Should My Dog Sleep In My Bed?

According to a recent survey, 60% of dog owners let them sleep on or in their bed with them. It can be a source of conflict between partners when one wants Fido in the bed and the other is against it. We’re taking a look at the reasons for and against letting your furry  friend into the bedroom! 

Feel Good Factor 

Studies have shown that sleeping with a dog on the bed actually helps us to relax. Their rhythmic breathing can help us to drop off and being near a dog has been shown to increase our levels of oxytocin (the love hormone), which can only be a good thing, right? 

Safety in Numbers 

Dogs are light sleepers – they’re programmed to listen out for danger whilst sleeping. This can allow their human counterparts to rest easy, knowing that if anything untoward happens in the night, their dog will let them know. Many owners report sleeping better when their dog sleeps with them as they feel safer than sleeping alone. 

Restlessness

The strongest argument for not allowing your dog into your bed is the effect it can have on your sleep. Dogs have very different sleep cycles to humans and 53% of owners who let their dog sleep on their bed report that they are woken up at least once in the night by their pooch moving around. 

Sickness

Some people believe that allowing a dog to sleep on your bed will make you ill. That the dog will pass on bacteria, infections and disease. Scientific research suggests that this is very, very rare. You spend time during the day interacting, playing with and feeding your pet and don’t catch any nasties – sleeping near them is no different! 

In conclusion, there are arguments for and against. You won’t catch anything nasty from sleeping with your pooch but he or she may disturb your sleep. In return, you feel safer and more relaxed from having them nearby. And most importantly, what can beat waking up to a wet nose and waggy tail?! 

Comments

comments