Is there any reason why I shouldn't let Orwell sleep with me in my bed?

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Is there some sort of behavioral consequence that I'm not aware of that will result from him sleeping with me? My intuition says there isn't and it's just like a pack sleeping together and he will still regard me as alpha (which I would like to maintain because as my trainer puts it, "He'll always run for higher office," like her miniature poodle). I just want to make sure that this is okay and I'm not missing something.

The reason I ask is because the past two nights I've been transitioning him to sleep in my room from the laundry room. The first night was not fun-- not terrible, but could have been way better. He got up every hour to say hi to my guinea pig and whined a bit. Last night after he couldn't settle down on his own as quick as I would have liked him too (I was tired from the previous night, lol), I invited him on the bed. He wasn't sure why, so I had to wrestle with him a bit to get him to lay down and after that something clicked for him and finally knew that I was trying to sleep, so he should sleep too. I didn't invite him the first night because I knew he liked to sleep on the tile floor in the laundry room (he wouldn't use his bed). And my yellow lab, Bonny, preferred to sleep in her bed beside my bed, so I haven't dealt with this before. 

I don't mind him being on my bed, because I surround myself with pillows to help me feel more surrounded and secure in my bed anyway. He was a great sleeping partner last night except for when my fish had a short midnight squabble (they don't normally do this, but of all the nights...) in their tank and he barked and growled feeling the need to protect me, lol. He never left the bed, but kept close watch in the dark for about an hour before he decided that it was completely safe again and went back to sleep. I figure it will just take him time to get used to the new sounds. He's been in my room multiple times before, but he's more aware of things now and it doesn't help that he is super tall. 

Anyway... just wanted to make sure that I didn't do something that I might regret later.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My doGas sleep with me although sometimes they come and go in the bedroom. I have never regretted it.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Libby slept in her crate for the first eighteen months. Loved it and had no problems being in it. Then one night I felt bad for her because she had a bad day and I put her in bed with us. THAT WAS IT! We all loved it and she has been in bed with us since. Now there are times when we feel like we are the odd man out when she takes up a lot of room, but we end up adjusting to "our" space and everything works out. We have never regretted it and I'm sure Libby hasn't either:)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Two of my last three dogs didn't want to sleep in my bed until they got old. My last dog didn't even want to sleep in my room until she got old. I prefer them to sleep with me but don't insist. All of my dogs had access to my bedroom and my bed from the time they were reliably housebroken. 

With very dominant dogs, the kind who need to strictly follow a "Nothing In Life Is Free" program, sleeping in your bed with you is discouraged. It's seen as a very high value privilege that needs to be earned. There are lots of different schools of thought on this.  Let's just say that if the dog growls when your husband tries to get into bed, the dog shouldn't be sleeping there. :) There are lots of different schools of thought on this. 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I wouldn't say that Orwell is very dominant. The only thing he does really is see if he can sneak a towel or a tissue without someone looking... typical naughty things that every dog does once in a while. And Orwell loves my fiancee. The only problem is that when we cuddle without him he gets jealous and wants in on the cuddles, lol. He doesn't get aggressive about it at all. 

[Carol and Banjo]

I think it really depends on your dog's basic temperament.   If you have any feelings that he has dominant tendencies, I think it may be problematic in the long run.   If he's more laid back and easy going, I wouldn't hesitate to allow him in bed.   I remember trying to "lure" Banjo into our bed with bits of cheese....lol....he preferred to floor, his bed or the comfy chair at our bedside.      Go with your gut.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I had to really work to get Orwell on the bed too. But after that, he liked it and understood what we were doing. I honestly think that Orwell is a lot less dominant and more easy going than my trainer ever gave him credit for. He was just restless when we were at puppy classes because he didn't really understand what we were doing there and he wanted to say hi to the other dogs, but he was too big for them.

He will do anything for me and with me as long as I'm there. He has one of the best temperaments I've seen on a dog, but I guess my trainer scared me a little. 

[Carol and Banjo]

Banjo was a nut a puppy class too....lol....a little social butterfly.    Orwell is adorable btw.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Thank you. (:

That's Orwell as well. :P He thinks that he can make friends with every living thing if he tries hard enough. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Charlie was crate-trained when he arrived at 8 weeks.  The first night he slept in his crate which I had put right down by my side of the bed.  Next day he was out of his crate all day and following wherever I went.  While I worked he slept under my desk with his head on my foot.  Second night, I put him in his crate to sleep, within an hour he was crying!  I took him out to go potty, then back in crate and again he wined.  I couldn't stand it - I opened door and picked him and put him just above my pillow and he crashed until 7 a.m. the next day.  Long story short - 4 years later, he is still sleeping on the bed!  He has his spot and seldom moves until I get up in a.m. Beau is on the bed initially, but within 15 minutes is sleeping either on the tile, or his favorite memory foam bed!  I say go with whatever is good for you and him. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

As others have said it really depends on the dog's temperament and your personal preference.  Guinness always preferred to sleep under the bed.  When Murph was a puppy I would let him sleep with me until my husband came up to bed....until one night he growled and snapped at him.  He was developing some dominant tendencies and decided I was a resource that he should guard, and that's when he went on the "nothing in life is free program" and he has not been back in the bed since.  Once in a while if I lie on my bed during the day to watch TV I'll invite them both up for some cuddles....but never to sleep.

[Rhoda and Asta]

I started Asta sleeping in my bed on the very first night and never regretted it. The first couple of nights I took 15-20 min for him to settle down.  I bring one of his blankets and a few toys/chewy things and he settles down immediately. Now that he is potty trained,  I leave the bedroom door open so he can get water if he get thirsty.  

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Both Wally and Charlotte are allowed on our bed during the day and at night until lights out. When it's time for them to vacate the bed, we say, "Go to Wally's bed" and "Go to Charlotte's bed" and they both jump off and onto their own beds on the floor in our bedroom. They take up way too much room for the four of us all to sleep together comfortably. 

If you want Orwell to sleep in your bed at night and he's happy doing so, then it sounds like a good plan to me. Is this okay with your fiancee?