One of the hardest things to get used to after Melvin died was his absence in the bed night. He was always there, every night. Some nights, he took up the whole bed, and for a dog that was not loved in his previous life, that was how it was meant to be. Him living like a king. Jake was always uneasy sleeping in the big bed for the full night. He’d snuggle for a while but he’d eventually want to get down and sleep in his bed. I think it was lack of control of being able to get down from the bed. He was just always uneasy up there for more than an hour or so, even when Melvin was alive.
When I first got Doug, I let him into the big bed at night. It was pure torture. I honestly thought about lending him out to the military to use a tool to get enemies to talk. It took him a full 20 minutes to stop bouncing around the bed and off of my face and body and when he finally did lay down, it was a constant state of temporary. If I took a deep breath or moved an inch, he took it as an invite to play. He did this all night long. If I rolled over, he’d jump on my back in a lets-get-ready-to-rumble way.
Enter his ‘condo’. On night two or three, I dragged out one of the soft crates I had and Doug went right in and slept for ten hours. Ok, so that was a huge blessing and a note-to-self that he was obviously crate trained. Good to know. So he has been sleeping in Big Red at night since then.
Recently, during the shocking realization that Doug snuggles now, I thought I’d try in him in the big bed again. He was still pretty bouncy at first but he quickly calmed down, took a position on the bed and went to sleep. I was shocked. I moved and coughed and rolled over and he just kept sleeping. The only minor issue is that his chosen position on the bed IS LAYING ACROSS MY PILLOW. And it has to be on the pillow I’m on. If I move to another pillow, he moves with me. Doug is small in comparison to Melvin but he is not small in comparison to pillows. Here and there I let him sleep with me but it’s not the best night sleep when you are wearing your dog as a helmet.
Isn’t this awesome, Mom, its like I’m your pillow. You’re welcome for that. 
The net net of this post is that as we are working on Doug sleeping in the big bed, I hate looking at the giant red crate in the room. It’s all part of my decorating illness brain, I need things to be visually pleasing and in their place. I know it’s a little cray but there are worse obsessions to have!
So this weekend I dragged out Jake’s teepee to see if Doug would entertain sleeping in it. I left Big Red just in case it didn’t work out. But much like Jake, Doug likes caves and cozy spaces. He took right to it and slept all night. I’ll trial it out one or two more nights and then move the teepee over to where the crate is and all will be glorious in my visual field again! Win, win!
There is a cover on his bed because if there is not a cover on his bed, he tries to eat his bed. Apparently the cover is not as delicious. 
How funny! I had a dog that would sleep on my pillow when it thundered. She has passed on, but she was a delight.
Awwwww, I love that. I love Doug and even sleeping towards my head is fine, I just don’t want ALL his parts on my head ALL night long.
I can understand that. LOL
He is too funny!
I agree!
SO nice to hear that Doug is able to relax – even if on your pillow, all parts of him – what a state of tension he must have been in till he realized that This is Home and I Can Sleep! The teepee sounds like a great solution for your decorating neurosis. 🙂
I know, I feel like he is such a spaz from running stray (and from being young) but I’m so happy he knows he’s home!
About two months into Swyatt living with us, I started letting him sleep on the bed. Not sure what it is about the bed (though I swear it has magical powers that sucks my energy out too lol) but he can be bouncing off the walls and I say bed time, he hops up and passes out until the next morning. But my full size bed is somehow not big enough to accommodate my two labs and myself. Mostly because the boy insist on being next to/touching me through the entire night. If I shift my legs, Swy has to stretch or move over so he can be leaning on me. Sophie just lays right next to my head and slowly stretches as the night goes on. I usually find myself blanket less and clinging to the side at some point in the night. But they look so cute and comfy on the bed, I just grumble and move them and go back to bed LOL.
Melvin had to be touching me also and I think from the waste down you get used to it. Doug’s legs tangled in my hair is not my choice of bonding! Hahahahaha.
Oh dear lord, He gets cuter ever day. I love that he sleeps on your pillow. I have one like that, but he does let me have most of it. Smooches to Doug and hugs to you.
I know, he’s a love bug. We just have to make him realize the WHOLE bed is comfy, not just my pillow.
We are still working on getting our youngest, now 4 years old, to stop bouncing on everyone in bed. She is marginally better until she thinks you might be awake then it’s tail wags and wiggles until you really are awake. She’ll also check in at 2-3a.m. to see if maybe just maybe you’d like to fix her some breakfast then
Yes! This exactly!
I share a king size bed with 3 cats and 4 dogs every night. 3 of the dogs are big! If it’s stormy, a few more pile on.
Most of the time I wake up either clinging to the edge with no covers or twisted like a pretzel. *sigh*
That sounds glorious! Melvin was the same way, I’d wake up holding on for dear life. Doug just needs to move off the pillow, I can deal with sharing the bed!
So funny and so cute! Why is that they have to lie on your head like that? Bundy does it in Winter and it is ok for a little while but then he starts snoring and I end up with a sore neck. I love the snuggles though so I put it with it for the most part and eventually he moves further down the bed. Our room isn’t big enough for a crate or a teepee 🙁
If Doug would move down on the bed, I’d be so happy. His legs end up tangled in my hair and it’s not enjoyable. hahahahahaha.
I often wake up to the other end as well and occasionally a foot close to my mouth when he sleeps like a dead bug 🙂
It’s funny how we figure things out, isn’t it? Every dog is a little puzzle and we have to decipher their language before we can figure them out.
When Harlow was a puppy we had such a miserable time house training her that I brought her on the bed and tied her to my ankle with a leash. That way when she jumped off to piddle she brought me with. Now she sleeps on the bed, and she waits all night for signs that one of us may be waking up. LOL – we’ve gotten used to it and her “2AM Harlow of Happiness Wake-up Calls”.
Monty, Harlow, and Ramble
How Sam Sees It
You are genius! And your 2am wake-up calls remind me of Jakey and his meatballs. So much love!
My little girl Zari sleeps on my head too! Thankfully she only does it after my husband leaves for work at 6am but her skinny little legs get all tangled up. She’s only 11 pounds but she can cover the pillow and me. We adopted her less than a year ago and there is such pleasure in having her “home”. I almost love it.
Awwww, I love that name! Pillow sleepers unite!