September 21, 2023

Should Your Dog Be Sleeping With You?

Well, you might be surprised but a lot of people think NOT

Whether or not our dogs sleep in our beds is up to us in most cases!

In fact, up to 80% of dog owners allow or prefer their dogs to sleep next to them. Of course, there are benefits and drawbacks to allowing our furry friends in bed, and below you find them.

PROS:

Who doesn’t love a cuddly sleeping dog? - They’re just so darn cute and some studies actually show that sleeping with your dog allows you to get a better night’s rest.

Safety Feeling - Particularly with children, having dogs in the same bed as someone who is fearful or insecure may help the owner feel more at ease and comfortable while they sleep.

Little Heaters - The average bodily temperature of a dog ranges between 101 and 103 degrees. Aside from acting as an intruder alert overnight and an alarm clock in the mornings, dogs can also transmit heat in the bed and help keep owners warm.

CONS:

Cleanliness - The dog will bring whatever it steps into the bed with you. This includes dirt, bugs, and feces that get trapped in the dog’s webbed feet. Some germs and bacteria can be transmitted from dogs to humans through bed sheets.

Loads Of Hair - Particularly with children, having dogs in the same bed as someone who is fearful or insecure may help the owner feel more at ease and comfortable while they sleep.

Bad Behavior - Allowing your dog in bed might trigger territorial behaviors such as marking, or becoming reactive to others “intruding on their space,” especially if you have more than one pet.

Bed Hoggers - When you allow your dog to sleep with you, you are giving up your own space in the bed and possibly sacrificing the quality of your sleep. Not to mention, from a behavioral aspect, letting your dog take over a part of your space breaks the barrier of respecting your personal space.

HOW TO BREAK YOUR DOG’S HABIT OF SLEEPING IN BED WITH YOU

Teach your dog a command for getting on and off the bed when you ask him to.

Commands can be to get “up” onto the bed or get “off”, but be careful of using command words your dog might already know like “down”. He may confuse you telling him to “get down” off the bed with “lay down” for a treat!

To help your dog associate your command with a wanted behavior, leash your dog and practice with him getting on and off the bed. Let the dog on the bed, then call him back off again for a reward. After a few moments allow him back on the bed, but make him wait for the command.

BUT WHERE SHOULD MY DOG SLEEP?

IN THE CRATE - Let the crate be your dog’s “babysitter”, or a place you can confidently leave him knowing he is safe and taken care of. And don’t think the concept of a crate is “cruel” it is actually what they WANT! “Denning”, or the behavior of digging out a small space to sleep or hideout, is a natural instinct found in both domestic and wild dogs.

Crates imitate this idea of a safe and secure den. You can easily get your dog acclimated to sleeping inside the crate by rewarding him with treats, food, or toys that teach him to be comfortable.

A DESIGNATED DOG BED - The bed should typically be in a corner, against a wall, or at the foot (on the floor) of your own bed. This gives them a secure feeling of knowing their “back is protected.” The most important part of the dog bed is it gives them a space they can call their own.

We prefer Kuranda dog beds, as they are extremely durable and elevated, so the “place” command is easier to teach, easy to clean, and comfortable for the dogs to lay on.

CONCLUSION

Most people love the idea of letting their dogs sleep in bed with them, but sleeping in your bed should be seen as a privilege and kept under control.