Bed time should be bed time for everyone in the house as far as I'm concerned. It's when the family/pack all go to sleep and lie down and keep still. The reason one trains their dogs to have down time is often for 4 reasons:
1. When the humans are "down", so should the canines (as leadership lies within the alpha actions and when I'm down it's a rule of thumb for everyone to be down).
2. If the dog needs to be quiet and in a down due to being too hyper at an inappropriate time.
3. Has an injury.
4. Is out of town and needs to be either in a crate QUIET (or hotel bed, whichever suits you but QUIET).
There are times when your dog(s) need to know that there is "No play" and/or "Quiet" time. It's beneficial to you as you should provide a routine for him (he'll always be aware of what's next, which makes for a happy dog...). You become a fantastic guest at anyone's home with your dog(s) anytime. Lastly being a good hotel guest isn't a bad idea either. Life is easier when your dog(s) know what the rules are. It's also with boundaries that all dogs blossom.
