Sleeping with Your Pet
He snores, he hogs the covers, and he drools in his sleep. He’s a Pug – that’s what he’s supposed to do, right? Well, yes. But are you getting enough sleep with him in your bed?
In a 2001 study at the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, results showed that people who sleep with pets are more likely to have disturbed sleep. Many pet owners claimed that their pets disturbed their sleep every night, whether it was a pouncing cat or snoring dog.
Not only do some pets move around the bed at night and disturb sleep, many people are reluctant to shift into a more comfortable position once their pet has gotten settled. This pet owner may have a difficult time getting to sleep or may even experience numbness of the limbs – all to ensure that Kitty and Fido get their z’s. Some people even suffer from a pet allergy but sleep with them anyway. From a behavioral standpoint, some trainers believe that allowing a dog to sleep in bed with you will result in a dominant dog who doesn’t know his place in the pack.
Why are pet owners willing to suffer allergies, numbness, and sleep deprivation? First of all, what’s nicer than napping with someone you love? A pet’s love provides immeasurable comfort, something many people need to get to sleep. Pets are also nice and warm in the winter – there’s no better foot warmer than a purring cat or furry dog. Also, dogs provide some measure of protection and safety – even little Mitzy the Maltese isn’t going to let an intruder into your bedroom without a warning.
So, sleeping with a pet is a trade off – you lose a little to get a lot. Here are a few ways to counteract the potential negatives of having a pet in bed:
- One way to get a few more winks with your pet in your bed is to put a blanket or pet bed in one corner and designate that as your pet’s area. Train your pet to sleep there, and only there.
- Try to get to bed a little earlier to let your pet get settled – lack of sleep results in poor concentration and can have adverse affects on your activities, so if you’re going to sleep with your pet, roll back your bedtime a little.
- Keep your pet very clean and free of odor and fleas. The last thing you need in your bed are biting bugs!
- If you have a very dominant dog and you still like his company in bed, make him sleep at the foot of the bed, not near your face.
- If your dominant dog is being possessive over a part of your bed or someone in it, banish him to his own bed on the floor next to yours. Humans shouldn’t have to sleep on the couch because Bowser is being bossy.
- If you’ve got more than one pet and your bed is getting a little too cramped for comfort, get a bigger mattress to give all of you some more space.
The bottom line on sleeping with a pet is this: if you, your partner, and your pet are getting your rest, there’s no reason to change what you’re doing. If the circles under your eyes are telling another story, get Fido his own bed and reclaim your space.