Should You Let Your Dog Sleep In Bed With You?

canine in bedA common question among dog owners is if they should let their dogs sleep in their bed at night. Many online surveys show that a lot of pet owners do share the bed with their k9, but is it the right thing to do? There is even a survey that shows 50% of people allow their pet to sleep in their bed.

In this article, we’re going to go over whether it’s ok to let your dogs sleep in your bed. We will discuss all aspects and both options to get to the bottom of this common question.

Negatives Aspects Of Sleeping With Your Dog

Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t allow this.

Health

One common concern that can arise when allowing this behavior is allergies. If you are prone to allergies, then they may get worse so it’s important to keep that in mind.

Also, you must consider their risk of disease transmission. Both humans to dogs and dogs to humans is possible. If you have a pooch that likes to go outside a lot, then you’ll want to be careful to properly clean them if you allow them on your mattress. If you don’t clean them properly they could track a lot of dust and dirt around which can trigger asthma.

Accidents

No matter how good you train your pet, there will be times when there are accidents. Cleaning a mattress is not easy, some accidents such as urine and vomit are very hard to get out.

Annoyance

If you want some alone time with your partner, dogs can sometimes get in the way. They don’t like to be alone and will feel left out if you kick them out of the bed. This can lead to whimpering and other behavior like howling.

Sleep quality

k9 snoozingOne negative factor of letting your pup sleep in your bed is that the quality of your sleep can be worse. The main reason for this is because dogs and humans sleep differently. Humans are monophasic sleepers, while canines are polyphasic sleepers.

This means that they average three sleep cycles per hour at night, while humans have just one period during 24 hours. Dogs are also more likely to be woken by sounds at night which can cause them to jolt and wake you up with them.

Can’t go back

If you do allow your pooch to sleep in your bed, it’s very hard to go back. They will grow accustomed to a being by your side and not be happy if they have to go back to the floor again. It’s almost impossible to reverse your decision once they have gotten used to it.

Separation anxiety

Do dogs that sleep with their masters have separation anxiety? The answer is not always clear. We don’t know whether allowing them into the bed causes separation anxiety, or if their anxiety influenced the owner to let them sleep in the bed in the first place.

Positive Aspects of Sleeping With Your Dog

There are also numerous benefits to allowing your best friend to sleep in the bed.

Safety and Security

There are a few benefits to allowing your dog to sleep in your bed. One is that they can provide safety and security. Dogs are light sleepers and will be able to alert you if there is any danger. They are even able to help you sleep faster and fight insomnia at the same time.

Heat

If you live in a cold area, another benefit is that dogs tend to give off a lot of heat. They can help you stay warm during those cold nights by acting like a little furry furnace.

Reduced Depression

There also other health benefits of owning a pet. They can help to reduce anxiety and depression, greatly enhancing the lives of their owner. There is a reason why they say dogs are best man’s best friend.

Conclusion

Overall, it’s up to you whether you want your canine to sleep in the bed or not. There are numerous benefits, as well as some drawbacks.

Some good news is that there are other options. Another option to explore and one we recommend is to set up a place next to you. This will allow them to feel close to you without being in your bed. They will be much happier, and you get the added benefit of having them in there as well. You can view some of them over here – www.bestdogcrates.net/top-rated-beds.