Not So Strange Bedfellows SHARING YOUR BED WITH

YOUR DOG(S)

By Teresa Bitler

Our ancestors appreciated the benefits of sleeping with their dogs. Dogs could warn them if predators or enemies came too close, keep them warm at night, and offer comfort when they needed it to help get to sleep.

BAD THING/GOOD THING

But, over time, sleeping with your four-legged friend became taboo. Dogs, it was argued, could disrupt your sleep or aggravate allergies and asthma. Plus, if they slept between you and your partner, they could even discourage intimacy.

Recent sources show that up to 70–75 percent of pet owners share their bed with their dog. That number may continue to rise thanks to the attention a 2017 Mayo Clinic study, “The Effect of Dogs on Human Sleep in the Home Sleep Environment,” has put on the subject. The study found that as long as there was only one dog in the bed or bedroom, the animal’s presence had very little effect on its human’s quality of sleep.

Quantity And Quality

Some argue the “one dog” limit is a bit arbitrary, though. Eva DeCozio-Bush, DVM, CVA, Grad Dip VCHM, CERP and owner of Dr. DeCozio Heals on Wheels, says she’s had up to eight dogs in her bed at a time and, while it could get crowded, she slept better with them in her bed. She feels inviting your dogs to sleep in bed with you—and the number you invite—is a matter of personal preference.

Stephanie Huss, BS, CVT, program director of the veterinary assistant and veterinary technician program at the Pima Medical Phoenix Campus, says she and her staff of two veterinarians and eight vet techs agree. Having your dogs join you in bed is a matter of personal preference. She added, however, that there’s really no positive or negative benefit to sleeping in bed with you for the dog. At least not that can be measured since it’s impossible to ask dogs about the quality of their sleep.

Advantages

The benefits of sharing a bed with their dogs can be significant for owners, though. Multiple studies have shown having a dog in your bed can ease anxiety and depression. If you feel anxious about your safety or security, having your dog right there to alert you of any unusual sounds and provide protection, may actually improve your sleep quality.

Co-sleeping with your dog has also been shown to have physical benefits as well. It can alleviate insomnia, lower your blood pressure, and improve heart health, not to mention strengthen your bond with your dog. And, of course, a dog’s body heat can help keep you warm on a cold night.

A Few Considerations

Despite the recognized benefits, you should reconsider sharing a bed with your dog if it aggravates your allergies or asthma or disrupts your sleep. Keep in mind that while most people sleep for one long stretch during the night, dogs are polyphasic, meaning they have periods of sleep spread throughout the day. As a result, your dog may wake up in the middle of the night and wake you, too.

Additionally, you should remove your pet from the bed if he becomes aggressive over the sleeping arrangements, a problem behavior is worsened by it, or it affects your relationship with your partner.

Otherwise, whether you should share your bed or even just the bedroom with your dog depends on what works for you, your family, and your dog, according to DeCozio-Bush.

“Sleeping with your dog is a beautiful act of bonding and, at the same time, very comforting,” she says. “Personally, I cannot sleep well when I’m traveling. My sleep is much more interrupted and restless when I don’t have my dogs in bed with me.”