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Why Your Dog Shouldn't Sleep With You [REASONS EXPLAINED]

Why Your Dog Shouldn't Sleep With You [REASONS EXPLAINED]

Pets, especially dogs, are a great companion whenever you want to manage boredom, stress, anxiety, and even depression. But no matter how close you are, sleeping with your furry friend is not a good idea. Are you wondering why your dog shouldn't sleep with you?

You get to bed to ensure quality relaxation, sleep, and rejuvenation. However, that will not be possible if you have your furry friend on board. Dogs will interrupt your sleep. You also risk infections, injuries to the dog, allergies, and raising a dog with some nasty behavioral issues.

Sleeping with a dog might seem no biggie and a great way to bond with your pet, but this action has many negative consequences for you as the dog owner and the dog itself. If you are still not convinced, read on to know why sleeping with a canine might be a bad idea.

dog and woman under sheet

Is It Bad To Sleep With Your Dog?

Well-raised dogs have cute eyes and welcoming traits that are irresistible. When you get to bed, they will want to get in with you. As a concerned dog owner, saying no to those cute and innocent eyes is difficult. But before letting your dog sleep with you, discover the following negative effects this activity might have on you.

Expect Disturbances

Allowing your dog to your bed will increase sleep disturbances. When your canine moves in the bed with you, the mattress you use is three times more likely to move. The same happens to your pillows and other bedding. Even when the dog is not in the same bed, being in the same room with you can cause disruption when you sleep.

Remember that the sleeping pattern of a canine differs from that of humans; that explains why sleeping with a dog causes discord. Get ready for a disruptive sleep, provided the dog you are sleeping with is active.

Makes Training Difficult

As a dog owner, you need to dominate to have an easy time training your canine. The moment you start sharing a bed with your dog, it views you as an equal and not their master. That will make your training times challenging. Without properly training your canine, you will have issues like accidents at home and inconsistencies in behavior. The best way to establish dominance and respect is to sleep separately with your dog.

Pros And Cons Of Sleeping With Your Dog

Sometimes you feel a great urge to sleep with your furry friend. This happens when your four-legged friend is unwell or scared. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of making this decision.

Sleeping With Your Dog: Pros

Here is a look at the benefits you will get when you sleep with your canine.

  • It increases the sense of security.
  • It decreases loneliness.
  • It helps reduce bad dreams.
  • It helps strengthen the bond with your dog.

Sleeping With Your Dog: Cons

You will realize that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Here are the disadvantages of sleeping with your dog.

  • Sleep pattern interruption.
  • The canine will hog the bed.
  • Your dog will assume your partner.
  • It could lead to behavior issues with your canine.
  • It might strain your relationship with your partner.
  • You might get fleas, parasites, and other diseases.
  • It increases your allergies.
  • You might sleep on your dog accidentally and injure or kill it.
  • The dog might end up falling off the bed.

Dangers Of Sleeping With Dogs

Sleeping with your canine is dangerous to both you and your lovely pet. It is better to have a different canine sleeping area. Here are potential dangers you will likely face when you sleep with your dog; some are health-related dangers.

Bubonic Plague

Most people assume that the bubonic plague no longer exists. But this plague is still here, and dogs are the leading agent that spreads it. Note that your dog can carry the Yersinia pestis without showing any sign of the disease. If your pet gets infected and you sleep together, there is a high chance that you will get the disease.

Dander And Allergies

If you suffer from allergies, you should think twice about letting a dog sleep with you. Dander from your furry friend will irritate allergies, especially if you sleep with them on the same bed. Sleeping in the presence of dander can make you feel ill, even when you are not allergic to them.

Injuries

Sleeping with a canine is a risk to you and your pet. For instance, if you have an aggressive dog in the bedroom, it might scratch or bite you when you sleep as it tries to take up more space. Remember that most canines are bed hogs. On the other hand, if you have a small pup, you might accidentally sleep on it, resulting in severe injuries.

Falling

Most dogs are not accustomed to sleeping on the bed. If you take the dog to your bed and it's not used to it, a wrong move could lead to your canine falling. Depending on the height of your bed, the fall might injure your canine, leading to unwanted complications.

Why Your Dog Shouldn't Sleep With You: FAQs

A lot might be crossing your mind right now. Here are common questions people ask about sleeping with dogs.

Can Sleeping With Your Dog Cause Infertility?

As long as your dog is clean and healthy, then sleeping with it cannot impact your fertility. However, there might be some parasites and infections that can get passed down from dogs to humans that could negatively impact your fertility.

Can Sleeping With Your Dog Cause Acne?

Some people argue that sleeping with a dog can cause acne. Well, there is more to this than what people assume. First, your dog cannot cause acne, but they can carry heartworms, which causes a bacterial infection that might lead to acne. So, if you want a smooth face without blemishes, you need not invite your dog to your bed.

How Can You Safely Sleep With Your Dog?

Suppose you must sleep with your dog, then know how to do it safely. If you share a bed with someone, make sure they agree with your sleeping arrangements. Here are tips you can leverage when sleeping with your dog.

  • Train your dog to wait for permission.
  • Be consistent with the rules if you do not want your dog on the pillow or under the blankets.
  • Ensure that you visit the veterinarian for regular dog checkups.
  • Deworm your canine and use flea and tick treatment.
  • Change your beddings regularly.

hug time dog woman

Does Sleeping With Dogs Give Them Dominance?

If you share a bed with your dog, at times, when you approach the bed, the dog will bark or growl at you to show dominance. Other times, the dog might even be violent. That happens because the dog assumes that the bed is their sleeping spot and it needs to get guarded. If you must share the bed with your dog, consistently train them so that they can break dominance habits.

Conclusion

Most dog owners look forward to snuggling up and bonding with their beloved pet; they will not have a second thought about carrying the pet to bed after a long day of separation. But the truth is canines will affect your sleep quality, make you sick, or even get them injured.

We understand that dogs are great companions, and they are excited to spend time with you. But if you weigh the pros and cons, deciding on why your dog shouldn't sleep with you is pretty easy.