For Dog Owners: Does Your Dog Sleep In Your Bed?

[Jennasis]

I agree that different people do different things but I still don't get it. I "guess" I can understand it if you say it has prevented you from having nightmares. That makes sense. But to just allow your “pet” to sleep in your bed for no reason is just strange to me. At what point do you treat an animal like an animal? If you allow your dog to sleep with you it almost eliminates any boundaries that separate man or woman from animal. IMO there has to be SOME sort of limitation on what you allow your pet to do as it relates to you personal space or else it just looks weird.

No open mouth kissing of the dogs in our house.

 

[agame2323]

It's a personal thing. You either get it or you don't. Like repeat trips to Disney!

There is no "point" to having your dogs sleep in the bed...other than it makes it toasty warm in winter...and I love snuggling with the fuzzy-wuzzies. there isn't anything bad about the floor, and the dogs usually start out their on their own beds and migrate up at some point in the middle of the night.

And at the end of the day, in OUR household, they are FAMILY MEMBERS. YMMV.

from the floor to the bed

 

[agame2323]

No open mouth kissing of the dogs in our house.

I would hope not!

 

[frndshpcptn]

Our Havanese cried all night the few nights we tried to have her sleep on her own on the floor.

We are all much happier with her on the bed.

Think of it like a "family bed" and instead of kids, we have our pup with us! She's just as much a member of our family "pack" as DBF or myself.

 

[daisax]

But to just allow your “pet” to sleep in your bed for no reason is just strange to me. At what point do you treat an animal like an animal? If you allow your dog to sleep with you it almost eliminates any boundaries that separate man or woman from animal. IMO there has to be SOME sort of limitation on what you allow your pet to do as it relates to you personal space or else it just looks weird.

Mine don't sit at the dinner table with me. They're not allowed to take the car. They don't get a vote when it comes to where I go on vacation (and they stay wherever I send them). They eat what's put in their bowl or handed to them and I don't tolerate begging. They don't get to pick the radio station or tv channel. I can put them in a crate when I don't feel like dealing with them.

Simply sharing a bed doesn't mean you think a pet is a person. I actually think it's disrespectful to treat a dog like a person with fur -- they deserve the dignity of being loved for their own self, including the actual species they are. Where they sleep doesn't have anything to do with it, though.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

no, it just encourages him to get on all the furniture. Plus he is way too big.

he has a crate and cushy dog beds throughout the house. He chooses to go into his crate all night.

our cats get to sleep in the bed, though I know that hardly sounds fair!!!

 

[Jennasis]

from the floor to the bed

Yes. The dogs (all three) have beds on the floor (or their own blankie on the floor). When I wake up in the morning there is usually one or two of them on the bed. We must be really heavy sleepers or else my 100lb lab is part ninja cause they never wake us up during the big move.

You mentioned that there HAS to be some speration of boundaries for the dogs and humans or else it "looks weird". To whom? Who exactly is going to storm into my room in the middle of the night and be horror-struck or think me loony to see I have a dog sleeping in the bed.

 

[JessicaR]

I agree that different people do different things but I still don't get it. I "guess" I can understand it if you say it has prevented you from having nightmares. That makes sense. But to just allow your “pet” to sleep in your bed for no reason is just strange to me. At what point do you treat an animal like an animal? If you allow your dog to sleep with you it almost eliminates any boundaries that separate man or woman from animal. IMO there has to be SOME sort of limitation on what you allow your pet to do as it relates to you personal space or else it just looks weird.

Perhaps there isn't a way for you to understand. That's OK too, no? It is apparent that you disagree and don't understand. Seems your convictions are as strong as those that have a differing opinion. I don't feel the need to defend my choices and cant understand your need to belittle the choices of others. Truly, you are putting a slew of dog/animal lovers on the defense even if that wasn't your intention.

 

[agame2323]

Mine don't sit at the dinner table with me. They're not allowed to take the car. They don't get a vote when it comes to where I go on vacation (and they stay wherever I send them). They eat what's put in their bowl or handed to them and I don't tolerate begging. They don't get to pick the radio station or tv channel. I can put them in a crate when I don't feel like dealing with them.

Simply sharing a bed doesn't mean you think a pet is a person. I actually think it's disrespectful to treat a dog like a person with fur -- they deserve the dignity of being loved for their own self, including the actual species they are. Where they sleep doesn't have anything to do with it, though.

Okay most of what you stated a dog is just simply incapable of doing so that’s obvious. I just wonder what is it with the whole “sleeping in bed” thing. Some of you consider your dog apart of your family. That’s understandable but it doesn’t mean the dog now has the right to sleep with you. Again…it’s an animal. Does that not mean anything? I love my dog but there’s no getting around the fact that dogs do some pretty disgusting things. I don’t know about getting into bed with one.

 

[pooh6890]

Geez, my dogs give me kisses on the mouth.....i must be really nuts!

 

[Ephany]

Just as a hady tip - not so they can sleep with you - but check out these 2 products:

http://www.petco.com/product/106080...-8381-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

and


http://www.petco.com/product/106078/John-Paul-Pet-Full-Body-and-Paw-Wipes.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

With having a white dog - comes in super handy between baths. And that first one works REALLY good.

That first one looks really interesting, I know they both hate having baths in the winter (even though it really doesn't get all that cold usually) and this might be a good compromise on occasion. Thanks!

 

[MerMom60_94]

Okay most of what you stated a dog is just simply incapable of doing so that’s obvious. I just wonder what is it with the whole “sleeping in bed” thing. Some of you consider your dog apart of your family. That’s understandable but it doesn’t mean the dog now has the right to sleep with you. Again…it’s an animal. Does that not mean anything? I love my dog but there’s no getting around the fact that dogs do some pretty disgusting things. I don’t know about getting into bed with one.

I'll admit, having my dog in the bed is more for me than it is her. She is very much like my "second child". That isn't to say I put her above my daughter, but I certainly hold her dear and just like I miss my DH and DD during the day, I miss my dog, as well. When I finally get home at night, my priority is spending time with DH and DD and Misty gets some attention but not as much as I would like to give her. At bed time I like it when she comes up because it gives me some time to pet her and feel the softness of her fur and she is so soft and warm and sweet and funny. She has such a nice disposition. Next month she turns 12. Our last dog was the same breed and only lived to 12 so I guess I value the time I have with her and want to make sure I spend time with her while she is here. I just get pleasure from having her close by, that's all.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

No, dogs in our bed. DH isn't a big animal person and I think if I brought a dog into the bed, DH would leave the bed. My mom's dog sleeps in her bed with her. My inlaws used to let their dogs sleep with them, but don't anymore mainly because the dogs back problems. I don't find it strange, just not for us.

 

[The Princess]

No flames here either, but my bichon does sleep ontop of our comforter and I will add he does get a bath once a week, and gets his feet wipes when he come in from outside and he's only outside to "do his business" and comes right in. Ya I know I'm weird!!! lol

 

[robinb]

Never in our house.

With our breed, Komondor, it is absolutely imperative that the humans remain the alpha and the dogs at the very, very bottom of the pack.

As others have mentioned, sleeping in the human's bed gives a dog a rise in status, equal to the humans. Consequently, our dogs are never allowed in our bed at any time for any reason. These are big dogs with big teeth and are by nature guard dogs. They also have been breed for hundreds of years to be independent thinkers and do not have that same wanna please the master at all times temperament as your typical dog. Not a breed you want to have thinking they are equal to you and ever thinking they can challenge you.

I don't have a problem with dogs sleeping with their owners and I might allow it if I had a different breed, but with ours, you just can't allow it.

That is the exact reason why we wouldn't let our Akita sleep with us. She was dominant, protective, independent and didn't give a rat's butt if she pleased us or not. But ... she knew her place in the pack and it was under all the humans. Don't get me wrong, she was a great dog! But after 15 years of that temperament, etc I was was ready for a different kind of dog. One that didn't want to eat the neighbor's dogs, for instance!

My sister has a Pappion which is a complete terror. He is fear-aggressive and protective of my 10-year old niece (he sleeps with her). I wish my sister would take control of him. That little snot even bites her! He hasn't gotten me yet, mostly because I take my space with my body and keep my eye on him at all times so he can't sneak behind me to bite my shins.

 

[agame2323]

Geez, my dogs give me kisses on the mouth.....i must be really nuts!

You can't be serious!

 

[crz4mm2]

We have two. The little one sleeps in bed, big one on the floor. I wish I would have never started it....

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

You can't be serious!

Hurley kisses me on the mouth, but only if I don't realize it's coming fast enough and turn my head so he can only get to my cheek.

 

[Ephany]

My mom gave mouth-to-nose resuscitation to her Springer Spaniel once when the dog stopped breathing. She (the dog) lived for another 5-10 years after that so my mom considered it totally worth it (even though she did agree it was gross later).

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Eragon and Matthias both do. Mattie is dachshund/Jack Russell and loves to burrow under the covers. I call him my "burrow baby." Erie stays on top of the covers and will occasionally share the pillow. Then the cats will join us off and on as well. Thank God I have a queen sized bed!

Yes, I know they are animals. But they do bring me comfort. I live alone and there is something nice about having them there. Plus, they are nice and warm, they curl up with me and I like the feeling of having something warm and cuddly right there. If you don't get it, that's fine. I think it's very mean to leave a dog out alone to sleep. It breaks my heart every time I go to my parents' house and Schnitzel has to sleep in the hallway, but he is a chewer and cannot be trusted in the bedrooms sleeping (this is how he ate my bachelor's degree.) But if a dog can handle it, it's nice for everyone. As others have mentinoed, dogs are naturally pack animals and do not like to sleep alone.