Pros and Cons of Sharing a Bed With Your Dog
Pet owners know that every minute spent with their four-legged friends is priceless. What can be better than cuddling with your pup? If your dog is scared or feels unwell, you can’t just let her sleep alone. Admit it, you will feel guilty. What is she doing right now? Does she sleep well? Does she need anything? However, there are a lot of pros and cons of sharing a bed with your dog.
Here are the main ones.
The Pros
It can help you to relax
Dogs make us happy. It is hard to deny the fact. When you play, cuddle, have fun with your pup, a lot of oxytocin releases. It is a hormone that is responsible for a level of happiness in our organism. That’s how you can feel calmer. This hormone promotes a feeling of well-being.
In fact, you can fall asleep easier if you have a dog in your bed. So if you have some serious problems with falling asleep, you can definitely ask your pup for help.
Moreover, the closeness we feel with our pups decreases blood pressure and cortisol levels. So the level of stress will be lower too.
You will feel safer
It is especially good for people who are living alone. Dogs are light sleepers which helps them to hear the slightest noises, movements, and sounds. They are always alert. You can be sure that your pup will wake you up in case something strange happens. If she hears an intruder, she won’t let you sleep like a baby.
Of course, it is not a reason to forget about your alarm system. However, some criminals already know how to turn it off. But they won’t be able to turn off your dog. A thief will have to enter your room first. And that’s when your dog will be a great help.
It will improve the relationship with your dog
It definitely will. If you share a bed with your dog, it will feel like a true member of your family. That’s how you can build a certain bond between you two.
It is especially important if you took your dog from a shelter. Such pups need much more attention and care. So vets always advise to let shelter animals sleep with you because they can feel relaxed much faster.
Constant companionship can also ease your loneliness and make you feel better every day. So if both you and your dog need emotional support, that’s the best way to get it.
Your dog will keep you warm
That’s a number one priority during long cold winter nights, right? Your pup is a huge source of warmth. So you can say goodbye to constant heating, hot water bottles and other devices. Your pup will warm you up, and you will feel like at a resort!
The temperature of a dog’s body is higher than human’s temperature. It is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to 39.2 degrees Celsius). That’s why dogs don’t need any fur coats and other stuff during wintertime. Lucky them, right?
So go to sleep and don’t forget about your beloved cookie-warmer.
It can catapult you out of your depression
As we already mentioned, sleeping with your dog can help to reduce blood pressure and the level of cortisol. That means that your stress will disappear very soon.
It doesn’t mean that a serious depression will also disappear at once. However, sleeping on one bed with a four-legged friend can be a great help on the long road of fighting depression for both of you. Even your dog’s voice when it is happy or the way she wags its tail can raise your positive mood. It can distract you from bad thoughts.
That’s a kind of therapy you don’t have to pay for and it is also very pleasant!
The Cons
Your allergies or asthma can get worse
If you have an allergy or asthma, we have bad news for you. Sleeping on one bed with your dog may be the reason for things getting worse. Of course, it is doubtful that you own a dog knowing that you have a serious allergy. However, many people don’t know about the hidden illnesses they have. These can be minor allergies to dust, pollen, and your dog’s fur.
Sharing a bed with your pup may increase the amount of time you spend with different allergens. And this may lead to serious health problems. One of your minor allergies may turn into something more severe.
Your dog’s behavior may get worse
And it is also one of the main disadvantages of sleeping on one bed with your four-legged friend. If you have a dog with aggression or suffering from separation anxiety, this can be a serious problem. However, you should better consult your vet before making any decisions. Sometimes your dog’s aggression can be just a reaction to some temporary stimulus like a new animal in the house or serious illness. So it is always better to check things first.
Moreover, if a dog shares a bed with a human being, she thinks he/she is her equal. That’s why your pup may think everything he does is not prohibited anymore.
Your bed will simply become dirtier
Yeah, that’s a pity, but that’s how life goes. Say hello to flea sprays, frequent washes and deworming tablets. Of course, if you wash your dog regularly, it will be much cleaner. However, it is not the guarantee of safety. Some of the parasites may be transferred to you. That’s how you can treat depression and get sick at the same time.
You must be very careful when cleaning your bed. Do it each morning after your pup leaves your bedroom. Don’t be lazy. Remember that your health is much more important. Moreover, you’ll have to wash your bed linen much more often.
Say good-bye to privacy
Of course, you know that your dog will follow you anywhere you go, and it’s good! Isn’t it cool to have a friend that will always support you? Your dog wants to be with you 24/7. That’s why she’ll love the idea of sharing a bed with you. However, once she is allowed to do so, she will try to do it every time. And your pup will honestly be at a loss if it turns out that today something changed, and there won’t be any bedroom time at all.
Even a shut door won’t be a problem in such a case.
Your quality of sleep will get worse
It is a very doubtable disadvantage. Some people’s quality of sleep increases, while others can’t sleep well when a dog is nearby.
You need to remember that dogs are polyphasic sleepers. There are approximately 3 sleeping cycles in their life, while we have only one. This is good because it helps them to stay alert. But it is very bad for us. Your dog may wake up 2-4 times within 1 night. And it is a good forecast. So it would be better if you keep an eye on your four-legged friend while he is sleeping. You can record it on camera for better results. That’s how you will be able to understand if it sleeps well at night.
Wrapping it up
To sum up, it is your decision whether to share a bed with your dog or not. Right now you know all the pros and cons. Take into account all the peculiarities of your health. Make sure you know everything about your dog’s behavior. Go to your vet and get an additional consultation about the question. And have a good night!