As a pet owner, you’ll have to deal with the question of whether your cat or dog should sleep in your bed sooner or later. If you decide against allowing your pet to sleep in your bed, will you ban your pet from your bedroom altogether?
Several studies have already been conducted on the topic of letting pets sleep in their owners’ bed, the results of which we’ll present here. In addition, we’ll tell you what to bear in mind and how you can still keep your bed clean if you do in fact decide to let Rover sleep in bed with you.
Allowing your dog in bed - Yes or no?
Dogs make such excellent companions because they want to be close to us as much as possible, though even cats often become more affectionate over the years. This dynamic doesn’t change just because the sun goes down, which is why we would like to address the question: "Dog in bed - yes or no?" below. First of all, we’ll discuss the arguments in favour of letting your dog sleep in bed with you.
Allowing your dog in bed: Yes
Several studies have proven that the mere act of petting a dog has a calming effect. When we pet an animal, our body reacts by releasing the so-called “bonding” hormone, oxytocin. Oxytocin reduces our stress level and simultaneously activates our reward system. In addition, petting an animal has also been shown to lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels.
Oxytocin not only makes us feel more relaxed, but it also affects our sleep at night. Some researchers even suggest that interacting with dogs can alleviate symptoms of depression and improve our mental health over the long run.
The presence of a dog in our bed can also make us feel more safe and protected, as dogs are natural alarm systems. According to this line of thought, women in particular feel protected at night if Spot is asleep in the same bed or at least in the same room.
According to these arguments, sleeping in bed with a dog can demonstrably improve our sleep quality.
Allowing your dog in bed: No
The first argument you hear when people speak out against sleeping with Fido in their bed is probably hygiene. Of course, outside dogs run all over the place and get into everything, taking care little about the dirt and germs they bring back into the home. Dogs can also transmit diseases like Lyme disease if they carry fleas and ticks. However, if you brush your pet regularly and bathe it frequently enough, you don't have to really worry about this.
Allergy sufferers shouldn’t sleep together with their dog, as the extended period of direct contact with the animal hair will trigger their allergies. In addition, allowing your dog to sleep in your bed can increase the presence of mites in the mattress. To avoid this, you can get anti-mite bedding to minimise allergic reactions.
Another argument against allowing your dog in your bed is the fact that dogs and humans have different sleep patterns. While dogs go through five sleep phases just like we do, they also have a resting phase. In this phase, they usually only sleep for about 20 minutes at a time and are then awake again. In total, dogs can sleep from 18 to 22 hours a day and wake up differently often depending on which sleep phase they’re in.
Sleeping in the same bed with your dog might not be such a good idea for light sleepers. Like us, dogs also dream at night and twitch or make noises when they do so. If these disturbances cause you to wake up frequently, they can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Why does my dog want to sleep in my bed?
If dogs were allowed to choose their own sleeping place, the majority would certainly prefer their owner's bed. There are several reasons for this. Wild dogs sleep together as a pack and seek physical contact with each other. Lying in close contact is just another of their needs as social animals and creates a stronger bond. Of course, the smell of the owner in the bed or on the couch also gives them a feeling of security.
There are other reasons why your bed is an ideal sleeping place in your dog’s eyes. Dogs prefer an elevated sleeping place, as it’s generally the warmest and safest. This type of location allows your dog to be better prepared for attackers, plus they feel the cold of the floor and drafts less there. This is why you will often find your dog sleeping either on bed or the couch.
Ridding dogs of the habit of sleeping in bed with you
If you decide against sleeping in the same bed with your dog, it’s best to do so from the beginning and to make no exceptions once this decision has been made. Dogs benefit from continuity and routine, so you should avoid allowing the animal to sleep in your bed once in a while only to forbid it again later.
Dogs don’t understand the concept of exceptions and will often try to jump back into bed with you once you’ve let them. Another tip is to use rewards more often than punishments when training your dog. Your dog should associate the doggie bed with positive feelings and not see it as a place of punishment.
Zizzz products for a good night’s sleep
Your sleep quality plays a huge role in whether you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. Of course, this also includes bed hygiene, as this can have a strong influence on our sleep. If you’re concerned about hygiene when it comes to allowing your dog in bed, you should look for breathable, moisture-absorbent bedding. This can reduce the accumulation of dust mites.
For this reason, at Zizzz we only carry bedding made from natural and sustainable materials. We offer high-quality bed linens made from satin and percale organic cotton. We also offer our satin bed linen for children made with our chic and classic lucky star design.
Allowing your dog in bed: a personal choice
In summary, allowing your dog to sleep in your bed has some advantages: it provides a feeling of safety and security and reduces anxiety.
However, there are also some cases in which pet owners should decide against sleeping in the same bed as their dogs. For example, light sleepers or allergy sufferers should rather not allow Rover into their bedroom. Very young children should also avoid sleeping in the same bed as their dog, as dogs often move uncontrollably while they sleep.