Should I Let My Dog Sleep In Bed With Me?

Is It Bad To Let Your Dog Sleep In Bed With You?

Many dog owners allow their dogs to snuggle up with them in bed at night for several reasons. Some owners cite that letting their dogs sleep in bed with them provides a sense of security. While allowing your furry friend to sleep next to you in your bed may be comforting, you may also be putting your own health at risk. That being said, it can be bad to let your dog sleep in bed with you.

Why Your Dog Shouldn’t Sleep With You

Allowing your dog to sleep in bed with you may cause you to experience a lack of sleep, which in turn, can impact your overall health. If your dog makes any sudden movements or noises in the bed, that could end up disrupting your ability to sleep.

There is also the possibility that you may not have been comfortable while sleeping. It can be difficult for a person to become comfortable in their own bed if their dog is sleeping close to them.

This can cause a person to toss and turn all night long. Finally, some dogs may make an attempt to hog the bed. As a result, your dog may have kicked you a few times throughout the night.  In short, if you wake up in the morning feeling tired, achy, and a bit cranky, it may be due to having your dog sleeping in bed with you.

Health Risks of letting a dog sleep on the bed with you

Sharing your bed with your dog may cause you to develop health issues that can be minor or in some cases, serious. Domestic animals like our dogs are known to pass several diseases on to humans.

One of these diseases is the bubonic plague. Dogs still have the ability to carry the fleas that spread the bubonic plague. If your dog is sleeping close to you in bed, you are putting yourself at risk because the fleas can jump off their fur and onto your bed sheets. In addition to fleas, you also have to watch out for parasites such as hookworms and roundworms.

If your dog has been infected with roundworms, the parasite’s eggs are already in the dog’s fur. If you let the dog sleep next to you, the eggs will shed off into your bed sheets and eventually, make their way into your skin.

In addition to fleas and parasites, you also have the risk of developing various infections. Dogs can transmit infections to humans by licking them or if you have a habit of kissing the dog on the mouth. A 60-year-old woman in the United Kingdom back in 1985 contracted meningitis from her dog due to kissing it on the mouth on a regular basis. MRSA, which is a serious staph infection, can also be transmitted from dogs to humans. MRSA is not easy to treat because it is resistant to several antibiotics. Dogs can easily carry the bacteria in their mouths and saliva, so you are putting yourself at risk each time the dog licks you.

Individuals that suffer from allergies should not allow their dogs to sleep in bed with them, as your dog’s dander could trigger an allergic reaction. Your dog can also carry allergens such as pollen and dust, which can stick to the dog’s fur and end up on your bed sheets.

Also, if you have a compromised immune system due to specific diseases such as cancer or HIV, you should not allow your dog to sleep with you, for your immune system is weak and will not be able to fight off the bacteria that your dog may transmit to you.

Finally, there’s the possibility of your dog bringing poop into your bed. Sometimes dogs will play with or eat their own poop. Chances are that your dog may have traces of poop on their fur or paws. Once your dog climbs into your bed, any poop that may be on them will get on your sheets and on you. This can make you sick in the long run.

Dangers Of Sleeping With Dogs

Aside from the health risks of having your dog sleep in bed with you, there is the possibility that the dog’s behavior could change or exacerbate. By allowing the dog to sleep in bed with you, it could become overly aggressive, or codependent.  Both cases can pose a danger not only to the relationship you have with your dog, but also to the relationships you have with your spouse and children. This in turn can lead to dominant behavior in the bedroom.

Dominance In The Bedroom

As the dog’s owner, if you have not established rules and boundaries with your dog, they may start to display possessive and aggressive behavior towards you and your family. If the dog starts barking and growling when your spouse is trying to get into the bed with you, it could mean that the dog views your spouse as a threat to you or perhaps to the dog itself.

In some cases, the dog may bite your spouse or anyone else that tries to come near the bed. Due to the lack of guidance, the dog has now assumed the role of being the dominant figure in the bedroom and the bed is now the dog’s territory. This behavior can also occur in your child’s bedroom if you allow the dog to sleep with your child. If the bad behavior continues, remove the dog from your bedroom and seek help from a professional trainer or veterinarian.

Separation Anxiety In The Bedroom

Having your dog sleeping in bed with you will not cause the dog to develop separation anxiety. If your dog already suffers from separation anxiety, they should not be sleeping in your bed. By giving in to the dog’s separation anxiety, you have now created a difficult habit to break, as the dog will not want to leave your bed.

If you try to remove the dog from your bed, the dog may start to whine excessively, or it could engage in destructive behavior such as chewing on the bedroom door. To ease your dog’s separation anxiety, place a dog bed next to your bed and have your dog sleep in the dog bed. You may have to use a short leash to keep the dog from climbing back up into your bed. Gradually move the dog bed farther away from your bed and eventually, move the dog bed out of your bedroom altogether.

Why Does My Dog Want To Sleep With Me All Of A Sudden?

There are many reasons as to why your dog would want to sleep with you. The biggest reason as to why a dog would want to sleep with their owner is for comfort. When a dog sleeps with you, they are able to sleep on something that is not only bigger than their bed, but also softer. Sleeping with their owner also provides companionship.

The smell of their owner allows the dog to relax and it can also strengthen the bond between the owner and the dog. Security is another reason why dogs sleep with their owners. Dogs are highly alert when it comes to sounds, so if your dog detects something that could pose a threat, it will alert you by howling or barking. Finally, dogs can help keep their owners warm at night. The body temperature of a dog is a few degrees higher than a human’s body temperature.

My Dog Sleeps On Me But Not On My Husband

The reason your dog sleeps on you and not your husband is because you are the dog’s favorite person. This has a lot to do with the dog’s bonding process. During the first three months of the dog’s life, it is going through a period of socialization and they are still in the middle of this period after they have left their dog mother.

They now have to readjust to a new environment that involves having a human mother. If you were the main caregiver during this period of socialization, then your dog formed a close relationship with you. Dogs form tight relationships with the person that happens to be around them the most. If you allow your husband to spend more time with the dog, then your dog will be just as affectionate towards your husband as it is towards you.

My Dog Sleeps On Top Of Me

There are a few reasons as to why your dog sleeps on top of you. One reason that this may happen is because it feels more comfortable to the dog. Your dog may find sleeping on top of you to be more enjoyable than sleeping in its own bed. Another possible reason is that you as the owner may have encouraged your dog to engage in this type of behavior.

If you gave the dog a back or belly rub when it slept on you, your dog will continue this behavior because it knows that it will be rewarded. Other possible reasons include being protective, wanting attention, feeling safer, being affectionate, separation anxiety, and waiting for something.

My Dog Sleeps Against Me

If your dog sleeps against you it could be for a number of reasons. Your dog may sleep against you for security reasons. If your dog is prone to anxiety, it may sleep against you for emotional support. It can also be a sign that your dog feels that it can trust you to keep them safe.

In other cases, your dog may be sleeping against you as a way to show its dominance. Finally, your dog may be displaying this behavior simply because it loves you. Your dog may be seeking affection from you, so it will want to be closer to you.

Do Dogs Know When Humans Are Sleeping?

To some degree, dogs can tell when humans are sleeping based on their movements and reactions. If you were to open up one eye at a time, the dog will come to know that you are not quite awake just yet. Sometimes the dog will lie down at the end of your bed and wait to see if you move at all. Dogs will try to get your attention as you are sleeping by licking you, barking, scratching at the door, or kicking you with their leg. If the dog sees that you are sleeping, it may want to cuddle up next to you to keep you safe, or just to keep you company.

Sleeping With Your Dog – FAQ’s

Why Should You Let Your Dog Sleep In Bed With You?

There are quite a few advantages to letting your dog sleep in bed with you. Letting your furry friend sleep next to you can improve your sleep patterns, help you stay calm, lower stress, improve your mood, and strengthen the bond between you and your dog. It’s important that you make sure both you and your dog are healthy before snuggling up with them in your bed. Allergies and various diseases can wreak havoc on you if neither of you are in good health.

Will My Dog Get Separation Anxiety If He Sleeps With Me?

Many dogs don’t exhibit separation anxiety when sleeping with their owners. If your dog is already displaying signs of separation anxiety, the behavior will continue to occur. If you don’t feel comfortable with your dog’s anxiety, you may want to consider placing a dog bed next to your bed, as this will not only give the dog its own bed to sleep in, it will also allow the dog to not feel any attachment.

Can Dogs Sleep On A Hard Surface?

While dogs can sleep on a hard surface such as wood or marble, it would be in your best interest to not allow your dog to do that because it can cause discomfort and also lead to the development of bone diseases in your dog. With that in mind, you should allow your dog to sleep in a dog bed.

You should not let your dog sleep on the floor, for the same reasons that you should not let them sleep on hard surfaces. Discomfort and the development of hip or bone diseases could occur. Orthopedic dog beds would be the best option for your dog, as they can allow your dog to sleep more comfortably.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, it is your decision as to whether or not you want your dog to sleep in bed with you. Remember to take your health and your dog’s health into consideration, as this will play a significant role in making the final decision.