Should I let my dog sleep in my bed?

To use your pup as a fluffy hot water bottles or not to use your dog as a fluffy hot water bottle? That is the question.

We think there’s nothing nicer than to let our dog sleep in bed with us at night. It helps us sleep more soundly, knowing they’re happy and snoring right beside us, and it helps us bond.

We want to know if you let your dog sleep in bed with you at night; let us know by answering our poll.

Our friends at Hill’s Pet suggest there is no evidence to suggest this is a bad thing for you or for your dog, or whether it’s a particularly great thing, but there are some things you might want to consider before you let your little beast share your bed.

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Hygiene

Most dogs shed, and all dogs carry quite alot of bacteria on their coats, under their paws and in their mouths. If you’re on top of your laundry game this shouldn’t be an issue, but sheets washed less than once weekly will start to smell pretty quickly.

Allergies

Sharing a bed with your four-legged friend means you get less of a break from their furriness, and you’ll be in prolonged proximity to their lovely little dead skin cells. People sensitive to dust, pollen and fur may find they start to develop long-term pet allergies after a period of sleeping in bed with their pooch.

Sleep quality

Fidgeting, snoring, hogging the duvet, getting up to pee in the middle of the night – not just things your boyfriend does. If you’re a light sleeper it might be best to ban your beagle from your bed. On the flip side of this, while it’s true your dog may sleep more soundly next to you, your fidgeting may interfere with their sleep too.

Added to this, their cosy warmth might be a welcome treat in the winter, but come summer their body heat might have you melting.

Intimacy

Cringe… but allowing your dog to come between you and your partner at night might interfere with the type of intimacy that builds strong marriages and relationships. Additionally, some dogs may become jealous and decide to “guard” one partner from the other. If either your spouse or your dog exhibits signs of jealousy, it’s time to revoke the dog’s bed privileges.

Multiple pups

If you have more than one doggo, one rule should fit for all, if you have decided to share a bed with your dogs then an all-or-nothing policy should be adopted to avoid tensions forming between your pooches.

Decide, and stick to it

The all-or-nothing guideline is also advised when choosing between sharing your bed all the time, or never. Inconsistency will cause confusion, which may lead to behavioural problems later down the line.

Who is boss?

For some dogs, sleeping in bed with their owner can create a feeling of equality in terms of the family hierarchy. Watch out for this; it can make it much harder to train and control your doggo’s behaviour.

Whatever you decide to do make sure it is the right decision for you and your doggo, and stick to it.

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