Are you considering the thought of sleeping with your dogs? You might be amazed; there are more advantages than disadvantages of sleeping with your dog! Turns out, sharing your bed with a dog is not just relaxing and comfortable, but safe as well.
If you’re an avid lover of your dog’s gentle snores and cuddles, you’re in for a treat. Sleeping with your dog benefits you in many ways as proven by science. It can help you stay calm, relaxed, and even lower your heartbeat in many cases. Though it’s easier for you to make the decision just yet, hold on. There might be a few cons to consider. Read along to find out if you should be sleeping with your pup or not!
Should I Sleep With my Dog?
You can have a good night’s sleep with your pup beside you. Although there have been many speculations in the past that sleeping with your pup isn’t healthy, they’re all a hoax.
Mayo Clinic’s thorough research on human-dog co-sleeping suggested there’s a minimal chance of your sleep disrupted by your dog, which was considered one of the biggest reasons to keep your pup off the bed. The research even continues to prove you can significantly improve your sleep patterns by sleeping with your dog. Moreover, this research also concludes that sleeping with your dog is actually similar to co-sleeping with your child. It can help you stay calm throughout the night and not worry about your dog roaming the house unattended.
On the other hand, many behavioral studies suggest the opposite. Letting your pup sleep next to you could your furry friend to feel overly-attached and make you more tired. So, where should dogs sleep? Let’s not rush to conclusions just yet – we’ll help you decide. Pros and cons aside, the decision is purely yours to make. If you love sleeping with your dog, it’s the right choice. If it’s disrupting your sleep or you’re not loving your dog’s behavioral changes, it might be time to evict your dog off the bed.
Advantages of Sleeping With Your Dog
We’ve just covered if you should sleep with your dog or not. Though we quickly brushed up on the pros of it, we just can’t leave it there. Letting a puppy sleep in bed with you means ensuring more buddy-time, safety, and warmth. Next, let’s cover all these advantages in a little more detail:
More Time Together
Who doesn’t love to spend more time with their puppies? Not only do they cheer you up throughout the day, but they are also cheered up by you. So, your dog sleeping with you only means more bonding time together as you tuck your furry friend in.
For most working pet owners, the only time they get to bond with their pets is at night. Therefore, you would quite obviously want to spend more time with your canine companion. Keeping Mayo Clinic’s research in mind, this can even help you improve your sleep patterns! Like many people, the feeling of being with a dog can also help you recover from insomnia. Allowing your furry friend to crawl under the sheets with you will help you stay calmer and develop better mental health as well.
Warmth
A dog sleeping in your bed also means instant warmth as you’ll be cuddly partners for the night. Most dogs have thick fur coats which means they don’t need extra blankets or coats when they’re out in the wild. Using this to your advantage, your bed’s always going to be warm and cozy.
One thing you should always keep in mind is sleeping with small dogs. Make sure they’re not squashed with you for too long and can quickly sneak out if they want to. Most dogs generate this heat by sweating and need cool to breathe through the warmth. Sleeping with your dog under the covers is also not recommended by many pet experts. Although there are a few other reasons as to why you shouldn’t do this, for now, it’s to give your pup some space. The pressure of heavy covers might make it hard for your pup to breathe through or move.
Safety
Dogs have heightened senses and will always be on alert mode when it comes to their owner and territory. Keeping this in mind, you can get a good night’s sleep without worrying about any mishap happening at your house. Your pup is definitely going to keep you protected!
Sleeping with your dog ensures your safety from intruders entering your home. However, the same is true for your furry friend as well. Confining your little mischievous dog to your room will help you ensure he’s not out and about once you’re deep in your sleep.
Drawbacks of Sleeping With Your Dog
Although the advantages are definitely rewarding, there are a few drawbacks which can answer why your dog shouldn’t sleep with you:
You’ll Wake Up at Night
Although you’ll develop better sleeping patterns, you’ll also have your sleep disturbed at night. Dogs love to stay active and move around quite a lot. So, if you’re easily disturbed during your sleep, sleeping with your dog might not be the wisest decision. You might be wondering how much do dogs sleep that it could disrupt your sleep?
Most adult dogs can get a sleep of 12-14 hours every night. However, they do wake up 3 to 4 times every single night. This means you’ll have to switch sides, let them sneak out, and crawl back in every single time. If you’re a deep sleeper, you might not even notice it. Furthermore, your pup may deliberately wake you for attention. Therefore, where should dogs sleep if not your bed? That’s up to you to decide!
Disease Transmission
One big concern most pet owners have is they’ll catch a disease if they sleep with their canine companions. The fact is, it is quite rare and almost doesn’t happen if you and your pup both are in good health. In that case, you probably won’t be catching any skin allergy.
Stuffy nose and cough might be a few dangers of sleeping with your dog. If you aren’t allergic to your pooch, there’s no risk in it. However, you should always ensure your dog’s health checkups are on time. This can help you avoid germs from dogs sleeping in bed. For you to ensure your dog’s well-being, you can make sure your dog:
- Doesn’t have fleas or ticks
- Doesn’t have signs of illnesses or past history
- Is vaccinated
- Has regular check-ups with the veterinarian
Behavioral Problems
Some studies suggest that co-sleeping with your dog can develop behavioral problems. With your dogs sleeping in bed, dominance might be an issue as well. Moreover, your dog could develop aggression, (over) attachment, or dominance, which isn’t appreciated by pet lovers.
However, these studies don’t definitively prove this. If your dog’s emotionally attached, developing separation anxiety might be normal. In such cases, you can try to curb these behavioral changes by letting your dog sleep independently.
Who Should Not Sleep With a Dog?
For now, the benefits seem to be outweighing the cons of your dog sleeping with you. However, it’s recommended that you don’t sleep with your dog if you’re prone to allergies or have a compromised immune system. In these cases, your body won’t be able to fight off the germs from your dog if you do catch a disease.
Similarly, if you’re battling with grave diseases such as cancer, HIV, or others, your immune system is likely weak. In such cases, you should take precautions when staying closer to your pup. Maintaining your distance can help you avoid catching a disease.
Sleeping With Your Dog – FAQs
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Are you still wondering where should dogs sleep or have more such questions? In the next section, we’ll be answering all your co-sleeping questions.
Why should you let your dog sleep in bed with you?
Allowing your canine friend to sleep in bed with you has several advantages. Not only does it improve your sleep patterns, but it can also help you stay calm, reduce stress, and keep your mood lightened. It can also help you stay close to your pup after a long, tiring day.
We’ve covered both the pros and cons of your dog sleeping in your bed above. Although it depends on your case, it’s fairly common for pet owners to allow their pet friends to sneak in for a snuggle at night. So, if you’re missing your pet, it’s quite alright to let your pet sleep with you.
Before letting your dog join you in your sleep, you should make sure you’re both healthy. This can help you avoid allergies, skin diseases, and catching other diseases. If healthy, sleeping with your dog has even helped people cure insomnia without medicinal help!
Will my dog get separation anxiety if he sleeps with me?
Most dogs don’t show signs of separation anxiety by sleeping with their owners. However, dogs that were already showing signs of such behaviors will continue to feel the same. Most pups feel comfortable sleeping with their owners and behaving normally in their absences.
If you’re not comfortable with your pup feeling anxious, you can set up your dog’s bed right beside yours. This will help your dog sleep in its own sleeping space and without feeling any attachment. However, if your dog does show signs of separation anxiety, it’s reason enough why your dog shouldn’t sleep in your room.
Can dogs sleep on a hard surface?
Dogs can sleep on hard surfaces, be it wood, marble, or a carpeted surface. However, it’s better to forbid your dog from sleeping on hard surfaces. It can cause discomfort to your dog, and even develop bone diseases in worse conditions.
Sure, dogs just love a comfortable surface to sleep on that’s cool enough to help them adjust. However, it’s better to keep doggy beds at your place. Doggy beds can be a great addition to your dog’s accessories. They can even help you sleep calmly, knowing you can take a quick look at your pup if you wanted to. If your dog doesn’t love to sleep on the doggy bed you’ve just got, there’s nothing alarming on it. Most dogs take time to get accustomed to their beds, or your bed if you let your puppy sleep with you. Moreover, many pet owners have also asked, should dogs sleep in a crate. It’s better to let your dog decide the sleeping place for you, be it a crate, a comfy bed, or the floor.
Should dogs sleep on the floor?
Dogs shouldn’t sleep on the floor. Although they might feel accustomed to sleeping on the floor, you shouldn’t allow your pup to sleep on the floor. It can cause discomfort to your pup and develop hip or bone diseases.
Orthopedic dog beds can help you provide comfort to your dogs. They will help your dog adjust and sleep in a more comfortable environment. Older dogs are more prone to such diseases and should be provided orthopedic beds to rest well.
Ultimately, only you can know if your dog should sleep in the same bed as you. If you love snuggles with your pup and you are both healthy, go for it. If you are concerned by their behavior or worry about your sleep schedule, maybe look at some dog beds.