Deciding whether your dog should sleep in the same bed as you or in their own bed next to yours, is entirely your choice.
Here we have a look at the benefits to you and your dog of sleeping in the same bed as each other.
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A comforting routine
Your dog loves you very much and sees you as their guide and provider. Allowing your dog to sleep with you creates a comforting routine so he does not feel scared or lonely.
This can also be true for you, having your pet nearby during the night can also help you feel more comforted and secure.
Health benefits
Several studies have shown that there are many physical and mental health advantages to owning a dog.
Sleeping together increases the amount of time you spend with your dog, potentially increasing these health benefits.
Having a dog can actually help lower your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and improve feelings of loneliness.
Allowing your dog into your bedroom can provide a calm, soothing presence at night-time.
Recommended reading: 8 Surprising Benefits of Having a Dog in Your Life!
Strengthening the bond
Just being together in the same room even while asleep can help your dog develop their loyalty to you and increase your bond.
When sleeping, you are both more vulnerable, and spending it together increases feelings of trust and confidence in each other.
Safe and sound
Dogs have excellent hearing and are protective of their owners and territory. They are quick to detect if something is wrong.
Having your dog sleep in the same room as you is like having an alarm system installed in your bedroom as your dog can alert you to any approaching danger.
It keeps your dog safe too
If you let your dog roam freely around the house during the night, they could find themselves getting into trouble.
Keeping them in your bed or bedroom during the night helps them avoid getting into things they shouldn’t be in and undertaking activities that they should only do when supervised.
It can also help stop your dog from going to the bathroom inside the house as dogs do not like to make near to where they sleep.
Make sure you give your pup a chance to go to the bathroom right before bedtime to avoid any accidents.
Established sleeping patterns
Both you and your dog will sleep deeper and for longer when you know the other one is fast asleep.
As dogs follow the lead of their owners, they will also begin to emulate your sleep pattern.
Once a routine is established your dog will likely go to sleep and awake around the same time each day.
Routines help your dog feel more secure and relaxed, and a good night’s sleep will be good for you too.
Warm and toasty!
By allowing your dog to sleep in your bed, you have the added benefit of letting them warm up the bed before you get in!
Dogs are great at keeping you warm and toasty throughout a cold nigh too.
Why does my dog want to sleep with me?
We all know the popular quote, ”dogs are man’s best friend,” but little did we know, dogs also see us as their best friend.
Over the years, dogs have bonded more with humans than their kind.
They love observing us, and sometimes even try to mimic our behavior and gestures.
Your dog loves you
In a nutshell, your dog simply adores you.
Your dog loves you so much that they always want to be by your side as much as possible even when you’re sleeping.
For dogs, being with their guardian gives them so much joy and happiness.
Your dog feels safe with you
Dogs are pack animals; from the moment they’re born, you can see puppies love stack together in a “dog pile” for comfort and security.
They take this behavior even when they grow up. Your dog knows he can sleep soundly if he can feel your presence.
Your dog wants to protect you
When you are sleeping, you are in your most unguarded state.
Your dog’s natural instincts will kick in to protect you at all costs.
It fact, is not an unusual story for dogs to attack housebreakers coming in the middle of the night.
Your dog is feeling cold
Who doesn’t want to be covered in a warm, comfortable layer of a duvet?
Yes, your dog’s bed is also nice and soft, but yours are still comfier.
Your dog knows this, and he also wants to experience the same level of comfort as you do.
Dogs can be spoiled little brats, but sometimes they’re just looking for additional warmth from their owner’s body.
Your dog wants to mark your bed
Dogs can also feel entitled. What yours is also theirs, including your bed.
They know that your bed is bigger, cozier, and more luxurious. It smells better too.
So your dog wants to mark that comfy cotton mattress as part of their prized possession.
After some time, it will start to smell like them, you throw it into the washing machine, and they repeat the process.
Recommended reading: 7 Surprising Ways to Tell That Your Dog is Truly Happy
Do dogs dream?
Many researchers agree that dogs also dream. Using an electroencephalogram (EEG), scientists were able to monitor a dog’s brain wave activity while sleeping and concluded that they have the same sleep stages and brain wave activity as humans.
Dreams happen during stage 5 or the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage.
This is the deepest part of sleep, and you will notice that most dogs would twitch, whimper, and do motions like they’re chasing something.
Puppies have a longer REM stage that allows them to get longer dreams.
A lot of experts agreed that puppies use this time to better understand what they learned during the day.
How Often Do Dogs Dream?
It’s very interesting to know that when it comes to dreaming, not all dogs dream equally.
According to studies, small dogs tend to dream longer than larger dogs.
For example, small dogs like a Toy Poodle or Chihuahua may have a new dream every 10 minutes.
While large dogs like Golden Retriever or Chow Chow may only dream once every 90 minutes.
Puppies and older dogs also tend to dream more frequently compared to dogs in their prime.
Do dogs dream about their owners?
When you glance at your dog and see them sleeping so deeply, you might wonder what dogs dream about. Do dogs dream about their owners?
It’s unclear, and there’s no possible tool to discover what exactly dogs dream about.
But most researchers believe that when it comes to dreaming, dogs are not any different to humans.
Humans dream about the things they usually think about or the everyday activities they do.
Since dogs spend most of their time with their owners, it’s a safe guess that their dream is also about them.