"Someone's hogging the bed again, but I'm not mad about it."
Ever wondered … "Why is my dog sleeping in bed with me when she has her OWN bed?"
It’s the dilemma of the modern day dog lover: You finally find that totally washable, ultra-comfortable dog bed that manages to match both your decor and budget. You test the memory foam yourself, curling up like a dog in front of bemused pet store employees. You bring your purchase home and present it to your pooch, hoping she’ll love it. Instead, she takes one sniff before bounding up onto the only bed she’ll ever love — yours. So, why is your dog sleeping in bed with you even though there are other comfy options available?
Dogs are social animals
The first thing you must understand in order to comprehend why your dog sleeps with you, is that dogs are social pack animals. This means that if in the wild, they would sleep in groups. Dogs are not solitary animals, and therefore them wanting to sleep with someone is instinctive and natural to their species.
* They’re lonely
Here’s a simple answer to the questions, “Why is my dog sleeping in bed with me?” and “Why is my dog sleeping on me?” Dogs are like ex-boyfriends: They don’t like to sleep alone and, if you let them in your bed once, they want to get in there every night. They both make a whimpering sound when you tell them to sleep in their own bed.
* Dogs get cold sometimes
A nice duvet and a human-shaped space heater make the big bed seem a lot cozier than the dog bed that offers nothing more than their own body heat. Why shiver by your lonesome when you can warm your cold nose on a human’s warm feet?
* The big bed smells good
There’s a reason why there are scented candles that smell like freshly laundered sheets — it’s an amazing scent. That scent (well, preserving it) is why many humans buy their dog their own bed, but it’s also the reason why our dogs are drawn to ours.
* The big bed smells like THEM!
Another answer to, “Why is my dog sleeping in bed with me?” Our beds smell better than theirs, but, unfortunately, that’s only true if they sleep in theirs. They may start sleeping in our bed because it smells better than theirs, but they stay because, eventually, it smells like it’s theirs.
* Dogs love to stretch out
Many dog beds are designed with circle sleepers in mind, but if your dog doesn’t like to form a doggie doughnut when she beds down for the evening, a circular bed just isn’t going to do. The human mattress offers plenty of rectangular real estate for long, large-breed limbs to stretch out — the only drawback is the humans are often in the way!
* They feel left out
Humans have different classifications of love — parental love, platonic love, romantic love. Dogs just love. That’s why they don’t really understand that some of the nocturnal cuddles that happen in the human bed are not for them. Nothing kills the mood like a canine à trois, so sometimes it’s better just to lock the door.
* Dogs are entitled
Another easy way to answer,”Why is my dog sleeping on me?” Well, we call them Prince or Princess and then we expect them to sleep on the floor? Royalty will not be demoted, human.
* Your sheets feel good
Most dog bed covers are made for washability, not luxury, and yet many dogs somehow recognize good quality linens. They know a high thread count when they see one, and when they see it on your bed they know their butt belongs on that Egyptian cotton.
* But they love you
The bottom line on and the most definitive answer to, “Why is my dog sleeping in bed with me?” They just want to sleep next to their best friend, and really, how can we blame them for that?
But sharing beds with dogs isn’t a fad. Humans have long shared their beds with dogs. According to an article in Psychology Today:
* Egyptian pharaoh, Ramses the Great, had a hound named Pahates who was given the title “Bed Companion to the Pharaoh.”
* Alexander the Great slept beside his greyhound, Pertias, between battles.
* Queen Victoria died in bed next to her favorite Pomeranian, Turi.
* Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, slept with his Italian greyhound, Lisette.
* Fredrick the Great of Prussia slept with an Italian Greyhound named Biche.
SHOULD I SHARE MY BED WITH MY DOG?
There are no health reasons why you shouldn’t share your bed with your dog, unless you’re allergic. If you’re a light sleeper and your dog’s movements wake you up—or if your dog snores loudly, or hogs the covers and pillows—you might want to reconsider. If your significant other doesn’t want a dog in the bed, that’s something you’ll have to hash out together.
Remember, sleeping with your dog is your choice—not your dog’s. Decide what is right for you.
Do you let your dog sleep in your bed? If so, why? If not, why not?
signed,
a dogmom hoping she doesn't fall out of bed