My dog sleeps in our bed (Cal King) with us each night and he been sleeping with us since he was about 1 year old. He will be 3 in December. The first year we crate trained and kept him in there at night. He won't sleep anywhere else at night, and we are as attached as he is. LO will be next to my side of the bed in a cradle.
Noelle, our 8 year old black lab, sleeps downstairs on her bed. She is actually not allowed on our second floor at all (which is where our bedroom, baby's room, and our guest room are located). This has been the rule since we moved into the house over a year ago, and prior to that she was not allowed in our bedroom at our apartment. Back in my single years, she briefly slept in my bed with me when I first got her, but she sheds more than any other dog I have ever known, so that ended pretty quickly. That's also why we only let her on the first floor of the house now, to keep the constant clean-up of fur contained to one location.
I love this idea about the toddler mattress as a bed for larger dogs! My black lab sheds like crazy, throws up on her bed, gets stinky in general haha. I feel like I am constantly trying to wash her bed cover, air out her bed, etc... I have spent a bunch on expensive beds. I am definitely going to get her an inexpensive toddler mattress, with a waterproof cover, and a couple sheets. Luckily she doesn't chew or claw her beds, but even if she did, it's still less money to replace than the beds I have been buying her. What a great solution. You are a genius!
Re: Where do your pets sleep?
My dog sleeps in our bed (Cal King) with us each night and he been sleeping with us since he was about 1 year old. He will be 3 in December. The first year we crate trained and kept him in there at night. He won't sleep anywhere else at night, and we are as attached as he is. LO will be next to my side of the bed in a cradle.