Is Sleeping with Your Dog a Question?

Have you noticed often that you’re waking up hugging the edge of your bed while your pooch is sprawled out, snoring, having a great dream and giving you no mind, let alone when you nudge them to move over? You might even get a growl. Whose bed is it anyway? But, all of that doesn’t matter when it comes to the fact that when they jump into bed with you and snuggle up, you feel loved, safe, and you seem to drift off easier and quicker each night. There’s a reason for this, but is it beneficial to you and your furry friend. Should you let your dog sleep with you?

This is a debate that has been around since the beginning of time. Okay, maybe not the beginning of time, but it’s been around and highly debated by pet owners and experts alike for a while. Being extremely experienced pet stylists, we thought we’d weigh in as well.

Here’s what we found. (We’ll chime in on how we feel afterwards but let’s hear from scientists and behaviorists.)

How Will You Feel in The Morning?

Not only do dogs provide comfort and warmth for their sleepy owners, but they tend not to disrupt sleep, either. It may seem too good to be true, but these are the reasons why you totally should let your pet sleep in your bed every single night…or at least try it out. Trust us, they’ll love it, too!

Okay, so during the day they light up your life, right? Well, snuggling up together at night gives the same vibe. Having them with you in bed provides comfort, safety and security especially for those that suffer from anxiety and depression. As Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, explained to CNN, “People with depression or anxiety may benefit from having their pet in the bed because the pet is a big pillow, a big blanket, and they may feel that snuggly, cuddly, furry creature decreases their anxiety.”

What Are the Benefits Of Sleeping With Your Pets?

The flip side? Your pet benefits from your presence as well. They get the same sense of security and comfort that they might not feel while in their own dog bed. Neither disrupts each other’s sleep. Completely the opposite! Now, more than one dog in your bed might create territorial issues and sleepless nights when all of you are vying for space so, keep that in mind.

The experts say that sleeping with your four-legged friends also creates a bond and builds trust. CNN spoke with Dr. Dana Varble, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the North American Veterinary Community, about the benefits of dogs sleeping in bed with their owners. She noted that canines who co-sleep with their humans tend to have a “higher trust level and a tighter bond with the humans that are in their lives.” This also leads to less stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure. Plus, it’s found that everyone has a higher quality of sleep, including your pooch!

So, bottom line, as far as we’re concerned (because we’ve always loved having our dogs close)…sleep with your pets. There really aren’t any negatives unless you have a certain breed that continually hogs that bed and puts you on the floor in the middle of the night. Sleeping with your pet benefits you - and them - in so many ways that it’s hard to say no. So, don’t!