All the lucky people who can share our life with a puppy ask ourselves the same question at bedtime. Thinking about whether or not it is a good idea and what considerations we should have about it before sleeping with the dog in the same bed, or in other words, letting our dog sleep with us.
Who would not like to do it? It is without a doubt an extraordinary sensation, something that unites emotional bonds and links to another level. But it can also be something dangerous, since it can very negatively affect our health if we don’t take the proper precautions.
Let’s see in detail everything we need to know, before letting the dog sleep in our bed, next to us. And of course we will also see the problems and benefits of letting him sleep next to our bed, in the same room.
Index of contents
- 1 Sleeping with my dog Is it a risk?
- 2 Benefits of sleeping with my dog
- 3 Disadvantages of sleeping with my dog
- 4 Tips to sleep with our dog pleasantly and safely
- 5 Is it good to sleep in the same room as my dog?
- 5.1 Conclusions
Sleeping with my dog Is it a risk?
Letting our four-legged furry curl up next to us in bed obviously has many benefits, but also many risks. So in order to fully enjoy this situation, the ideal is to minimize risks as much as possible, something that we can easily do.
However, and although the risks are minimal, it is always possible that it poses a risk to our health. If we observe that after starting to sleep with our dog, we begin to experience allergies, skin irritations or even asthma … It is possible that either our dog’s hair, or the mites it carries, may have a lot to do and we should change this habit.
Likewise, if our dog does not have all his vaccinations up to date, it is possible that he may carry some disease and infect us. It is something we can avoid by renewing our dog’s vaccines every year, just as veterinaryns recommend.
Although on the other hand, we all know that dogs love to sleep alongside humans. It is an ancient way of showing their affection, they love to sleep with the rest of the herd because this way they feel more protected and loved, it is a primary instinct. Let’s see what are the benefits and possible drawbacks when sleeping with my dog in the same bed.
Benefits of sleeping with my dog
Did you know that there are many benefits to sleeping with a dog? Here are just a few, so you can get an idea:
- The feeling of peace and tranquility that sleeping with our dog brings is unique.
- The emotional bond that is created between dog and human increases, rising to another category.
- In winter they are an excellent source of ecological heat, the best stove in the world.
- That your puppy wakes you up playing with you, is one of the best ways to wake up that exists.
- Your love for your dog will be increased, sleeping with him means closer ties.
- The feeling of happiness you experience seeing your dog curled up next to you is priceless.
- If it is your child who sleeps with the puppy, not only will he feel more protected but he will feel much happier.
Disadvantages of sleeping with my dog
But not all are advantages, there are some risks that we must assume if we allow our dog to sleep next to us. Here are some of them:
- You can fill your entire bed with hairs and debris from your walks or street games.
- Sleeping with a dog means that it can infect us with parasites such as fleas, ticks or certain mites.
- He may not let us sleep because he wakes up several times during the night, especially when he is a puppy.
- Sleeping with our dog means knowing the risk that one day he may wet the bed, especially if he is a puppy.
- If our dog is very small, we run the risk of being crushed or damaged, unintentionally while we sleep.
- Sometimes it increases its territoriality, so we must educate our puppy or adult dog correctly, so that he gets out of bed when we ask him to.
- Sleeping with our dog means that sometimes we do not have the privacy we want, if we have a partner for example.
Tips to sleep with our dog pleasantly and safely
Zero risk does not exist, so knowing this what we must do is minimize possible problems to the maximum, in order to enjoy the company of our dog while we sleep.
The hygiene of our dog is essential, a dog that is brushed daily and that is protected against fleas and ticks, in addition to keeping up to date with all its vaccinations, is a dog that poses very few risks when sleeping with us.
We should also bathe our dog at least once a month, more often if it is usually stained playing in the street or the park. We all know that there are more curious dogs and others … I do not care staining mud up to the eyebrows. In both cases they are adorable.
Mark the rules It is completely necessary to prevent our dog from taking the wrong idea and being more territorial. We must teach him to get out of bed when we ask him to, and to be sociable when there are more people in bed, like our partner or children.
Keep patience It is essential when our dog does not give us the company we expect, he can also have a bad night, wake up often, or go around a lot … we must be patient with him and assume that we will not always sleep peacefully.
Be consistent It is essential to avoid dirtying the entire bed, with hair or dirt on the legs, for example putting a blanket and getting our dog used to sleeping on it. We should also be more hygienic with our sheets and wash them frequently.
Is it good to sleep in the same room as my dog?
There are also people who, although they do not sleep with their dog in the same bed, do so in the same room. Putting an extra bed to our puppy next to ours, will make him extremely happy. Knowing that you can sleep with us is a great satisfaction.
We must keep in mind that although he does not sleep in the same bed as us, he can still infect us with parasites or diseases. So keeping it clean and vaccinated is essential.
Another aspect to take into account is the ventilation of the room, remember that two living beings need more oxygen than one and that the odor that you both give off will unify… that is, it is highly recommended to have a well-ventilated room, even leaving the door open so unpleasant odors are not concentrated (dogs also fart).
Conclusions
Sleeping with my dog is the best experience that I have been able to experience when creating emotional ties, it has even helped me to be happier. Well waking up in the company of your beloved puppy, or due to his licks because he wants to play, is something that every human being should experience.
It is false to say that it is completely safe and does not pose risks. But if we follow the above tips we can minimize them, it really is worth the risk. Is there something in this risk-free life?
Common sense will be our best ally, good hygiene and a healthy treatment will make coexistence great. We must respect our dog and also teach him to respect and obey us.
So…. What are you waiting for to test the sensation of sleeping with your dog?