Forum Discussion

Seon's avatar
Seon
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2021

Dog's Sleeping Quarters

We have a 4# Pom and a fat 8# Chihuahua. Although we place their beds in the main cabin, they prefer to sleep on the floor besides our Island bed. It makes it difficult to have to tip toe over them during the night to go to the bathroom. So today I decided to cut access holes and place their beds underneath our bed. We'll be camping in the near future and hopefully they'll enjoy their new sleeping quarters.





BTW, It was with great difficulty lifting the mattress to gain access under the bed so I installed a 12v power lift actuator. Now with a flip of a switch it raises or lower the mattress.

  • don't count on it. dogs are creatures of habit. Maggie the Wonder Beagle usually sleeps under the part of the bed that extends past the platform she sometimes will sleep right next to my side of the bed. when that happens a slight nudge on her bottom with my foot gets her to move.
  • I tried something similar for our Cavalier. He didn't like it because he couldn't see us. After standing on his hind legs, whimpering for 20 minutes, he ended up on our bed. Slept like a baby then.
  • Don't believe it will work. They will feel too separated from the pack. A cat would like it.
  • Dogs will learn to sleep where you want them to sleep if you are consistent in training them to sleep in that location. Old dogs can and do learn new tricks.

    We have a dog bed in an unused fireplace in our house which is the preferred sleeping location for many of our dogs. Nell sleeps under the dinette in our trailer. We had a greyhound when we had our first trailer; that trailer had a jackknife couch which was the greyhound’s bed. Our second trailer didn’t have a couch and we taught the greyhound under the dinette was his bed so he was out of the way at night.
  • Nice work. If the dogs don't like it, at least you have better access to the storage area.

    You might take the dogs to hang out in the camper for a few hours here and there before the trip. Put their beds in the cubby and give them a treat in there. It could help them get accustomed to it before your trip.