Now that she is a big, slobbery, and often gassy adult boxer dog (she is 4 now) my husband thanks me all the time for not allowing her in bed. She never even tries – she KNOWS it is off limits. Teaching an old dog new tricks is very hard… Puppies are cuddly and young dogs can be great bed companions. But human beds are for humans and I totally agree that letting a furry, slobbery, and now incontinent dog in bed sounds like a nightmare.

As for ways to keep him out, I think a baby gate will be fine. We have a baby gate at the top of our stairs and our cat can clear it without an issue. You could also put a cat door on your bedroom door. I am assuming you have one of the typical 6-panel white doors that are pretty inexpensive at Lowes or HD. You could put in the cat door and then whenever you move you could just replace the whole door. Or you could get a doggy gate with a built in cat door.

I know many people here will chastise you for your attempts to get the bed doggie-free. But know that there are some of us who love our dogs but don’t EVER EVER EVER want them sharing a pillow with us. Ick.

Now that she is a big, slobbery, and often gassy adult boxer dog (she is 4 now) my husband thanks me all the time for not allowing her in bed. She never even tries – she KNOWS it is off limits. Teaching an old dog new tricks is very hard… Puppies are cuddly and young dogs can be great bed companions. But human beds are for humans and I totally agree that letting a furry, slobbery, and now incontinent dog in bed sounds like a nightmare.

As for ways to keep him out, I think a baby gate will be fine. We have a baby gate at the top of our stairs and our cat can clear it without an issue. You could also put a cat door on your bedroom door. I am assuming you have one of the typical 6-panel white doors that are pretty inexpensive at Lowes or HD. You could put in the cat door and then whenever you move you could just replace the whole door. Or you could get a doggy gate with a built in cat door.

I know many people here will chastise you for your attempts to get the bed doggie-free. But know that there are some of us who love our dogs but don’t EVER EVER EVER want them sharing a pillow with us. Ick.

Where there is a will, there is a way. My lil ball of devotion had used all of her determination and strength to follow me (at just a 6lb little thing at the time) and was teetered precariously on the top of the gate – stuck – but still determined to make it to the other side.

She also acts helpless in front of me in regards to the bed “help me get up there” but finds her way up just fine when I am not around…