Animals in the bedroom

Nope, they get shooed out. It's too awkward.

My dog always got put out in the backyard or put behind the doggie gate in the kitchen. It was just too creepy otherwise. Now, I have before had my finches in the bedroom with me. That was weird. It'd be the dead of the night but they'd hear us and start their chirping and singing thinking it was time to wake up.

No way.

My cat has come into the room and jumped on the bed afterwards, but never during. She's very afraid of loud noises or sudden movements, so that probably keeps her away lol

No, I'll tell my dog to go over to my son's room.

Yep - sure do. Don't want to kick the bedroom bunny out as he thinks its his room and I don't want the dogs barking at him if we kick him out.

Thing is - he will oftentimes jump up on the bed and lay beside me when we're done (or almost done).

Its the bunnies in cages that get to me - I swear I've gotta get my holland lop buck a stuffy. He stands on his hind legs and watches us and then thumps sometimes (that is one way they communicate their interest in breeding).

For me it usually depends on what my partner at the time thinks of it. I've had one boyfriend who didn't like the dogs to be in the room and a couple of boyfriends who didn't care. I prefer to let the dogs go where they want because if I shut them out they bark, whine, and scratch at the door and it's really distracting to me.

Two of the three are always in the room, they stay on the floor until we're done. Then the Min Pin has to get up and make sure we are all right. lol

no. when we had cats in the house, we would keep them out of the bedroom. They would sit at the closed door and stick their paws under the door trying to get in. It was funny.

I tried shooing my cat out. He bangs on the door and meows to get back in, which is sort of distracting. (It tends to take a while for his little kitty brain to get the message that I am not opening the damn door and no, your little kitty paws cannot open it either.)

I've tried just letting him wander around, and he tends to either step on me or just generally be all weird and awkward.

(If my boyfriend is at my place, my cat is under the bed and not coming out for anything less than the Apocalypse. Maybe not even then. He tends to hide the second anyone who doesn't live here shows up. A couple of times he's grabbed at my ankle or my boyfriend's feet, but otherwise, you wouldn't know he existed.)

I usually just wait till my dog isn't in my room; if I kick her out she really, really wants to get in and will sit outside sniffing under my door. If she's already in another room she doesn't care.

When I had my cats I let them stay in the room. They never jumped on the bed or anything and lets just say its not like I really noticed them in the room. They were just kind of there so I did not want to take the time to get up and shoo them from the room.... especially since the one cat would scratch at the door if you locked him out.

I would as long as they aren't disturbing the fun! If they do, then they will get the boot out the door.

No thank you! We have had dogs (and other animals) for more than 20 years. We use Pack Hierarchy Training System (similar to what Cesar Milan uses) with our dogs.

I know this post sounds weird, but this is how your dog thinks! Dogs are NOT humans and they do not "think" like humans do. They think like dogs. Which means they are happier when they are treated as if they live IN a strong, well run, happy Pack.

I feel very strongly about this, as I know so many people whose dogs are out of control, and don't feel comfortable in their "Pack" for no other reason than dogs NEED an Alpha and when one isn't clear the entire pack becomes confused, makes a lot of noise, cries a lot, engages in destruction of property, bothers guests, steals food, and disrespects and may even become aggressive towards who SHOULD be the Alpha pair, their Young (ie, your kids) and the Alpha pair's guests.

In a wolf pack (which is what your family is, if you have dogs. And, it's something similar if you have cats.) the Alpha Pair are the highest on the Hierarchy. They are allowed to mate and certainly don't mate with other members of the pack in the area.

I actually think it's not well thought out to let our animals in the room when we have sex. They have instincts and good sense of smell, including detecting pheromones. They know what you are doing and I think it's kind of inappropriate to allow them to witness your "mating" as well as the fact that this type of permissive activity loosens Pack Hierarchy and can undermine your role as Alpha. And someone has to be Alpha, if you and your partner aren't acting as the Alpha, the animal may try to take the role on for her or himself, and that is when really bad dog (and cat) behavior starts to happen.

Some younger dogs may not understand what "mating" is and actually think his "Alpha Pair" are being harmfully aggressive with each other, and this scares him and can unhinge a younger or more naive dog.

The way it works in our house, the dogs each have their own little "bedroom" (a crate which they LOVE as dogs, as well as cats are denning animals) and they go in the crate when we have sex. This is to keep them safe and to protect the integrity of the Pack.

It may sound weird but this IS how your dog thinks (and your cat, to a slightly lesser degree) If the Alpha isn't taking care of the Pack, by making sure the roles are being carried out, poor behavior in the confused animal results. Confused animals can result in their becoming depressed, clingy, developing Separation Anxiety (the kind of dog who destroys the house or room they are in when you are out or at work) persistent barking, door scratching, and even aggression towards other members of the Pack. And usually either Guests or the Young are targeted first for aggression, followed by attempts to "de-thrown" who should be the Alpha---- YOU!

We have incredibly well behaved, happy animals. People compliment us all the time. (As if well behaved, happy dogs are an unusual thing? They shouldn't be. Not of they feel safe by knowing where they fit in the Pack.) Our "Pack" works.

And part of this way of living with strong, powerful, possibly aggressive animals is to be the Leader so the animal feels safe secure and knows his role in the Pack. Dogs who know their role as subordinates in the pack are happier dogs, they have fewer "potty" accidents, they NEVER scratch on doors or bark when they are crated, they respect your guests and never jump, lick or get in people's faces or scare them and the entire "Pack" runs more smoothly. One of the things that happens; the animals are NEVER present when sexual relations take place between the Alpha pair. (Plus, they KNOW what you are doing. Like, EW!)

Again, mileage and all that. But, I guarantee you this process makes for home that isn't chaotic and confusing to both the animals and the people.

We usually make sure the cat is out of our room. If she's in the room she inevitable starts meowing loudly. The only exception is early morning quickies.

We don't really pay attention. She's not allowed on the bed and that's usually where we are. She often sleeps in the children's room or in her crate. Her crate is in our room (in the walk in closet), but it's really the only space for it right now except in the middle of our living room or the garage. We'll be moving soon and her crate will no longer be in our bedroom, it bugs me that it's there now. Husband doesn't care either way, he's never used a crate for any of his dogs before.

It doesn't bother us but the dog usually runs out of the room and hides. Sometimes she'll freak out and get scared so we'll have to reassure her that everything is ok. Poor furbaby has PTSD and gets scared if she can't find me sometimes.

no they get kicked out of the room.

The cats won't be moved when sex starts. I feel odd shooing them out, because the litter pan and the food are in my bathroom. I know they can do without for awhile, but I think it's more distracting to have a miserable cat pawing at the door than to have one at the foot of the bed.

One cat usually comes up while we're cuddling afterwards and loudly demands pets and snuggles...

omg keep them out

I don't have a choice. I have an apartment where my living room and bedroom are the same. If I lock them in the bathroom they cry and that's more awkward than them running around.

@P'Gell: that was a nice read and very useful, thanks.

I think its weird. No

Once, my ex's parents new kitten kept staring at us while we were fooling around. We were laughing and wanted him to go away, but he kept staring and coming closer. A few times he got up to put him somewhere else, but he kept coming back. Eventually he popped out from the back of the chair and managed to climb in between us, onto my chest, while we were doing it. I felt little claws and was like "WHAT?!" and he just looked up at me and mewed. We laughed so hard.