Dog expert Kathy Diamond advises that owners only allow pooches who are full housebroken and well-behaved to sleep in human beds. Trying to tame an already unruly dog at bedtime is not going to work. If you pet is not housebroken or full-trained, they will be more likely to wake you up for a 4 a.m. walk.
It is also important to create an "off the bed" command for your pet. This is important for those times when you just don't feel like sharing the sheets with a four-legged friend. For my dog, it's a stern "Frankie, off" or "Frankie, down" coupled with a snap and point to the ground. No matter how much she may want to continue curling up on the bed, when that happens, she knows its time to hit the floor.
For those who own a cat, verbal communication is not going to work. Because cats spend most of the day lounging around, they are amped for attention and action by bedtime. To combat this, it is recommended that cat owners make an extra effort to stimulate their cat during the day and early evening, so it will be tired out at night.
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