Has your pup become more of a family member than a friend? If, yes, it is only logical that you’re considering sharing a bed with him. With many of us developing strong bonds with our pets, spending as much time with them can be a blessing.

But is it a good idea to let a dog share your bed? This is a popular question many pooch lovers ask in pet forums and online communities.

Sharing a bed with your dog can curb loneliness, relieve the dog of anxiety, and foster an even stronger bond. However, dogs’ bodies can be breeding grounds for bacteria, infections, and dirt especially those that spend time outdoors. Canines can also aggravate your allergies and exhibit behavioral problems allowed into your bed.

Thus, it is up to each dog lover to weigh the positives and negatives to decide which option works best. Shall we take a deep dive into the top reasons why you should allow your favorite dog into your bed?

15 Reasons Why You Should Let Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed

Here’s a closer look at the 15 top reasons why you should share your bed with your favorite dog.

1. They Provide Company

Do you live alone and hate the idea of solo sleeping? If the answer is yes, sharing the bed with your dog can be comforting in many ways. It may provide a way out of the loneliness which typically gets worse at night.

Sure, you can always get another person to share your bed, be it a friend or family member. But we all know that another human may come with physical and emotional baggage you may not be ready to deal with.

This means you could still end up feeling lonely even with another person in your bed. This is why sharing beds with dogs can be so rewarding. Sure, they may be days when they seem rattled or moody but it doesn’t usually last long and a few minutes of cuddling can always get your dog in a better mood again.

2. They Enhance Your Comfort

Feeling uncomfortable after a long hard day? How about inviting your dog into your bed? Dogs can be extremely playful especially in the right surroundings. Sharing a bed with a pooch could make you laugh, thereby banishing any feelings of pain or discomfort.

Playing with your dog can also be a great way to stay physically active, which may come in handy for those who live sedentary lifestyles.

And the fact that you know you’re sharing the bed with a valuable friend means you’re likely to keep it even warmer and snug. This can trigger a regular changing of the sheets and the elimination of any obstacles that may come between you and the dog’s blissful sleeping.

3. Increased Sense of Security

Do you know that dogs are some of the most protective pets on the planet? Sharing a bed with a canine means round-the-clock care even as you sleep. Dogs have heightened senses that make it possible to detect intruders from a mile away.

They will not hesitate to bark out loud and attack anyone that tries to enter your home without your authorization. If you live in a dangerous area or have to sleep with open windows during the summer to keep the bedroom cool, having a pup in your bed may be a real asset.

You can rest assured that your security needs will be taken care of by your beloved pup should anything untoward happen during the night.

4. De-Stress After a Long Day

Did you know that spending the night in the same bed with your dog may relieve stress after a long hard day?

According to Animal Smart, petting, stroking, and playing with your pooch can lower the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. This is replaced by Oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that may brighten anyone’s moods and make you feel better regardless of the struggles in life.

Sure, you can always spend a couple of minutes playing with the pet and going to sleep solo. But why not allow him to sleep in your bed? You could play for as long as you want until it is bedtime.

5. Eliminates Insomnia

If you’ve been tossing and turning at night before finally nodding off, it may be time to allow your dog into your bed. One of the underlying reasons behind sleeplessness is anxiety which causes a high sense of hypervigilance when you’re supposed to be sleeping.

Sharing a bed with a canine can calm you down and eliminate negative thoughts that may destroy your sleep.

Besides, a calmer body means the brain can quickly launch the processes that prepare the body for nighttime rest by releasing the hormone melatonin. This hormone reduces the body temperature and relaxes the muscles for a quick drift off.

6. Reduce Dog Separation Anxiety

Does your beloved pooch bark, howl, or whine beyond control whenever it is left alone? Or maybe it chews things up, digs holes, or salivates away more than usual. These could be signs that it is suffering from separation anxiety, a serious mental condition that affects various dog breeds.

Spending the night in the same bed may reduce the dog’s level of anxiety for effective rest. After all, these pets are smart creatures that can sense routines quickly. Do you spend a lot of time away due to work or other commitments? Giving your pup a lot of attention after arrival at home and even sharing a bed can reinforce the bond.

This can reduce the probability of the dog misbehaving while you’re away. Separation anxiety can happen to virtually any dog. However, the condition may be more prevalent in the following breeds:

• German Shepherd

• Labrador Retriever

• Australian Shepherd

• Toy Poodle

• Cocker Spaniel

• Viszla

• Border Collie

• Italian Greyhound

• Havanese

• German Short-haired Pointer

7. Warmth

Have you ever woken up in the middle of a cold winter night? The room temperature can get so uncomfortable that you may wish for something or somebody to cuddle up to. So why not snuggle up to your beloved dog?

Your pup can provide warmth to stay comfortable and avoid freezing to death during harsh weather. Cuddling with him can also increase your body temperature to levels that enhance sleep.

This can also lead to important savings on your heating bill. Remember, while cool body temperatures may improve sleep, excessive cold can have the opposite effect.

8. Creates A Sleep Routine

One of the best ways to get good shuteye every night is to have a consistent sleep routine. Sharing a bed with a pet can help create a healthy routine that gets both of you into Dreamland within minutes.

After practicing this consistently over time, your brain will begin associating that routine with bedtime. So once you jump into bed and start cuddling your dog, the brain instantly triggers the release of melatonin and other sleep hormones.

9. Builds A Stronger Bond

There’s no bond greater than that between man and dog. Letting your furry friend into your bed means you get to spend valuable time together which inevitably builds trust and confidence.

Sleeping in the same bed tells the dog that you value and cherish him. This can enhance mutual trust and make the pup love you even more.

Sharing a bed with a canine also increases his loyalty to you especially in the face of an intrusion. Thus, you can expect your favorite pup to love you unconditionally no matter what you may be facing in life.

10. Great Treat For Your Dog

Allowing your dog to sleep in your bed can be a good treat especially as a reward for good behavior. Sure, you may only prefer spending the night with him once in a while. But such treats can show love and care to your beloved pooch.

Has your dog been responding well to training or stopped acting up after a troublesome spell recently? Offering such a treat can motivate him to maintain good behavior. This could result in a happier dog and a much happier owner.

My Dog has been sleeping way better and calmer since I ordered the Luciphia Super Soft Fluffy Premium Fleece Blanket from Amazon 3 months ago. It offers amazing comfort for dogs and cats while being easy to wash.

11. Pay More attention Especially During Sickness

Is your dog currently suffering from arthritis or another extremely painful condition? Why not allow him to share your bed at least for the time being.

The average human beds are more comfortable than regular dog beds thanks to the excess room for stretching as well as the quality of our mattresses and bedding.

Not only can the increased comfort provide relief from pain but the proximity also means you can respond to his every need throughout the night.

Sleeping in the same bed as your dog allows you to pay close attention to him. This can save him from choking and other accidents that can occur when allowed to sleep alone.

12. Wake up Naturally In The Morning

Do you struggle to wake up on your own in the morning? If yes, sharing a bed with a pup could be a great move. Dogs can be attention-seeking animals that typically get jealous when they see humans enjoying some shut-eye, especially in the morning.

It is only a matter of time before they become your unofficial wakeup alarm. Distracting their sleeping owners in the morning seems to be every dog’s main mission. They do this by licking your body and engage in other forms of mischief to wake you up from even the deepest levels of slumber.

But why do they typically seem so hellbent on waking up their owners in the first place? Firstly, dogs need to be walked out early in the morning for a bathroom break. Thus, they wake their owners so they can get the toilet break without delay.

Your pooch may also wake you up when it is hungry in the morning. It is their way of saying it is time to feed us.

13. Live Longer

Did you know that letting your dogs sleep in your bed can increase your lifespan? That’s right!  According to Medical News Today, sleeping with your canine or other pets can improve the quality of your sleep.

Good sleep means better body weight regulation, thereby lowering the risk of obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular problems that could send you to an early grave.

Additionally, pets may offer severe benefits for an animal lover’s mental health. This can reduce the risk of depression and stress, two conditions that may put a significant dent in the overall quality of your life.

While previously thought of as a needless distraction, sharing a bed with your pup can be a positive practice.

14. White Noise

Have you ever paid attention to the sound of your furry friend rhythmically breathing while sleeping in your bed?

This can be music to the ears especially when you’re struggling to nod off deep at night. If you live in a noisy city center or by a major highway that gets busy at night, the white noise from your pet’s breaths can be a suitable sleep aid.

Those breathing sounds can drown out any background noises that may interfere with your sleep. The result is consistently memorable nights whenever you jump into bed.

15. Saves You Money

Spending the night with your pup in the same bed can also be good for your wallet. A quick dash into any pet accessories store may show a wide variety of dog crates or kennels. Their prices can run into several hundred dollars especially for owners who want the best comfort for their puppies.

The good news is that sharing a bed eliminates the need to shell out on a dedicated dog kennel or crate. When money is tight, this can be a huge relief in many ways. Since your dog gets to enjoy the comfort of your bed, the practice can be a win-win situation for everyone.

How To Train Your Dog To Sleep With You

If you’ve decided that the benefits of sleeping in the same bed as your dog outweigh any drawbacks, then congratulations.

Here’re a few steps for training your dog to sleep in your bed.

Step 1

Bring a dog mat or blanket into the bedroom and use the “down” command to get your pooch to lie down on it. Keep practicing every night until the dog gets used to sleeping on his mat in your bedroom.

Step 2

Decide which side of the bed you’ll be comfortable having the dog sleep and place the mat or blanket there.

Step 3

Look for ways to get the dog into lying down on the mat placed on your bed. This can be achieved by picking up and placing him directly on the mat. You can also tempt him to the designated area by leaving treats or dog toys on the mat.

Once your pooch lands on the mat, issue the “down” command to get him to lie down. You can start by letting him lie there for just a couple of minutes until he gets used to lying down on your bed for hours continuously. 

Keep training the dog and with time, he’ll get completely comfortable with lying down on your bed whenever you issue the command. Also, make sure to lie down beside him to reinforce the message that it is a good place to sleep.

Step 4

Take your pup for a toilet break just before bedtime and bring him back to the mat on the bed. Issue the down command again and keep patting and pampering him with treats as he continues to obey your commands.

If he gets distracted or moves away from the mat, gently get him back and issue the down command again. Keep patting the pooch whenever he obeys the command. Eventually, create a command he can associate with lying down on his mat to sleep such as “Bedtime”.

Step 5

Turn off the lights whenever you’re sleepy and go to bed. Whenever the dog drifts away from his mat, bring him back, and offer a treat as a reward.

Step 6

If you wake up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break or another reason, ignore the dog. Don’t worry if he starts following you around every time you wake up. Just train him to lie down on his spot whenever you’re sleeping.

This will eventually drill into his head that each one of you needs to sleep on the right spot without disturbance during bedtime.

10 Reasons Why Your Dog Shouldn’t Sleep In Your Bed

As stated above, allowing a canine to sleep in your bed does not come without drawbacks. From the dog growing so big that he doesn’t fit into your bed to the struggles of banishing him from to another room if you change your mind in the future, a lot of problems can come up.

Here are 10 reasons why your dog should never sleep in your bed.

1. Bacteria and Germs

It is a sad fact that even the cleanest dogs may carry lots of harmful germs and bacteria. From fleas to ticks as well as parasites and fecal matter, sleeping with a dog in the same bed can expose you to a lot of potentially harmful organisms.

Since dogs like to cuddle and lick their owners, it is only a matter of time before they transfer these organisms to your body, causing a wide range of infections and diseases.

To minimize these potentially harmful germs and bacteria, you’ll have to bathe and disinfect your dogs every few days.

You’ll also have to keep them indoors most of the time and regulate how much they can play, which can be stifling to their lives.

Why not just let dogs be dogs and sleep in their beds? It may save you a lot of work down the line.

2. No Sleeping In

Have you had a long stressful couple of days and looking to sleep in over the weekend? Having a dog in your bed overnight can make that impossible. As previously stated, dogs love to be the center of attention so they’ll do anything to wake you up from Dreamland the moment they wake up themselves.

This can rob you of the rest you need to recharge the body after a packed week. Besides, your dog will need his bathroom break in the morning, and returning to bed after taking them out can be next to impossible.

Sleeping alone is surely the best way to get the peace of mind to catch up on that nap deficit after a strenuous week.

Worried about coming home to dogs sleeping on your favorite clothes? Click the link to read the article we wrote on Why Does My Dog Sleep On My Clothes. It provides detailed explanations on why your pooch adopts the habit and how you can stop it.

3. Losing Your Role As Pack Leader

The relationship with a dog can only thrive when he recognizes you as the pack leader and offers the respect to go with it. This is the only way the dog can be trained successfully in any aspect of life including potty and behavioral training.

The moment a dog starts ignoring your commands, there is trouble. This is why you need to maintain his obedience to you throughout a lifetime.

Unfortunately, allowing your pooch in your bed can bring confusion into the relationship. The dog may suddenly feel like he’s on par with you or even the leader of the pack and may begin acting out by ignoring your commands.

This can only bring doom into a blossoming relationship.

4. Sleep Disturbance

Few things can be more disturbing than the sound of a canine barking and howling in your bed while you’re trying to nod off. The sounds may jolt you back even from the deepest realms of Dreamland and make it hard to resume sleeping.

Remember, dogs like the German Shepherd can get very big meaning their body heat can spike the temperature of your sleeping surface. This is especially common during late spring and summer when bedroom temperatures usually go through the roof.

The last thing you need on a hot night is increased sweating and hot flushes from your big furry friend’s body heat.

5. Aggravate Your Allergies

Do you suffer from allergies or breathing problems such as Asthma? Letting your dog into your bed at night can be a terrible move that may backfire. This is because dogs carry lots of allergens that can interfere with the ability to breathe smoothly.

If you must share a bed, it is important to stay on top of your allergy medications. Also, keep the dog in tip-top condition by giving it a disinfecting bath every 2-3 days. Additionally, an air purifier is a must-have to clear up any potentially harmful contaminants in the air that may arise as a result of the pooch’s presence in your bed.

Once I installed the Germ Guardian True HEPA Filter Air Purifier from Amazon in my bedroom, my chronic allergies are finally kept at bay and I’m able to play with my beloved T-Bag, a German Shepherd I adopted a month ago. If you suffer allergies, I could not recommend this air purifier highly enough.

6. Dirty Beds

Do you prefer crisp and clean looking sleeping surfaces? If the answer is yes, allowing a dog in your bed can be a terrible idea. Firstly, dogs may carry lots of dirt as they love to play in the outdoors.

Even if you keep them indoors most of the time, you’ll still have to take them out for toilet breaks and walks. Thus, picking up dirt is inevitable and it is only a matter of time before the dirt is transferred into your bed. 

During wet days or nights, they can even muddy their feet and transfer that into your bed. Can you imagine walking up into your bedroom and noticing mud all over the bed? Yikes!

7. Midnight Scratches 

Sadly, scratches are a part of a dog owner’s life. You can pick up scratches for spending time with your furry friend regularly. However, midnight scratches can be more painful because they can be especially startling.

Imagine trying to shift into 5th gear and experiencing a sudden scratch that wakes you up straight away. The pain may be so excruciating that going back to sleep can be extremely difficult.

Besides, these scratches can turn into severe health problems if the dog is carrying certain germs and infections.

I rely on the Casfuy Electric Dog Nail Grinder from Amazon to keep my pooch’s nails short and reduce the risk of scratches day and night. It is affordable and rated 5 stars by over 10,000 pet owners on Amazon thanks to its ease of use.

8. Relationship Problems

Do you share a bed with a partner? Letting a dog be a 3rd wheel can cause lots of friction especially when you’re the only one that wants that.

This can lead to arguments and needless fights. Additionally, a large dog can take a lot of bed space leaving little for you and your partner to share. This can severely impact your mutual comfort especially when your bed is small.

Besides, sharing a bed with your dog can be a mood killer whenever you want to get intimate. This may harm your sex life and could drift you apart as a couple.

Have you read the article we wrote on How To Sleep After A Breakup: 11 Easy Tricks That Can Help? Click on the link to find out the best ways to get a good night of rest after splitting up with your partner.

9. Risk of Injuring Your Dog

Allowing a pup into your bed can increase his risk of injury. This is especially true for restless sleepers who toss and turn around a lot during the night.

You can easily roll over onto your pooch and cause injuries during the puppy stages. The constant tossing and turning may also disrupt the dog’s sleep and prevent him from getting the right amount of rest.

Smaller dogs may also get frightened by your constant tossing and turning, jumping off suddenly from the bed and suffering injuries.

Looking for a humane way to put a beloved dog down? Check out the article we wrote on How to Euthanize A Dog With Sleeping Pills: The Ultimate Guide.

10. Impossible To Ban Your Dog from The Bed In Future

Letting your pooch sleep in your bed can be a big move that may be difficult to undo should you change your mind about it in the future. Sure, you may see yourself sharing a bed with canines for a lifetime.

But, what happens if you end up with a partner that suffers serious allergies in the future? or what if you become a new parent and need to ban your dog from the bed for some reason?

Getting him to revert to another room can be difficult once he gets used to sharing your bed.

Conclusion

The decision to allow your dog to sleep in your bed is a personal one that each dog lover has to make at some point. We’ve outlined the positives and negatives of the practice above so you can make a well-informed decision.

Do take into consideration your comfort as well as that of your pup without compromising on the health of either one of you.