# Should I tether Ava to my bed at night?



## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

THis is Ava's first night home. While I will be crate training her starting tomorrow, I want her to sleep on the floor beside my bed. My shih tzu's sleep IN bed with me but a GSD is too large down the road...Not a habit I want her to get into. So...my question is.....how can I get her to stay beside my bed right now. I read somewhere that you can tether them to your bed. Is this really a good idea? I dont want to crate her tonite as she's not experienced a crate yet. Any suggestions...I am sooo ready for bed.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would crate her right next to your bed, tethering may injure her and she may be more relaxed in a crate vs being on a line that would tangle.


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I would also start with the crate, you have to sooner or later, you won't get much sleep tonight!


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

My dogs have always slept in my bed when they want.

We never had Tanner as a puppy, but we did have Molly as a puppy, and she liked my parents bathroom :/

And we never crate trained either. Don't have anything against it, just never did it. Get her a little bed.=)


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## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

I would love for her to sleep in the bed with me. BUT with 2 dogs and a DH and me..there is just not enough room. Hmmm...maybe I should get DH a seperate bed. :wild:


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I tethered Rayden as a puppy. short leash, just enough room for him to turn himself around. we put the leg of the bed on the leash so that it wasn't tied and was short enough to not tangle. Our bedroom at the time didn't have space for a crate. Plus, he was tethered to me all day anyway, when he wasn't crated so he was used to it.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

I would just do the crate thing.In my experience they will chew the leash if they are bored or want to get away.When Athena got older I tethered her to the bed till I could trust her but not as a young pup which I assume she is.If you really need to sleep tonight you could send hubby to the couch..Good Luck.


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## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

I can deal with the howling and whining in the crate. The tether makes me nervous. I completely understand that I am not going to get much more than some cat naps off and on for the near future. We've only had her home for about 3 hours tops tonite. She's not crate trained, leash trained or ever had a collar on. She's only 7 weeks. I think I will try the crate, however, the shih tzu's will probably not leave her alone at all. 

Thanks all!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

we never had a problem with chewing. but then again I'm a very light sleeper. we just used a cheap nylon leash. 
You can always try it for the night and see how it goes.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

Do you have anything with her litter smell on it or where ever she came from? If so that will help a little in the crate.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Definately crate her at this age, I put my fingers in Karlos crate when he whined and he settled right down after he nuzzled them for a minute. A collar and tether will cause more problem than the crate, IMO. You'll have to take her out every couple hours tonight anyway...
I agree with Allie, I brough home some puppysmell crate pads from Karlo's breeder for the first couple nights. Otherwise something you wore today with your scent or pillowcase may help(not sure I'd want my stuff chewed though!)


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

I agree with the crate. We didn't have anything with puppy smell or litter mate smell on it but we used a little ticking clock. I'm told it reminds the puppy of it's mom and litter mates. I'd also think of blocking off the crate so the other household dogs can't go and bother the puppy all the time.


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## Kamahi (Feb 27, 2010)

I wouldn't tether the puppy at this age, too dangerous.IMO.
What I did with Tosca was put on a CD; DogGone Songs: Traveling Tunes for You and Your Pet.(Sometimes I just turn on the radio and that works too!)
I didn't get much sleep those first couple of nights, but I think the music helped a lot. That, and I'm using a wire crate that I covered with towels so it would be more "den-like." I gave her a couple safe chew toys that I knew she couldn't swallow, and she just chews away and then falls right asleep.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I'd also just have her crated beside my bed for the next few months (year?) and then replace the crate with a dog bed.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I would at least get a blanket that smells like her mom, and siblings. And then if you don't want her to sleep with you, such as when she is bigger and older, get a blanket that smells like you and put it in a bed or crate.


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## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I tried the crate, she went looney toons on me. I ended up taking her out of it (once she quieted to catch her breath.....not while she was whining/crying). DH said he didnt care if she slept in the bed. WOOOHOOO...I knew I could break him down. :happyboogie: 
She slept on my pillow above my head all night. She got up once to go outside and then when right back on my pillow and went to sleep. I woke up and she was cuddle right along the side of my body snuggled real close and both shih tzu's by my legs. DH was on his 1/8 of the bed. LOL. This is the life!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

glad that your night went well. 

When I made the decision to tether, it was because there was no way possible to put a crate in the bedroom. He would have had to be down the hall past the kitchen - old house, so not a lot of extra space. The whole LR and 2 bedrooms were smaller than my Living room and kitchen here. So we saved the crate for when I couldn't watch him.


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

:wub:Sounds like you had a great first night!!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

AvaLaRue said:


> Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I tried the crate, she went looney toons on me. I ended up taking her out of it (once she quieted to catch her breath.....not while she was whining/crying). DH said he didnt care if she slept in the bed. WOOOHOOO...I knew I could break him down. :happyboogie:
> She slept on my pillow above my head all night. She got up once to go outside and then when right back on my pillow and went to sleep. I woke up and she was cuddle right along the side of my body snuggled real close and both shih tzu's by my legs. DH was on his 1/8 of the bed. LOL. This is the life!!


Glad that worked out for you at night... but hope you still generally use the crate to train. So much better for the pup and you.

When you used the crate last night and she was hysterical......... did you have it up on a chair/table beside your bed? Or even beside your bed at all? I know I have to do that or my pups also scream for me.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Yeah, DH and I sleep in the bed with two GSDs. . . it's not that bad. Often one or both of them will get uncomfortable and decide to sleep on the dog bed instead.


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## AvaLaRue (Apr 4, 2010)

I dont know how to put what some people say in quotes...sorry. 

but...MaggieRoseLee.....Yes the crate was on the floor right beside my bed and i laid on the edge of the bed with my hand dangling so I could reach my fingers into the crate for her to smell and bite (ouch). 

I am working on crate training today. I have had her in the crate off and on for about 3-5 min. periods 3 times today already. She is having a fit but I won't take her out unless she quiets down. She has some toys in there and I make sure she goes out and does her business before I put her in there.


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