We have all heard the comments, “don’t let your dog sleep with you, your dog will think s/he’s dominant to you or s/he will become spoiled”. While there can be a link between bed-sharing and behaviour problems, it’s not known whether co-sleeping creates the problem, or if the problem leads to co-sleeping in the first place.
Sometimes, the issues are unrelated, and co-sleeping simply highlights already existing problem behaviour. 
For example, a dog with protective issues might growl and bark to protect his sleeping spot on your bed. But the problem is really about your dog unnecessarily defending what he sees as his items and territory, not about the co-sleeping.
Co-sleeping with your pet can also ease anxiety both for them and yourself and provide a feeling of safety and security. Your light-sleeping canine will alert you to anything out of the ordinary, so you can rest easy through the night. Dogs are also perfect bed warmers, keeping you toasty on a cold night. Plus there is no substitute for waking up to a tail-wagging dog.
Quality of sleep is something you should consider when co-sleeping. Dogs are polyphasic sleepers and average three sleep/wake cycles per night time hour, whereas humans are monophasic sleepers (one period of sleep over a 24-hour cycle). Dogs also stay alert for sounds, even when sleeping, which may make them lighter sleepers than their humans (Source: AKC). While this can be good for security it can also cause you to not get the best sleep because your dog’s sleep is more restless.
Another thing to consider is human allergies. . For example, A lot of people are allergic to their pet’s dander so having a pet in your bed and their hair on your blankets may aggravate your allergies.
Lastly, always consider your pet’s attitude. Some pets like sleeping in their crate. It’s their safe spot, similar to how our beds make us feel comfortable. It can be a huge benefit to have asleep routine for your pet especially if you travel, as it will make pet sitting or boarding go a lot smoother.
The Move your Doggie team always supports our pet owner clients and their choices with regards to caring for their pets. As the summer approaches and you start to make travel plans, if you know that you are not able to travel with your pet, remember that Move Your Doggie offers pet sitting in your home in Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa in the Durham Region. Visit the Services page and click on the Pet Sitting tab for more details on our different pet sitting options.
For more information and to book your complimentary Meet and Greet, please visit our Contact Us page. Also, please feel free to leave a comment below.