My poor Lani isn't the Alpha dog and is forced to sleep under the bed!!!

[Joanie]

I have two furry children.  Roxie who is an almost two year old English Bulldog and Lani who is a five month old Australian Labradoodle.  My husband and I think Roxie is the Alpha dog.  I don't know if this has to do with the whole Alpha thing, but we think so.  We let our babies sleep with us.  Rox always sleeps in bed between my husband and I... and poor Lani ALWAYS falls asleep underneath the bed on the floor!!!  In the middle of the night when Rox is sleeping she will eventually come in bed but sleep at the foot of the bed.  One time, Rox was not in bed right away and Lan crawled into bed and laid between my husband and I.  When Rox came into bed Lan got up, kissed Roxie's face, Rox laid down between my husband and I, and Lan crawled back under the bed.  Is this because Roxie is the Alpha and Lani has to submit to what rules she lays down?

[Adina P]

I don't think the whole alpha thing is that black and white.  Ultimately you are in charge and should be able to decide who sleeps where--or who is permitted to sleep where.  But it might be that your lower ranking dog might defer to the older dog and if everyone is okay with that it seems fine to me.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I totally agree with Adina. Every word.  Don't worry about who sleeps where. Lani and Roxie aren't worried.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My doodles do not sleep with me but.....If Sasha is by me and I am giving her some lovin' Oliver immediately gets between us.  If I'm giving Ollie some lovin' Sasha just waits her turn.  Any time I do anything with Sasha, Oliver must be right there thinnking he is missing out on something.   With toys ... OMG... If I buy two of the exact same toy and give them each a toy at the same time, Ollie will drop his and try to take Sasha's away, of course I do not allow this to happen but every time my girl has something Ollie tries to take it away.  If he does get it away from her he walks about two steps away and drops it.  I do think he is trying to contorl her to some point or try to be alpha but he know that I am alpha dog !!! - LOL   They are the best of friends and are extremely close, its the toy thing that gets me.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

This sounds like our house!! Chloe just isn't into the drama that Myla puts out so she just likes to lay under the bed at first-she eventually comed on the bed. She will do this during our TV time only under the couch. I have no idea how she gets under there but she does!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

My Lucy would love to be able to sleep under our bed ... but she won't fit.  When they were puppies they loved being under anything that they would fit under.  As they grew, those things became fewer.  Now Lucy will stick her head under the bed and just lay there and whine because she can't get all the way under.  I agree with Adina though.  Seems like they are working it out between them who gets to sleep where and as long as it works for you, all is fine it appears.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Lucy can however fit under the bed in the guest room, and if I happen to leave that door open I will always find her all the way back in the corner under the bed. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Neither of our dogs sleep in bed with us, but Guinness, my little Dood, always sleeps under the bed.  I really think he likes it there.  He brings his toys under there with him, and he's away from his brother.  I think it's kind of like his "little den".

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper loves to sleep under the bed. She often gets too hot on the bed. This could be whats happening with Lani. 

I also have 3 cats - the 2 older ones sleep next to me, the younger one, who is very feisty and bossy chooses to sleep at the bottom of the bed, between my feet

I dont think its necessarily about whos alpha.

[Dori & Rua]

I belong to the single doodle group...so, I don't have an issue with who sleeps where.  I always sleep on the bed!  LOL  Rua mostly sleeps on the bed.  But, if something scares her, she'll go sleep under the bed and come up later.  Last night, we went to bed (I always shut my bedroom door so she doesn't roam) and when I went to climb into bed, I couldn't find her.  She was sitting in her crate.  The only time she is crated is Monday, Wednesday, Friday's during the day while we work.  She willing goes in the crate as soon as I grab her pink kong to put PB in it.  At lunch, I'll come home to let her out to go potty, and quickly eat something.  I'll realize she isn't around, and sure enough, she is in her crate waiting for her afternoon cookie treat.  It's like she's saying "Hurry up and leave momma, I just want my treat".

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

To me it is so comforting to know that they have a place that they feel safe.  For us it is the girls room.  Sort of like a big crate if you will!  They never have a problem going there if they know we are leaving.  Even Lucy willingly goes now when Sophie and I are going on Therapy visits.  It is just nice to know they feel like they are safe while we are gone.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

It could be partly that with two people and Roxie in the bed it's too warm for Lani so she prefers the floor.

She probably won't fit under the bed for much longer (unless it's a really high bed) - so she'll have to figure something else out!

Luna sleeps on a giant doggie bed right beside ours - big enough so she can stretch out, but we don't have to put up with her hogging half the bed!

[Laurie Young]

I agree with Adina, it seems that they are getting along fine and not fighting, I say let them do what they think is right. But as Adina stated in the end it is you and your husbands decision on who sleeps where.