Thank you all and thanks for the link. Will take a look at it
Ben sleeps in my bedroom but it took a while getting there. First even a bed seemed alien to him and he preferred to rest in cold hard spots. So it was nice when he finally 'adopted' his bed in the lounge. Then it seemed he had never encountered stairs before so we had lots of games - me with the squeaky ball and him chasing - a few stairs at a time. One day he managed them all and was so pleased with himself. These days he careers up at full speed without a second thought. After he mastered the stairs I got him used to his night time bed. He sleeps soundly with hardly a fidget and stays there till he hears me get up on a morning. I'm just a few yards away.
We started off with me giving him a couple of biscuits after he got on his bed and I continued that at night time. Whoever had him before had trained him to take treats off the ground and not out their hand - probably so that he doesn't mistake a finger for a biscuit. So if he is expecting something, his nose is at ground zero in readiness. On that night he had had his biscuits and a pat and I was talking to him - then I touched his leg and the reaction was instant. Not an all out attack just one good bite. It was most definitely a bite and not a mistaken snatch at a treat. I'll admit I was shocked and in pain and annoyed and I sent him downstairs. Later I asked him back up and we sat on the floor together next to his bed and I gave him a good talking to! It seemed he knew he had upset me but wasn't sure why.
This was midnight and I spent two hours in the local doctors surgery the next morning while they figured out what to do with my hand. I didn't want it recorded as a deliberate bite so I lied and said he thought my hand was a biscuit. But I don't think they were fooled
Looking back I had probably missed warning signs when he was on his bed downstairs - just something about the body language but I had put that down to being uncertain about his new surroundings.
These days he still gets a biscuit but I don't pat him. I get into bed and tell him what a good boy he is from there.
Very rarely I have him up on the sofa with me (I know I know). He actually has to be persuaded to jump up. Then he gets all giddy with the excitement and daring of it and jumps off to find a toy to play with. If he does settle then there are no issues with body contact and stroking - maybe because he knows he is in my space?
Yes it did feel wrong sitting in his bed. I want him to have his own safe spot. With his vision issues I'm actually very conscious of his personal space. I once had to stop a family of strangers from running up to make a fuss of him. 'No it's OK' said the Dad. 'No it's not' said I. What sort of parent lets their kids run up to pet a strange dog?