Many people decide to sleep with their dogs. The desire to have them close, the adoration they feel for them and the mutual affection that exists prevents them from refusing to rest with their little furry ones. It is a detail that serves to further strengthen the relationship between pets and their owners, but there are also some doubts about whether this practice is really positive.
On the coldest nights, you also really want to sleep with a dog because of the warmth it provides. Even so, you should take into account all the benefits and drawbacks of resting with a dog, to decide if it is convenient to continue sleeping like this. To discover if it is bad to sleep with the dog , the benefits and drawbacks, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
You may also be interested in: Is it bad to kiss dogs? – find out the answer!
Index
- Is it bad or good to sleep with the dog?
- What are the benefits of sleeping with your dog?
- Why is it bad to sleep with a dog?
- How to sleep with the dog in bed
Is it bad or good to sleep with the dog?
Do you usually sleep with your dog? Not bad if a number of conditions are met . If your furry little one is healthy, free of parasites and completely clean, there is no risk. In any case, daily walks down the street cause it to accumulate some dirt and even catch some kind of disease.
To sleep with your dog, you must prevent it from getting sick and, therefore, it is bad for it to sleep with you in bed. So you should visit the vet at least twice a year (every 6 months) complying with the marked vaccination schedule and deworming it both internally and externally periodically.
In addition, it is important to bathe your dog monthly and brush his hair to eliminate or prevent possible parasites. At OneHOWTO we also recommend that you clean his legs every time you return home from walks. We tell you how to do it in our post How to take care of my dog’s paws .
What are the benefits of sleeping with your dog?
Sharing hours of sleep with your dog will bring you a series of health benefits such as the following.
Helps lower blood pressure
According to an article published by the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (1) , it can be stated that there is a cause-effect relationship between sleeping in bed with a dog and a reduction in blood pressure . This aspect is essential to rest and sleep.
sense of security
Another benefit of sleeping next to your furry friend is experiencing a feeling of protection . By having it close, you will notice how you fall asleep with a stronger sense of security. In addition, it is very positive for those people who are especially sensitive to any type of noise, since having the company of their dog will give them greater confidence.
Reduces your anxiety and increases your happiness
By being in contact or close to their relatives, dogs feel happy . For this reason, they secrete serotonin, that is, the one known as the hormone of happiness. Sleeping with them helps them feel safer and happier, so sharing a bed is a good way to provide them with well-being.
Strengthens the emotional bond
What are the benefits of sleeping with a dog? Another reason is that, just as resting with another person reinforces the emotional bond with them since it is an intimate act, the same thing happens with dogs: sleeping with your furry little one is important to strengthen and strengthen your relationship.
reduce stress
Another issue that they solve if it is bad to sleep with the dog is the reduction of cortisol , the stress hormone in humans. Sleeping with your pet helps reduce the levels of this hormone in the body, thus promoting better rest and quality sleep.
Why is it bad to sleep with a dog?
Despite the great benefits mentioned in the previous section on sleeping with a dog, there are also negative aspects to consider. Letting the dog up on the bed is counterproductive if we talk about aspects such as hygiene, the danger of contracting infections and the difference in sleep cycles are the main ones.
Hygiene
It is bad to sleep with pets even if you comply with the basic rules of hygiene at home. Domestic animals are transmitters of infections despite being vaccinated and in good health. Bacteria, parasites and viruses that they usually carry naturally are a risk to your body.
infections
What if the dogs sleep in the bed? Sharing a bed with a dog, its licks and the kisses you give it increase the risk of transmitting infections such as ringworm, hookworm, staph infections due to drug resistance, allergies and respiratory problems .
different dream cycles
Some people may experience sleep disturbances from sleeping with their dog. The animal’s sleep cycles are different from those of humans, so it may take longer to fall asleep. Another reason why it’s bad to sleep with a dog is that you’re also more likely to wake up at night from your pet’s snoring.
If you want to know more about the sleep cycle of dogs, we recommend you read this post about How much does a dog sleep per day .
How to sleep with the dog in bed
To take advantage of all the benefits of sleeping with your dog in bed and counteract the harmful aspects, at OneHOWTO we give you the following tips:
- Don’t let him climb into bed right after a walk. Clean each of their paws so that dirt from the street does not get on the sheets.
- Check your furry little one daily to check that he does not have parasites.
- Brush your hair frequentlyto avoid leaving dead hair on the bed.
- Take all possible precautions to sleep with puppies that have a tendency to wet the bed.
- Always place your dog on the bed to avoid crushing it with any involuntary movement while you sleep.