pup sleeping with you each night. Dogs can track bacteria into bed if they have dirty paws, etc.
• Create a designated sleeping spot, like a side or corner of the bed, for your Dachshund to sleep on. This will help everyone get adequate sleep every night without disruption. Warning: Your Dachshund may want to make up their own mind about where they sleep despite your best efforts (they can be stubborn).
• Give them blankets to burrow under. Dachshunds like to burrow under the covers. If you want your pup in bed but not under the covers with you, add an extra blanket layer for your Doxie to bury themselves in. Just make sure they can easily get out from under the blanket if they want to.
• Have a plan for those periods of time you want some bedroom time to yourself. If you and your partner want to be intimate, give your Dachshund a treat toy, or bully stick, and put them in the other room (or in a dog crate so they cant decide to come knocking on your door).

Alternatives to Your Dachshund Sleeping in Your Bed

If you choose not to share your bed with your Dachshund, there are some things you can do to ensure they feel safe and comfortable at night.

If you decide you dont want your Dachshund to sleep in bed with you, there are some alternatives

1. Create a cozy spot in your bedroom for your Dachshund. This special space can include a pet bed, blankets or your dogs favorite sleeping arrangement.
2. Create a desirable spot outside of the bedroom. Offer a cozy kennel space for your Dachshund in another room. Crate training is super important for Doxies, and the kennel acts as a safe place for them to relax and unwind. A crate will also keep your Dachshund out of trouble, especially if they are a restless puppy!

Remember that its not always in everyones best interest for a dog to be in bed.

While you may want to sleep cuddled up with your Dachshund, if you have a partner or significant other, check with them first to make sure they are on board with it.

You have to make the right choice for all who sleep in the bed and your Dachshund!

Final Thoughts

Taking your Dachshund to bed with you at night is a beloved ritual practiced by pet parents everywhere.

A majority of Dachshund parents are away from their pups all day, so keeping them in bed at night allows for more precious time together.

Experts say that as long as you and your Dachshund are both healthy, sleeping in bed with them can be more beneficial than not.

So we say grab your precious furry friend and snuggle up knowing that its ultimately a good thing!

About the Author: Through her 17 years of owning and caring for Dachshunds, and almost 10 years researching and writing about them, JW has become a respected expert in the Dachshund community. Read more about her here.

When Will My Miniature Dachshund Sleep Through The Night?

Last Updated on February 19, 2022 by Sam

Your mini dachshund is at your feet all the time and still manages to snore through the night. You cant help but look forward to a good nights sleep in return for years of companionship, right? Not so fast. Sleep deprivation has been linked not only with increased tension and irritability, as well as an increase risk of cognitive decline later in life.

The when can puppies sleep through the night without peeing is a question that has been asked by many people. The answer to this question is that it depends on the age of the puppy, but most dogs will start sleeping through the night around 3 months old.

A 12-week old puppy will sleep for about 16 hours a day. The average adult dog sleeps for about 12 hours and 11 minutes. Reference: how long can a 12-week old puppy sleep at night.

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Sam is a lifelong dachshund owner and dog lover who has a passion for all things canine. He has had dachshunds as pets for over 20 years and has extensive knowledge on the breed. He has a special place in his heart for dachshunds and loves to share his knowledge with others. He loves taking his dogs on walks, playing fetch, and just spending time with them. Sam is very active in his local dachshund community and is always looking to meet new people who share his love for these special dogs. He is a true lover of the breed and would do anything for his fourlegged friends.

How Much Sleep Does Your Dachshund Need?

Many dachshund owners, and not just new ones, fret over how much their pet seems to sleep.

Their dog either keeps dozing off during the day, after a full nights sleep, or yawns while you are trying to interact with it.

This can be particularly baffling when considered along with the dachshunds reputation of being an energetic, lively animal.

Is this propensity to sleep for long hours a sign of laziness? Are there any indications of illness you can gather from your dogs sleep patterns?

Another common sleep-related query Is it wrong to get your pets used to sleeping in your bed?

What many owners dont realize is that the slumber needs of a dachshund are different from other human family members.

12-14 hours of sleep is normal for these pets, and they need sufficient rest to maintain their alertness and jovial temperament.

This can vary depending on age, activity levels and the individual dog too. Changes in sleeping patterns can foreshadow health issues, which we talk about later in this post.

And, no, theres absolutely nothing wrong in sharing your bed with your dachshund, as long as you keep some basic factors in mind.

Sleep duration

Dachshunds do tend to sleep a lot, with some owners even reporting nearly 70% of the day spent sleeping.

But this is not abnormal behavior in the general context of our canine friends.

On average, most dogs need at least 12 to 14 hours of sleep every day, unlike human beings who manage with 8 hours or less.

Part of the reason is their sleep pattern, which we will come to in a while, but part of it depends on the kind of lifestyle the particular dog leads.

Dogs have a natural instinct, inherited from their ancestors, to preserve energy.

This means that as soon as they notice the lack of any meaningful action around them read food, play or walk (along with hunting in the case of dachshunds) they get bored and go to sleep.

So, if your dachshund falls asleep at odd times, it is not because it is lazy, but because it just doesnt have enough interesting stuff to do.

If it has got work to keep it engaged, or someone or something to play with, it will not sleep as often.

Along with this, if a dog sleeps out of boredom for a good part of the day, it is likely to be sleepless and restive at night.

This translates to insufficient rest at night, leading to sleeping through the day, which becomes a set cycle after a while.

Effect of age

The amount of sleep needed also depends on age, with puppies and older dogs requiring about 18 hours of rest.

As dogs grow old, they begin to lose stamina, and need extra rest after any physical or mental exertion.

For puppies, it is very important to balance exercise and stimulation with plenty of rest if you want them to grow into happy, well-adjusted adult dachshunds.

A new puppy is likely to be restless with its unfamiliar surroundings and might not always lie down and sleep come night time. This needs patience from you.

Dachshund puppies are particularly sensitive, and need to be cuddled to sleep.

If you have seen two or more puppies sleeping together, you would have noticed how they like to sleep close together for comfort.

A newly adopted puppy might need you to sleep with it for a few days to get it accustomed to the new environment.

Take this opportunity to make a sleeping schedule for the pup too this will help it get used to your lifestyle.

Sleep pattern

You might be familiar with the concept of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This is considered the restorative part of our sleep cycle and is needed to wake up refreshed.

Humans, in general, spend 25% of their sleep in REM. This makes 8 hours of sleep sufficient for most of us. Dogs, on the other hand, spend only 10% in REM.

The shorter period of restful sleep means that they need to sleep longer 12 to 14 hours to get sufficient REM.

Sleeping positions

If you are a dachshund owner, you must already be familiar with the absolutely endearing sight of your pet lying flat on its back, paws up in the air, with no care in the world.

We suspect dachshunds know how comical they look when they lie down like this, and do it deliberately to make you love them even more.

Sleeping in this position is an indication of the dog being totally at ease as this is a vulnerable position for the dog to be in, exposing its stomach. It might even be a not-so-subtle invitation for a belly rub.

Apart from being a sign of comfort and confidence, sleeping on the back also helps the dog in cooling down, especially after a session of exercise.

You can use this position to check its low chassis for any rashes and its paws for wear and tear.

A dachshunds back is a very sensitive body part, and if your pet has had issues in this department, it would avoid going on its back on its own or you might have to gently discourage it from doing so.

Here are some other common sleeping positions and what you can infer from them:

Side sleeping

This also indicates a high degree of comfort and trust as the dog is exposed and not in a position to get up immediately when alerted.

Dachshunds can often be found sleeping beside you on their pillow like this, much like a human being.

Tummy curl

Dogs that are gentle and shy tend to opt for this position more often.

This tightly-wound up position, with the front paws tucked backward, prevents the dogs muscles from relaxing properly, keeping it from entering the REM sleep stage.

So, even if your dog spends long periods sleeping in this position, it might not be getting restful sleep.

Super pup

Seen in high-energy dogs, this position, with the four limbs stretched out, resembles a certain caped crusaders flying stance.

The position makes it easy for the dog to spring up and get moving, and so is more common for short naps during the day.

Curled up

This indicates that the animal is apprehensive about a new environment or people around it. Or it could just be that the dog wants to keep warm by preserving heat.

Back-to-back

If you have more than one dachshunds at your home, you will often find them sleeping with their backs touching a remnant of huddling together for protection and warmth in the wild.

Of course, they will want to try it out with their human companions too.

Sleep location

Beds

While dachshunds tend to fall asleep at any place they feel comfortable at, it helps to have one or two set locations inside your house where they know they are meant to sleep.

Dachshunds love sharing their human masters bed, and most owners are perfectly happy obliging them.

In fact, it is common to come across dachshund owners who wouldnt have it any other way.

Once you get used to having this lovable, and loving, creature beside you in bed, it is difficult letting go of the habit.

There is nothing inherently wrong with letting your dachshund into your bed.

You just might want to ensure that, given the amount of exploration it does through the day, it is wiped clean before it gets on to the bed.

Once it is there, be prepared for some antics though. It might want a short play time before it finally decides to retire, and you should humor it.

During the night, do not be shocked if it rotates around on the bed and wakes you with a kick.

And dont get too possessive of your duvet a dachshund doesnt always appreciate the size difference between itself and its human companion and will try to hog the duvet or blanket if it feels cozy under it.

Small dogs that were bred for hunting, like terriers and dachshunds, also show their heritage of flushing out animals from tunnels by burrowing into blankets.

This is a manifestation of their instinct to relax in a small and protected place, which keeps them warm and safe.

You also need to be careful about how you move at night yourself. These small creatures, especially when they are puppies, can easily get stuck under you.

Of course, dachshunds are very mindful of their comfort in this regard if they dont enjoy their sleep on your bed, they will find another avenue.

If you or your partner tend to snore at night, you will find that your dachshund moves towards your feet to sleep, or gets off the bed altogether.

Crates

Crate training is always useful for dachshunds, particularly if you are allergic to dog hair or just not too keen on sharing your bed for some reason.

A crate might feel too much like a cage to some dachshund lovers, but given the dogs size and its natural instinct to seek enclosed and cozy spaces, this is not a bad idea at all.

Crate training can be useful in other ways too:

-It is a safe place to leave the dog when you are not around to supervise it.

-Prevents accidental escape when you have workmen or guests in your home likely to leave doors and gates ajar.

-Necessary for safe transportation of the dog.

-Can simplify house training as dogs are naturally reluctant to soil the area where they sleep.

-Provides a safe refuge to the dog if it needs to calm down or deal with a fearful situation.

A plastic or wire cage that allows the dog to stand erect and turn around is ideal. Furnish it with a mat or blanket and a couple of chew toys.

Place it somewhere in your house where the dog can view your movement easily. At night, move the crate to your bedroom.

When to be concerned

If you notice any drastic change in the sleeping patterns of your dachshund, you should observe for any signs of illness and bring to a veterinarian doctor for evaluation.

Back problems can make the dachshund avoid lying on its back or curling up if it used to sleep commonly in either of these positions, but doesnt now, you should promptly get it checked.

An illness is more likely to make the dog sleepier than usual. Narcolepsy a disorder that affects a dogs ability to stay awake for extended periods of time is an inherited condition in dachshunds.

Episodes of narcolepsy tend to occur when there is positive stimulation like food or play.

Prior genetic testing can help reliably determine if your adopted dachshund is likely to suffer from this.

Other conditions that can cause sleepiness include:

-Hypothyroidism

-Diabetes

-Parovirus

-Distemper

-Kennel cough

-Heartworm

-Leptospirosis (There are vaccinations commonly available for this, but miniature dachshunds tend to develop allergic reactions to them, so your attempt at prevention should not result in other issues.)

-Heart disease

-Liver disease

Other factors like depression, old age, inactivity or poor quality food can also lead to sluggishness.

A healthy dachshund will sleep comfortably through the night, provided you have set the right habits, and will be interested in all activities during the day, even if it takes power naps during interludes.

The best way to ensure this is to engage your pet in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, keep it mentally stimulated and shower it with love.

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