Our dogs have always slept in another room then us.
The graduation was always from crate in another room to a baby gated room and then when fully trustworthy in the "non bedroom" part of a house.
I do not think any of our dogs have been traumatized by this system, but we do prefer independent dogs, so didn't really experience any guilty feelings.

 

I think this is a dog-specific question and answer. Many dogs sleep away from their owners. Many sleep in bed with them. Most are somewhere in between. My girl would LOVE to sleep in bed with me, and she makes that preference VERY clear. But she's a bed hog and I'm a restless sleeper, so although I allow some snuggle time before bed, when I'm ready to sleep she has to get off and sleep in her own bed.

I say, give it a try. If your dog is truly dependable in the house unsupervised, great. Otherwise, I suggest a crate or baby gate for a few months. Give him a stuffed kong or other treat and then sneak up to bed and close the door. Depending on how he handles it, give him a few days to get used to the idea. If he's clearly unhappy, then you can regroup and consider other options...

 

My boy (now about 20 months) was gradually given more freedom to roam with no anxiety or chewing issues. I think it has helped that he is walked twice a day (ball-chasing included) and goes to daycare twice a week (time out for me + socialization for him). A few stolen socks, etc but nothing major. We would end evenings in the living room watching TV or a movie. I would go to bed, closing the bedroom door. He by that time is sleepy and would stay in the living room, sometimes in the chair. Most mornings when I got up he would be curled up outside my bedroom door. At some point I simply left the bedroom door open. Most nights he now quietly comes in the bedroom sometime during the night and curls up next to my bed, stays there until I get up. So it was all natural and gradual. But I think a lot depends on the household activity and personality & temperament of the dog.

 

Why not try in a dog bed in your room? 3 out of 4 of my dogs sleep in our room, 2 in the bed (including the golden), the chihuahua prefers to sleep on the sofa in the living room. None of them move during the night or disrupt our sleep. Personally, I sleep much better with my dogs, and couldn't imagine closing them out of my room, but I know everyone is different. I am totally horrified when I hear of people letting their kids sleep in bed with them lol, so I guess it's really just all about what works for you.

 

None of them move during the night or disrupt our sleep. Personally, I sleep much better with my dogs, and couldn't imagine closing them out of my room, but I know everyone is different. I am totally horrified when I hear of people letting their kids sleep in bed with them lol, so I guess it's really just all about what works for you.

This is pretty much exactly me, too. I was going to say to the OP, I am also a really light sleeper, but my dogs never wake me up. My first one probably did at first 23 years ago, but what I'm trying to say (not very well! lol) is that your mind and body might get used to him in the same way you get used to other noises in your house.

Of course, if you start leaving your bedroom door open, he may just go on his own. But if he likes being with you, I would definitely second the idea of a good dog bed beside your bed. They can definitely get used to that.

 

I understand everyone has their specific needs and desires for a good nights sleep and where their dogs should sleep. All my life, including childhood - the family dog always slept in the bedrooms. As an adult all my goldens sleep in our bedroom. I tend to go with the “pack” mindset - they want to be with their pack. To each his own - but I relish the “time for bed” ritual. They are allowed on the bed but I think they get too hot so they always settle on their own bed in our room or somewhere on the floor.

 

7 months seems a little young to me to be sleeping by himself in another room. Is he going to be crated? If yes, I'd say that's fine, but if not, I would rethink the sleeping arrangement. Ours was crated outside of our room from about 4-7 months, and it was a quasi nightmare with the barking in the middle of the night to be let out (learn from our mistake), but once we moved the crate back into our bedroom, it was an overnight change from him tolerating his crate to loving his crate where he would put himself to bed all by himself.

We had a trainer once tell us that your dog needs at least access to the pack at all times so the door to your room should at least be open if you're doing is going to be free roaming.

 

We have a small house but ranger sleeps in the living room in the playpen since day one. In the early days we slept with him in the living room and then moved back inside to the bedroom. He’s a little over one and he still sleeps in the living room in his pen by himself. The bedroom is where the cat has his safe space and he just doesn’t like ranger and doesn’t want to be near him much. Plus it’s a very small room with no room for a bed and play pen or even crate. It works for us. We are with him in the living room when he falls asleep and sit out with him when he wakes up. We work from home so he isn’t all alone much. We do work in other rooms from him but still take him out and play with him through the day. He has never had any separation issues and is a good sleeper and was easy to potty train