My two were crate trained until they could last the night without needing the toilet and didnt think wires and books were for chewing anymore!! Now they curl up at the foot of the bed each night. However when they stay at my friends overnight she crates them and they have no problem with doing both.
I have a blanket covered both for them to use as a step which works finr for going up, however if they hear a noise they will both leap straight off the bed onto the hardwood floor!! If they get arthritis when old they've only got themselves to blame!!LOL

i'm not the best to ask since i would rather sleep on the floor of my living room than crate my chi at night! LOL since this is what i did for two weeks til my boyfriend let me have him in the bed. Jax is smart though and i am always conscious of him even when sleeping. he has his spot and i mine. good luck with what you decide!!

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**In loving memory of my beloved Georgia, I LOVE you!"**


Jax http://www.dogster.com/dogs/957332

In response to your question about the doggy steps...

I have a huge cal-king bed that's almost up to my waist, some nights I could use a step to get up on it, LOL. So I was really worried about putting Cha Chi up there when he was a pup. He was crate trained, but I really wanted a cuddle bug on nights when my husband was out of town.

I had trouble finding stairs high enough so I had a set custom made out of high density foam. I have them at the end of the bed, put sideways, so they take up less room, and makes them safer for the dog to climb. They'd never work for a heavier dog, but Chach goes up and down them with ease.

Good luck with the new pup!

This is what I would do with a new puppy and what we did with Jago.
Rosie was an adult when we bought her, so slept in her box at the side of the bed for a couple of weeks until settled, but they both now sleep on the bed. They rarely stir and we love them there!

There is just about room for one more if we find the right Chihuahua at some point to be our third bed puppy

Our chi sleeps in her crate in the kitchen and is not allowed in our bedroom. Letting a dog sleep on the bed with you can create dominance issues. I've heard Victoria Stillwell ( UK dog trainer ) talking about this on TV and it makes sense. My Mother used to have a jack russell ( she died about 5 yrs ago ) and she allowed the dog to sleep on the bed. The dog developed a really unpleasant barky, bitey (she bit me, twice ) personality and I'm convinced she thought that she was top dog in that house !
I wouldn't let any dog sleep in my bedroom.

I think letting a dog sleep on the bed may exacerbate existing dominance issues, rather than cause them. My dogs have always slept on the bed or in bedroom and we have never had a problem.

Ultimately it's all about what is best for dog and owner. Personally I would hate to have the dogs downstairs, when they could be tucked up under a blankie on our bed.
I usually read before putting the light out and they both get on my knee (in bed) for a cuddle, before settling down for the night