London, my 1 year old Bernese Mountain dog just refuses to sleep in his own bed. He prefers to sleep in a cold hard floor, in front of the fridge door, in the middle of the room, over my shoes, under the table or even next to his own bed but not on it ;) He's bed is made from a normal single matress that I have cutted in half and its quite confortable for his size, but he just seens not to get the idea that sleeping on it is a good thing, expecially because he is a very large dog and he should get his joints to rest. Is there a way to train a dog to use its own bed? Any sugestions? Cheers!

Ah! I have tried giving him treats on his bed and everything, but he just eats it and than leave to the hard floor again. He knows where his bed is, and he knows that I want him to use it but he goes only for a few seconds than leave.

Leave him to it as he is obviously comfortable where he is finding his place to sleep :-)

I have two dogs - one sleeps in his bed all night, every night. The other sleeps in lots of different places, always on a floor whether wood, carpet or tile, but particularly when it is hot she prefers a cold, hard floor :) It is rare that she actually sleeps in her own 'comfortable' bed :) :)

Daisy

It could well be temperature that governs his choices.  Some dog beds can get a bit sweaty for hairy dogs.  Alternatively he might just prefer to be flatter.

You could try a memory foam bed for maximum comfort, with minimum height, BUT if it's a temperature choice you might find he won't use a bed whatever you do to it!

Do you go to training classes?  It's part of one of the Good Citizen tests to be able to send a dog to bed (or a mat/blanket etc) so getting him there isn't too hard.  Making him wait there a while is not difficult either but, as you say, getting him to sleep there may be another matter.  If it doesn't bother him and he's not doing himself any harm then I'd just leave him be.  The only time I'd be concerned is when cooking or working in the kitchen.  I often send my boys out of the room for their own safety (and mine).  They usually camp in the doorway til I've finished :)

none of my bernese have their own bed, they prefer to stretch out on a nice cool tiled floor! Bernese feel the heat, and mine hate it when the heating comes on in the winter! My dogs have their favourite places to sleep which in a way is classed as the 'bed' but it is just a clear space in the cool.

I wouldn't worry the only dog I have had that sleeps in her bed is my pom x . My others have all had beds that they use  when told to go to bed (they olny stay for a while) otherwise they lay where they like. i wouldn't worry

I would imagine he is too warm in a bed, they are big with a full coat so expect the cool floor is nicer for him.  My sister has a Ro Ridgeback and he is the opposite, when he is downstairs he lies against a radiator and at night has a blanket which he wont settle until you cover him completely with!

As other have said it's probably the nice cool floor he's after - if you want him to have some protection for joints etc, you can get cool/water bed type things which will offer more padding but he might be happier with the temperature :-)

He's probably just too warm on a bed.  My Newfie has several dog beds throughout the house but mostly sleeps on the wooden floors...often just next to one of her beds.  Even when she lies outside on the patio (in all weathers), she ignores the outdoor beds we have in favour of lying on the flagstones.

She even has a water filled cool bed but still generally prefers the floor.

My Chow X Rottie, on the other hand, always sleeps on a bed (or a sofa) but he has severe arthritis so I think he's more comfortable if his joints are supported.

probably prefers the cool floor just like newfies , all mine sleep on the quarry tiles or outside given the chance they wont use beds one even sleeps in the bath (the old cast iron type)
i wouldnt worry just leave him where he is most comfortable

I would give up, leave the bed down should he choose to sleep in it. None of mine like their beds really, occasionally sleeping on a duvet or vet bedding placed down.  Both mine prefer the tiled floor and i have started turning off radiators in some rooms as they don't like the heat.
Like one of the others with Newf's has said, they love laying out in all weathers on the ground outside.
My eldest wind bathes and earlier this year snow bathed..

Like all the other posters I agree it is probably because the floor is cooler, our GR tends to sleep in her bed during the winter when its colder but on the laminate flooring during the summer.

I agree, your dog is just like my Newfies i gave up on beds long ago, no matter what i gave them they will sleep where they deem to be the most comaftable and coolest, i do have beds for them here but not a chance of using them.

Peanuts

both my bernese's havent slept in a bed and they just love the cold floors, i remember when we got our girl we were like first time parents we brought everything doggy we could, kennel for the garden, expensive beds, chemical poo bin, well the kennel never got used neither did the beds and the poo bin well need i say more LOL
we certainly didnt make the same mistake twice.

I had the same problem with my "Gas Bucket" he was not interested in sleeping in his own basket.
I solved the problem by letting him sleep on the bed with me, and the wife sleeping in the dogs basket.  After a couple of weeks he could not stand me hogging all the bed clothes,  as well as my loud snorring, he could not get back to his own basket quick enough.
But now I have another problem, the wife won't get out of the dogs basket.

Harry C