The great debate…do you let your pets sleep in your bed?
According to the 2021–2022 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey, 43 percent of pet dogs in the United States and 49 percent of pet cats sleep on their owner’s bed.
Is it healthy, for you or your pet, to share a bed? There are a few reasons why it may not be, including allergies and asthma. If a pet owner experiences breathing problems, it’s probably a good idea to keep Fluffy off the bed. But most sources agree that, barring those major problems, there are no health risks to sleeping with your pets. In fact, there may be some major benefits of doing so.
Emotional Benefits
Owning a pet comes with many emotional benefits. It’s a commonly known fact that pets reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness, especially among seniors or people who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses. Allowing your dog or cat to snuggle in bed, or even simply knowing that they are nearby, can be one way that they help reduce anxiety.
Additionally, dogs often provide a sense of safety for many owners. Alert dogs that will bark in the event that something happens make owners feel safer when they drift off to sleep.
Pet Health
Let’s face it, our pets love to be spoiled. Sleeping on a cushy bed feels good for them just as it does us, and who doesn’t want to spoil their pets? But the benefits for pets goes deeper than a simple bit of spoiling. Dogs, and to a certain extent, cats, are pack animals. Their brains are hardwired to seek the company and comfort of their pack, and that means you. Many pets feel separation anxiety when separated from their owners for too long. Knowing that you are nearby can reduce your pet’s stress, and allow them to get a good night’s sleep as well.
Potential Problems
There are a few obstacles that pet owners often face when co-sleeping with their pets. While these aren’t necessarily deal breakers, they are things to consider before you get your pet into an unbreakable habit.
While pets are warm and cozy, which may help you sleep, they can also be demanding bed mates. Dogs can snore, kick, steal covers, and take up more than their fair share of a bed. Cats have been known to “steal” air by sleeping near a child’s mouth, and to wake owner’s up in less than pleasant ways.
If your pet is used to coming to bed with just you, your spouse or partner needs to be on same page. Your pet may not understand why the door is closed on them while you and your partner enjoy some alone time. Some owners give their pets a treat, or train their pets to be equally happy sleeping with children on nights when they want to be alone.
If you want to train an animal to stay out of bed after they’ve learned that it’s okay, you’ll probably be facing many nights of distraction. Kennel training is one way to help an animal learn to love a new safe space; try putting the kennel in your room at first, until they learn to sleep on their own. Then move the kennel into a new space gradually.
Rest assured that no matter what you prefer, you won’t be harming either yourself or your pets if you do choose to cuddle up after a long day.
What are your sleeping habits with your pets?
