Do you let your dog sleep with you? Have you thought about letting your dog sleep with you? Should I let my dog sleep in my bed?
Good news! Sleeping with your dog! It’s perfectly safe!
Not only is it perfectly safe, but according to recent research published by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, it may improve your sleep.
I admit, both Ruby and Callie sleep with me at night. Ruby is a Mini Goldendoodle and hardly takes any room. Plus, she sleeps in one spot every night. I honestly don’t even know she’s in the bed.
Then there’s Callie, my Labrador Retriever! Oh Vey! She sleeps in the bed with me and Ruby. She’s 70 lbs at 8 months old!
Because she’s a big girl, she takes up one side of the bed! And shuffles around at night. But she’s part of the pack, so on the bed she’s allowed.
Is It A Good Idea To Sleep With Your Dog?
It can be a difficult decision. Research has shown that less than one-half of dog owners share their bed with their dogs at night.
Pet owners have always been advised not to sleep with your dogs because it can cause behavioral issues or could lead to illness with your pets. You’ve probably even been told by a well-meaning person, your dog should sleep on the floor or in a crate.
Today, many pet professionals believe that concerns over these issues are overstated or are incorrect.
According to recent research, the many benefits outweigh the cons of sleeping with your dog.
Does Sleeping With Your Dog Cause Behavior Issues?
Despite what you’ve heard, letting your dog sleep with you does not cause behavioral issues.
Questions to ask yourself are:
- Do you mind your dog on your bed? On your couch?
- Do you mind dog hair on furniture?
- Are you comfortable sleeping with your dog by your feet?
- If your dog jumps down and sleeps on the floor in the middle of the night, will it disrupt your sleep?
If you don’t mind these minor inconveniences, then your dog will love your bed as much as you do.
If you think it will bother you, you can place a dog bed with one of your t-shirts over the bed so your dog can enjoy your scent while sleeping separately.
My Lab puppy gets hot at night, so she will randomly get down to sleep on the floor. The first night I felt her getting off, but I never even notice anymore.
Is It Okay For Children To Share A Bed With A Dog?
Just like parents, children always want to the dog to sleep with them. But is it safe?
Every parent/child is an individual decision. Before a child should sleep alone with a dog, they should show they can handle the responsibility.
- 1. Are they pulling a pet's tail?
- 2. Are they playing too rough with the dog?
Pulling tails or rough play shows that kids are not mature enough to handle letting a dog sleep in their bed.
In the beginning a parent should keep a close watch on a child to make sure they are using good judgement when they feed, water, play or walk a dog.
The general census is that is best to wait until a child is at least 6 years old before allowing your dog to sleep alone with a child.
Dogs should never sleep with babies.
Can I Catch Something Letting my Dog Sleep in my Bed?
The biggest question is, can I catch something letting my dog sleep in my bed?
The answer is, it would be very rare to catch something from your dog as long as you and your dog are in good health.
What does “Good Health” mean?
Good health means:
- No fleas
- No ticks
- No parasites
- No illnesses
- Up-to-date on vaccines
- Regular yearly vet checkups
The reason your veterinarian wants to see your dog every year is so they can identify any risks so you and your pet don’t get sick.
The average healthy dog has a very low risk of spreading an illness to its human.
For people in good health, sleeping with a dog provides comfort knowing that your dog is close-by.
People with cancer, transplant recipients or H.I.V. positive people should not sleep with their dogs.
My Opinion On Letting a Dog Sleep in my Bed.
If you and your dog are healthy, go ahead! Sleep with your dog! I do.
Co-sleeping with your dog is not only comforting for them and for you, it can also ease anxiety and give you that feeling of safety and security.
Your dogs are light-sleepers and will sound the alarm if they hear anything out of the ordinary, so you can rest knowing your dogs are guarding you and your home.
Dogs are also the perfect bed warmer on those cold winter nights.
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