Dogs bring a lot of fun to humans, but I think that humans should not sleep with dogs in bed because the main manifestation is that humans are sick by dogs. For example, nematodiasis, which is mainly parasitic in the conjunctiva and lacrimal ducts of dogs, can be transmitted to humans. The manifestations of human onset are conjunctivitis, keratitis, and severe cases can be blind. Dogs can also develop their independence by sleeping alone in an environment that suits them.
79
We sleep better without pets in our bed. It was even noted. The tester owns a dog and likes it to sleep with her. Not a very valid test. Love our dogs, but I don’t think they belong everywhere humans do.
65
My 65lb Basset Hound loves sleeping on my bed every night.
They are pack dogs and they don’t like to be alone.
He knows his spot next to my feet. He takes his favorite spot until I lay down then he knows he has to move over to the side of my feet. He doesn’t move around much at all. He may push my leg to get comfortable but once he’s laying down he’ll sleep the whole night through with nothing more than a couple stretches while I watch my laptop for hours until I fall asleep. He wakes when it’s breakfast time for him and then sits on the couch waiting for me to wake up and feed him soon He’s awesome.
259
It’s obvious the writer has neve had a dog or cat sleep with them. I figured that out when she said if they are older, you may want to transition them outside of the door. My dog is old. She snores. She shakes at night. It wakens me, and I pet her to calm her and put her back to sleep. Wanna know why? Because I love her. she’s 14 and I saved her from certain death 13.5 years ago. I am her world, and she is mine.
560
@Betsy Larey
That’s how it should be! Great pets transition into a permenent family member
My 65lb Basset Hound sleeps next to me every night.
I’m more of a disturbance in the bed than he is
I watch tv for hours in bed and when I’m moving around I’ll kick him a few times
a night. He doesn’t even move. He’s so happy to be laying in his spot snuggled up on my feet.
174
Our dog is a basset hound: he is actually soporific. Five minutes in his presence is enough to make anyone nod off by contagion.
184
I love both cats and dogs, but with the increasing incidence of tick-borne diseases (and in parts of the American Southwest, plague carried by fleas), sleeping with your pets may not be a smart idea!
60
We owned two great rescue dogs. Each had a spot at the foot of the bed.SweetPea and Katie.
Over a16 year period they both shared
our bed. Not only were they good sleepers, their body clocks were similar to ours. Hence very few late nights and
delicious hours of sleep.
98
In any case, they should pay rent. They are accostumed to comfort and not giving nothing in return. In addition, they drive in the drivers seat taking their hocicos out of the window for a breeze. But Erdogan, my golden retriever, smiles at me when I am stressed out. He is just controlling and I hate that.
100
People who do not allow dogs in their house are not dog lovers/dog persons. They are liars or delusional by saying they love dogs. As for sleeping in the bed, I can't imagine not sharing my bed with one or more dogs. Love is the most important thing in life, no matter the species.
182
There are no dogs allowed on the bed in our house. He has a wide open floor to spread out on. It cracks me up how some people think a dog is being neglected or mistreated because it's not allowed in the bed.
69
Growing up, we had large dogs, mostly of the German or Belgian Shepherd varieties. They accompanied us as we hiked through the woods, played in the park, as well as just roaming the neighborhood. One job we had was to check the dog, as well of ourselves, for ticks. It was a rare day when we didn't find one. They were never allowed to lounge on the furniture or the beds, lest they become infested with fleas or ticks. They had their own sleeping areas, which didn't bother them at all. They never went on furniture or beds because they were trained not to go there.
To this day, several decades later, it makes my skin crawl to sit on furniture that is as regularly occupied by dogs as by their humans. I even picked up fleas on one of those visits. Their furniture smells like dog, and I end up brushing hair off my clothing. I love dogs. I just don't love them in my bed or on my furniture. We work out an arrangement early in their formative years, and it is one of mutual respect of each other's territories. Dogs understand territory and boundaries and will respect them when clearly laid out.
121
My cats let me sleep well past their morning breakfast time. If they didn't I wouldn't let them sleep in the same room with me. I once had a cat who would just touch my nose lightly with his paw, just the lightest lightest touch -- when it was 7 a.m., breakfast time. But if Ididn't get out of bed, he had the courtesy to let me sleep further.
101
Why do people take personally the general observations of strangers on a comments thread designed to, like, invite comments?
To love truly is to honor the nature of the beloved and see it for what it is and provide for it what it needs and not necessarily what we think it wants. I do hope that all of the dogs sleeping with their owners are lean and healthy and never adorned with human garments and decorations.
I loved my dogs and they seemed to love me; they were never allowed in the house but were provided with safe comfortable sleeping places. But we lived in a place where parasites and infections were rampant and good veterinary care was not; keeping houses uninfested was a full-time endeavor.
Here*s hoping you use plenty of borax in the laundry...
37
Gross! No dogs, thanks!
31
Our little cockapoo weight all of 18 lbs and does sleep with us, curled up between the pillows. Somehow both my husband and I feel she takes up all the space! I get a narrow lane as does he. If either of us comes to bed late or gets up during the night, she immediately moves into our "space" and is quite annoyed when we ask her to move. She essentially owns the bed and for that matter every comfortable space in the house. Alas, we would not have it any other way. She is a delight, a companion, and funny as well. That is what these doggies are. As my husband delights in pointing out, we are well-trained humans.
108
We had both dogs and sleep on the bed with us.
Clancy (dog) would organize me by having me sleep on my side and he would cozy up in the crook of my legs. Sabrina (cat) cuddles up to me and faces me. They all have had their own routines and I have followed faithfully. My husband died last year and it has been so wonderful to have my precious cat make me feel that I can have a sweet sleep even since he left me. I am not alone.
208
I fall asleep more easily when my little terrier is tucked under the covers with his back against my tummy. We both sleep very well together.
143
I used to have a pet rat that lived cage-free upstairs where I slept. This little rescue rat didn't like other rats but seemed to adore me. He would occasionally sleep under the covers with me, but usually he would come into bed for an extended snuggle and then move into his own little bed by my pillow. I've had many rats, but never another like him. Heaven help you if your pet rat goes down to the bottom of the bed though; they never learn that feet in socks are connected to their human and they love to nip the sock monsters.
72
Having read through much of this thread, I wonder about the people who are so disgusted by the idea of sharing a bed with a dog that they felt compelled to post that opinion multiple times, in both primary comments and in replies. But what is really disturbing is the insults and inferences those posters make against those who co-sleep with pets. Why devote so much time and effort to putting down people who simply take comfort from their animal companions? What’s it to you? I don’t think the problem lies with the animal lovers here!
228
Had a miniature poodle. lived to be 18. She had her own blanket and slept on the bed her entire life. Both humans and dog slept fine.
77
It’s nice to see a positive article that shares the potential benefits of letting your dog sleep in your bed with you. I think dogs have a way of companionship that most people go unnoticed to beyond the “man’s best friend” cliche, and articles like this help us think more about the role our pets play in both our daily lives and happiness.
55
No mention of dogs sleeping in the pathway to the bathroom...and being stumbled over, harming them and their master. It began a downward spiral for an elderly physician friend of mine that brought a hastened end to both.
Heavy coated dogs (like my Newfs) will get up and move to a cooler spot several times during the night...you never know where they are and being so black, they can't be seen in the dark.
26
Dogs innately gravitate toward communal sleeping. And so do people. For most of our 30,000 years together, we probably slept in a pile. It is a modern idea that everyone needs their own separate sleeping area.
132
When my partner of many years told me he was having difficulty sleeping well with our two dogs on the bed (a combined weight of 50 kilograms of dog), I sympathised with him. I told him I fully appreciate the importance of a good night's sleep. To solve his problem, I suggested that the hounds and I move to the spare bed and sleep in that room going forward, allowing him to sleep alone in 'our' bed. He quickly managed to overcome his sleeping difficulties and all four of us continue to sleep as one happy pack.
98
Um, how in the world did you put your dog's needs over those of your partner's? That sounds quite backwards.
39
@BK
Actually not. Selfish people will always put themselves ahead of pets. Or their partners.
34
Elizabeth von Arnim in her book "All The Dogs Of My Life" (1936) writes, "I would like, to begin with, to say that though parents, husbands, children, lovers and friends are all very well, they are not dogs. In my day and turn having been each of the above,--except that instead of husbands I was wives,--I know what I am talking about, and am well acquainted with the ups and downs, the daily ups and downs, the sometimes almost hourly ones in the thin-skinned, which seem inevitably to accompany human loves. Dogs are free from these fluctuations. Once they love, they love steadily, unchangingly, till their last breath. That is how I like to be loved. Therefore I will write about dogs."
151
Okay, but do not sleep with a Great Dane. They start out curled up and minding their own space and by about 2 am, they are in the middle, stretched every which way, and then pretend that they can't wake up until you move to the sofa. Then they decide that they need to go out.
217
@Jane Smiley
So cute !
33
On judgment, which some of my fellow commenters find an offensive activity:
Stories for which there are comments sections invite comments; the NY Times has a broad readership; this is not an exclusive forum for dog-adorers.
An article discussing a habit which has serious implications for the health and well-being of family members, and possible houseguests, is going to invite a considerable range of opinion.
I will note that in my lifetime*s observation, those who most loudly proclaim their adoration of their pets tend to have the most unhealthy--in body and mind--animals. We as a species have done dreadful harm to dogs by breeding them into grotesqueries and creatures subject to terrible genetic ills. Let them be as they ought to be, and not receptacles for your uncontrolled needs.
22
Inbreeding for aesthetics is a severe problem, but recognition of such doesn't preclude one from being an animal lover.
28
SCA, you contradict yourself. First you scold others for not allowing opposing viewpoints. For judging. And then you make overarching assumptions about dog lovers. You judge.
My dogs re as they “ought to be.” They are healthy — “in body and mind.” They are, in all aspects, simply dogs. They are not children. They are not “receptacles for (my) uncontrolled needs.” They are receptscles for kibble and cookies. They have something you appear to lack, too. Empathy and kindness.
90
My dog is healthy, loving, and has spread no disease in 12 years. He sleeps next to me and waits patiently for me to get up. And every morning I start the day knowing I am important and loved. Much more than I can say for the other significant others in my life. And yes, I have lots of family and good friends. Lighten up. Did you get fleas or ticks or bitten?
83
Americans (of whom I am one, but I lived abroad for awhile) have a somewhat faulty approach to hygiene anyway. For those of us who won't wear shoes indoors and who change into home attire after commuting, etc., the thought of a dog in the bed is pretty revolting.
To recognize that everything has its appropriate place is not to love animals less. They have a right to their animalness; we force them to compromise their natures quite enough by having domesticating them. Of course it's true that they live longer under our care, but that extended span is often riddled with the diseases of civilization.
Dogs don't belong in human sleeping areas, but since they often deprived of other canine companions, one can understand their need to be with other sentient beings. But they can sleep in their own beds near ours. It's your need, and not your dog's, that you indulge when you invite it under or on top of your covers.
34
Ours had her own bed she much preferred a human's bed she was small enough and it made us happy. After about a year her bed was put away.
32
Uh...really? I have always had multiple dogs. They have never been “deprived of other canine companions.” Most of them have wanted to sleep on my bed. They were not all allowed, do to size and available real estate, and the odd one preferred the floor. But for the most part dogs like group sleeping. Stop looking for negative reasons where there aren’t any.
51
Thank you NYTimes for this article. I read all the comments more than once and the great majority of commenters are dog lovers/dog persons just like me. There are also cat lovers. Love is love no matter the species.
71
These comments deserve being collected into a book.
34
Allergies are my concern so my dogs sleep in the bedroom on their own beds. All of us are happy and sleep soundly.
14
The most common topic discussed at the Dog Park= what do you do with your dog who sleeps on your bed when you and your human partner want to have sex? Not so simple to suddenly put the dog outside the room. They scratch at door, Yelp Etc. Please Reply with constructive advice
20
We have a door on our den, so when it's date night, the dogs stay in the den until we're finished. There's a long hallway between the den and our bedroom. We had a small condo at the beach for many years. When we were there, we'd put up a gate in the hallway so the dogs couldn't get close enough to scratch on the door. I think our dogs now realize when it's date night so they patiently wait in the den until we return.
I would also think the dog could be put in a spare room with a bed and fresh water, when you want to be alone with your lover. Unless you live in a very tiny apartment, I think keeping the dog in the room which is furthest away from your bedroom should work.
While our dogs always sleep with us, it's nice to have a couple of hours alone together while they wait it out at the other end of the house.
27
Ticks in parts of this country are so prevalent as to make this a bad idea.
38
Yep. Not a pleasant experience.
10
I lived with someone who said if I had 2 more legs and a tail I would've loved them. No truer words were ever spoken.
That said, my present Shiba Inu sleeps next to me, his head on the pillow, his body under the covers and no matter how many times I may toss and turn during the night, he never moves.
As a rescue that arrived with issues, I believe this truly helps strengthen his trust and our bond and develop his security. My last Shiba Inu was the same and also a rescue.
Providing them with as much love, security and constant reassurance as humanly possible, helps them overcome their fears. Although they clearly never forget their past, it makes their lives so much better.
These dogs do not ask to be brought into this world and then certainly not mistreated and or given away. My philosophy has always been, if you had a child that was only going to live 15-20 years wouldn't you give it the best life possible?
I'm tired of seeing people walk dogs for a few mins in the morning and or at night. The latest craze is people on PHONES instead of spending quality time with the dog! Meanwhile you're endangering the dogs life, s/he can eat anything off the ground, walk out into traffic. PUT THE PHONE DOWN PEOPLE and spend time and WATCH the dog.
I walk my dog for one hour 3 x times/day. People spend MORE TIME on cell phones so of course this is possible! I take him to dog parks and on hikes.
I had a Samoyed that lived to be 21 which I attributed it to his lifestyle.
110
I'm sorry, I like dogs but always found disgusting having them inside of the house. When I was growing up we had dogs, but they served their original function - eat leftovers and bark at intruders.
19
You certainly are not an animal lover. My dog gave me and my family unconditional love all she wanted in return was love, belly rubs, and a safe environment, oh and treats every once in a while and nourishment. She gave us countless hours of pure joy. i still miss her. She was like an extension of the family. I called her my younger, hairier sister AND she slept on the bed.
87
I also grew up in the rural Midwest hunting squirrels and pheasants. I however fled the rural
Life in the seventies because of the lack of opportunity it has come to represent. I do not believe the second amendment gives anybody the right to own or carry assault weapons. I also believe in choice. A woman’s choice. The NRA has become a large death star that Darth Vader would embrace. It shows the worst this country has to offer. Back in the day there was a three day waiting period. What was wrong with that? I also spend time in Arizona in the winters. Every now and then I run across someone in a Safeway store with a side arm. I can tell you it does not want me to get closer but head the other direction. Quickly. If you go around with a gun, somehow, your not going to make with anyone anyhow. Firearms are part of American culture and history. There are too many to ever control. But there are those who think the government is out to take away their guns. These are the people who scare me.
23
When your life partner pays more attention to the dog when you are all in bed than you- you find yourself regretting the day you let the dog in to your bedroom. Good friends have a dog that sleeps happily in a crate every night in a nearby room and I think my wise friend knows something I learned the hard way. The realization that the family dog appears to have more importance to your spouse than you do is not a happy revelation. When I would get out of bed before dad and dog were up and moving- I would come back invariably to find our dog in my place with the two of them curled up comfortably together. Now dad and dog live together in another state. Just sayin'
https://curbappealinsleepyhollow.blogspot.com
22
always ask people who claim their dog is a member of the family if they breast feed or use formula..also ask about the sanitary practice and its hygienic outcomes when snuggling with a creature that nature has clean its private parts by licking them and then licking the faces of its beloved pet food can openers.. further sign of what private profits in a market can do to social reality is the fact that we spent more than 60 billion on pets last year, while more than half a million of our people were living in the street..it will be worse this year, but investors make more from all that pet care than they would by investing in housing for people without the market force to assure profits..all this is due to trump and putin, of course
19
@DH
That was a symptom of a problematic human relationship, not the cause. There are lots of reasons some people cuddle the dog rather than their partner--cuddling the dog never raises expectations of sex, for one.
23
We have 19 dogs. They all sleep inside at night -- unless the weather is really nice and then a few might amble out onto the porch. Most do not want to sleep on the bed, but on a typical night, I have a minimum of three around me. Sometimes five, rarely 7. The numbers tend to increase as the temperature decreases. On the rare occasions I am away from home, I do not get as good of sleep without the dogs.
62
When my then girlfriend rescued Comet, it took me a whole year to warm up to her. But there came a point when I quit resisting her wanting to sleep on the bed (she slept on the bed with my ex when I wasn't there). And my feelings about her just flipped. After that, I slept sandwiched between Comet and my ex. It was the most soothing thing in the world. After we split up, I always sat for Comet whenever my ex traveled.
44
Our 7 yr old dog, Sophie, (a rescue at 3 months) was crate trained early, and loved her 'bed' routine.. then we adopted another 3 month old pup, Elsie, that had some issues. Incontinence being the big one (and still is) so she was also crate trained, and since she has anxiety issues, she frequently 'self-crates' when there is too much stimuli.
When we crated Elsie, Sophie was fine with the transition, but we felt bad .. so she became a 'bedroom dog'. She loves to hunker down with us on the foot of the bed while we read, but as soon as the light goes off, she moves to the cheap futon we have for her in the bedroom.
We're pretty sure they know who the alpha is [me].. so there is no jealousy, and Sophie does not like our flippin' and floppin', so she's cool with her futon.
Dogs already 'know' what they prefer. Just have to read there signals. ;)
18
Sleep quality is one concern, but what about cleanliness? As much as I love him, I certainly don't want my dog, who recently walked in the dog run or licked his butt, to put his dirty paws in my bed.
37
We wipe down our Welshie "Roo" every time we go out..tush & paws, one by one (which he offers me when I say "paw"). I don't like humans to track in the street through our place with shoes, Roo's "shoes" are part of that equation too & sleeping is oh so lovely (& often hysterical) with our furry boy.
22
@Souixa
Most of us have washing machines. Also, extreme fastidiousness has a cost: we sleep with dogs and don't worry too much about germs. My kids have no allergies...
33
While I appreciate the acknowledgment at the close of the article that cats are, in fact, not dogs, and may require separate research... Please refrain from using the word "pet" interchangeably with "dog" throughout the article. "Pet" is not a synonym for "dog"; it is a hypernym to "dog". As a cat owner, this is one of my pet peeves (no pun intended...!).
Also, "...if a new baby is entering the family and will sleep in the same bedroom as the parents, Dr. Siracusa said, that might no longer be a good place for the pet to sleep – not because of concerns of a pet smothering a baby, he said, but because space may be an issue with that many human and furry bodies in one room." Well, thanks for the expert advice -- If a room is not large enough to contain a set of objects or beings, then clearly some of them will have to remain outside the room. I think I learned this when I had my first toy box at around the age of 2! And if your room IS large enough...? Well, congratulations, it's a non-issue. I legitimately don't understand why this needed to be mentioned. Baby smothering sounds serious, but thankfully that's NOT the issue. This sounds like mere "displace the pet with the baby" propaganda to me.
9
Our border collie sleeps on the bed in winter when its cooler and on the cooler wood floor when its warmer. He is welcome to do as he pleases. Its his house too.
99
"Its his house too."
I like that.
46
Border collies are a different -- and very special -- breed, John. You're lucky to have one.
19
I would so love to let my dog sleep in bed with us but, I’m allergic. There was no way I was not getting a dog so the bedroom is off limits to her and the cats. The dog and cats each have a separate rooms to sleep in and are quite comfy. They are all used to the routine. Years ago I used to watch a dog for a friend when she would travel for business. It was fantastic sleeping with him. He was a still sleeper and in the morning, he was a big cuddler for about 10 minutes until he stood up abruptly to announce that he had enough of the smooshiness and it was time to go out. He was quite consistent with his routine. I miss that big guy.
19
The author writes:
"And many let their dogs snuggle up to sleep right in their human owners’ beds, often alongside their owners."
My two dogs say this is totally backwards. They make room for us to sleep in THEIR bed alongside them. Silly humans.
86
"Oliver the cat declined to comment."
The nerve!
43
My friend contracted Lyme disease twice in one year and routinely pulls ticks off her back. She sleeps with her dog.
20
Responsible dog owners treat their dogs for fleas and ticks. Things have come a long way since flea collars. Your friend needs to go to her veterinarian and get some flea and tick treatments for her dog. I use Vectra 3D. It is applied monthly. Works like a charm.
48
I have a few cats and basically I have a night crew and a morning crew. The night crew snuggle up to me and sleep very contented without any issues. The morning crew, at some point during the wee hours, take their place on the bed and sleep with me until they hear the alarm. That’s when they decide it’s time for everyone to get up. It’s my dogs who never seem to settle down that keep me awake at night. I try to keep them off the bed as much as possible.
17
Cats are nocturnal, so they are most awake at night. This hasn't been a problem for us, since the cats just come and go as they please. They want to sleep with us, and come onto the bed as soon as we get into bed. However, one cat developed severe osteoarthritis, and couldn't get on the bed by himself. He would leave the bed several times, each night, and then meow to wake me up when he wanted back on the bed! Talk about sleep disruption! My husband built a ramp for him, and then he could come and go on his own whenever he pleased, without waking me up.
50
My arthritic cat has a step ladder.
35
As they say, elained, dogs have masters; cats have staff.
31
Since the day we brought her home nearly two years ago, our now 15 pound Lowchen sleeps in a crate next to our bed. From her crate she can see, hear, and presumably smell me, and I can see and hear her. She runs to her crate when we say "bed time" and she sleeps there happily. We have sometimes been tempted to bring her into the bed but we have resisted. When she comes out of her crate in the morning, we stretch together and then cuddle, but sleeping is done separately. It works for us.
14
Queen size bed - 2 humans, 28# jrt beagle at the foot, 18# Boston lengthwise between us, 10# ChiJack curled above the pillows. Heaven:)
68
Disagree. The dog ends up taking up a large share of the bed. Therefore, the humans can't move easily. Dogs belong on a dog pillow on the floor.
14
I love my dog and maybe a total of ten people. Animals are better than 90% of the people on this planet!
I don't trust anyone that doesn't love dogs - that kind of negativity is definitely an indication of some deep seated issues.
115
Loving them doesn't mean sharing your bed with them, nor is it negativity not to do so. Dogs are wonderful, but they are not "children" except for a little while.
10
We have a 7 pound Yorkie. The most relaxing sound on the planet is, after making three circles, he pushes that warm, furry body against my side and emits the final, heart felt sigh of the day. If you don't think your dog belongs in your bed, good for you, you wouldn't appreciate it anyway.
125
I would like to see a truly unbiased study on the effects of co-sleeping with a dog not only on a dog's temperament, but on a marriage. What is the causality between sleeping with a human and canine aggression? I predict is it not minimal. How well a human and dog sleep at night when in the same bed is irrelevant. There are bigger issues here. I am deeply suspicious of anyone who needs their dog in the bed with them. I believe science will eventually show it is detrimental to the dog in regards to its temperament during the day, when it interacts with other dogs and humans; the one time it really matters.
7
i don't NEED the dog on the bed... but it is nice for the whole of us.
They are (should) be part of the family if you have a dog(s). Everyone wins. :)
33
Trisha,
If you take a sampling from the comments made here, there seems to be no support for your theory.
If a dog is aggressive it will be so no matter where it sleeps, and needs appropriate training regardless.
20
@Trisha Selbach
If sleeping with dogs was generally such a problem, it never would have caught on. Our dog warms my feet at night, causes no problems between me and my husband, and gets along with everybody.
25
Enjoyed the column and many of the comments very much. We've always allowed our cats and dogs into our bed and been married for 37 years. At one time we had 3 border collies and two black cats that slept with us and had to buy a king-sized bed to accommodate the lot. Sleeping with our animals is bliss.
51
My Shiba has me trained. We fall asleep and at about 2 am she stands up on the bed to indicate she's had enough of my company, at this point she is deposited onto her bed next to mine. (She's unable to jump off the bed.) At this point the ritual is largely carried out in my sleep.
21
My retriever can't get on the bed because it's too high. He sleeps on 'his' sofa downstairs and I tuck him in with his own blanket each night. Eventually, he gets up and pads up to lie on the rug beside the bed. When I have a nap with him on the sofa he's very polite about sharing space so he'd probably be fine on the bed.
To those who find dogs unsanitary, I'd say they make up for the odd germ by radiating joy and love to their humans. Dogs also make you go out and walk in all weather which keeps you healthy. Dogs are great.
54
Put a hassock by your bed so he can get up into it! That worked for my dog who was medium-sized with short legs.
17
Compliant weiner dogs make great foot warmers too.
34
This is a typically biased article. No dogs have been interviewed to find out how they feel about sharing a bed with their humans, especially if their feet smell.
85
Obviously not a dog owner are you? With feet...the stinkier the better for the canine nose! I spent 12 blissful years with my Akita's head on my stinky feet!
25
Dear NYT, may we please have more articles about dogs and fewer articles about politicians?
453
Amen!
40
Yes! Please!
31
I second Sheila's notion.
21
That's Mr. Oliver to you.
27
My medium-sized mutt is an excellent sleeping partner. I used to think I didn’t want a dog in my bed, but the clever guy figured out that I sleep too deeply to wake up if he joins me after I fall asleep, so I had to admit defeat, not wanting to kick him out of the bedroom entirely. He spends most of the night sleeping under the bed in a nest he’s constructed out of a ratty old comforter, reflecting the fact that my husband still prefers not to have a dog in the bed with us and actually will wake up if there’s an incursion, and hops up to curl up at the foot once my husband gets up for work, then snoozes there out of the way until I get up. When my husband is out of town, he’ll join me earlier in the night, but not necessarily from the start. He’s very still and not at all a bed hog, so he’s a perfect sleeping companion. Once he realizes that I’m up, he bounces over to give me a good morning licking. The routine was exactly the same for the year my son shared our room after his birth, except that he was also a recipient of the morning greeting after he finished nursing. I wouldn’t say that I’m entirely a convert to having dogs in the bed, but I’m certainly not as opposed as I used to be as long as they’re good about sharing the space.
23
My dogs always slept in my bed with me. The were large dogs who hogged the bed. They are gone now and I miss them all.
59
I am so utterly sick of people requiring the need to cuddle up with dogs and cats whereas they are so indifferent to their own children, their other family members, and other humans. I detest such folks. The next thing I am going to be hearing is how the dog is going to be competing with the man in the house for sexual activity with the wife or girl-friend - who is the alpha dog. I have already read one commentator saying that the dog doesn't want them in "HIS" king size bed. This is out of control.
12
I think you may be overreacting. Enjoying having the dog sleep in the bed is not a predictor for indifference to children or family.
I have dogs and they do not sleep in my bed. I just dont like it.
26
FM,
What's sickening is your comment, particularly your "slippery slope" argument that dogs will replace humans as lovers. I'm disgusted anyone would even imagine such a connection.
People are capable of loving both humans and animals simultaneously. For their sake, i hope no animals reside with you.
39
I board my dog with a wonderful woman in her home. She has been sleeping with him, in her bed, for nine years and money is exchanged. I tell her “she’s cheap”! I have no worries when Max is with his “other woman”.
33
My dog would like to know how well dogs sleep when the humans are off the bed.
32
Sleeping with any animal is utterly gross, unsanitary and uncivilized; there is nothing more to say.
16
If you are sleeping with another human, you are sleeping with an animal. Perhaps, many humans forget that they are animals.
74
Wonderful idea. Think of the hairs, the smell, and doggy style.
5
@Kurt Kraus: You forgot to mention TICKS! Any animal who roams in the outdoor areas in just about all of New England can pick up ticks...especially the "lyme tick". They are tiny, about the size of a grind of pepper, but deadly and......they are on mice, chipmunks, skunks, racoons, squirrels, and of course deer. Almost impossible to see them unless you really scrutinize your body, or your companion's body. I didn't read anyones' acknowledgement of that fact! Not a joke!
17
I sleep in the dog's bedroom.
72
love my dog, I snuggle with him on couches, but he's not allowed in my bed. I like my bed clean and without hair/fur everywhere or dirt. also, my dog snores like a grown man. and he runs and barks in his dreams, not mentioning loud licking and smacking when he cleans himself before sleep. so he has his own bed and two big couches in two different rooms to chose from. I'm proud that after 7 years in a shelter and now being almost all the time with me, he can be independent and by himself at night for 8 hours. my bedroom door is always cracked if he wants to fall asleep next to my bed on a rug. but he likes couches better
23
Oh yeah? How about in the bed, under the covers? And, he sleeps perpendicular to the length of the bed, taking up a large part of the real estate.
18
I'm being slowly pushed to the side of the bed, right this second, by a perpendicular dachshund who is farting under the covers. I wouldn't want it any other way.
34
My husband and I have four dogs. Three sleep in the bed with us and one sleeps on an ottoman right next to the bed. I love sharing our sleeping space with them -- they are so soft and warm and like to snuggle up next to us. They do not seem to be bothered by tossing and turning, and I find their slow sleep breathing very soothing. I could do with less dog hair in the bed, but it's a trade-off I'm willing to make to have them close.
46
Just a comment to those who speak to a dogs “filthy habits” . Most New Yorkers that I know clean their dogs paws & snouts after they have walked, sniffed and pooped. My dog who naturally sleeps on her own pillow between my husband and myself is cleaner than most humans.
49
That’s been sticking with me, too. Don’t blame the dog if you can’t keep it properly clean.
25
Filthy.
13
Our Golden will sleep with us part of the time during the night, and part of the time on the floor. His body temperature makes him a perfect hot water bottle for our sore backs.
When he is fully asleep, he whimpers and his body twitches in ripples. We both wonder if a dog's dreams are really torments, like who he is chasing, or who might be chasing him. I have reached the scientific conclusion that my dog can only focus on one thing at a time (not being a multi-tasker like the rest of us) so his shivering sleep is always about that damn squirrel in the front yard -- that gray, elusive monster in his eye.
There are some aspects of our retriever that are totally unknowable as he sleeps tightly to us and cries out unconsciously.
19
Having a good dog is the best antidote I know to reading the daily headlines with all the turmoil in the world right now. They ground us and remind us of the simple things that have always mattered most.
87
The thought of having an animal in the bed is just disgusting. In fact, I don't even want an animal in the house, which I go to great lengths to keep clean.
8
And I'm sure no animal wants to be around you. So there.
62
Years ago, my mother has a small magnetic sign on her refrigerator. It said, "A clean house is the sign of a misspent life."
61
Kids who grow up around dogs are healthier than kids who don't. Probably because their microbiomes are more diverse. Here's more on the important role of microbes in our bodies.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/10/22/germs-are-us
27
To each his own. Now I understand that smell that some people have and oh by the way that is not their hair shedding.
Sorry I love dogs - they can sleep outside the bedroom door or even in the bedroom but NOT in bed
14
Can someone do a study about how dogs find the center if the bed? It’s as though this sense of center is in their DNA - like bats and their sonar sense.
19
I thought it was a truth universally acknowledged that EVERYONE slept better with an animal in the bed. (At least one who is moderately well behaved.).
41
"It was nine feet high and six feet wide
And soft as a downy chick
It was made from the feathers of forty 'leven geese
Took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick
It could hold eight kids and four hound dogs
And a piggy we stole from the shed
We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun
On grandma's feather bed"
- John Denver
42
It seems American beds are pretty encumbered : a dog under the sheets, an AR15 under the pillow, sometimes even a spouse... I hope all these fit well together.
24
I have allergies and it's best if the dogs don't sleep in the same room as I.
My dogs each have their own plastic crate in the living room (with the doors open) and they are quite content to sleep there because they sleep on top of LL Bean orthopedic dog beds or on the LL Bean orthopedic dog couch nearby. I once had to lie on the couch to reach something in a corner and it was more comfortable than my bed.
Each of us has our own space at night and we can sleep undisturbed. If the house is too cold (they are both half whippet) they wear fleece doggie nightgowns which when they are curled up keep them toasty warm.
Not a bad life for any of us...
16
The other day my dog went to the door, but didn't follow me out. He wanted me to take a walk.
I get no respect.
53
my dog always slept with me and pawed me if snored too loud! Perfect alarm clock too - woke me up exactly on time.
26
We have three small dogs. Two of them wanted to be on the best with us from day one. The third likes to join us briefly at bedtime for a bit of snuggling and then she moves to a dog bed for sleepy time. Our dogs seem to love bed time and get pretty excited when they see the signs that we're headed in that direction. This has even the pattern with our little tribe for as long as they've been with us. We don't mind as they are small and there is something endearing about their need to be with us at night. We started our marriage with three other dogs who have since passed and they all had their preferred places to be at night. For us, wherever they will comfortably settle at night is fine with us.
40
You are a wonderful dog person
22
@Karen
Our dog actually regulates our schedule: hounds are very conservative, they like routine. So he lets us know when it's time to wrap things up and go to bed, and he doesn't let us sleep much past our alarm. Very useful.
14
Bring us more photos of adorable dogs.
34
CliffHanger,
Go to freekibble.com daily, click on the three links that provide free kibble and litter to shelter dogs and cats, and scroll down the page for links to slideshows of animals. You don't have to enter personal information or donate, yet you'll help feed shelter animals and get to see more adorable dogs.
10
Our amazing frenchie who is a professional couch potato but who also loves playing fetch , swimming, running, hiking, chasing a stick or ball, wrestling, playing with kids, or being our little food-vacuum cleaner also enjoys the comfort of our bed. When he sleeps in bed with us, not allowed anymore since #tickgate, he would morph into a space heater , nestled undoubtedly into your nook.
10
There are adaptations. On Thursday nights, we make sure our shades go up - bedroom is in front and the trash trucks have yellow flashing lights at about 6 in the morning - if they reflect off the bedroom wall - well our 40 lb mutt wants to "protect us" or we kindly put it that way.
7
Some of the commenters are tick-obsessed. In Brooklyn, I did find a few ticks on my dogs but that didn't stop me from sleeping with them. I removed the ticks first. They were easy to find/see. Here in Florida, I have never seen any ticks. Once I started using flea/heartworm medication 10 years ago, I never saw a flea again. This medication also protects them from other types of worms.
17
"The Benefits of Sharing a Bed With Your Dog"
Slightly misleading title on the main page since I can only find data that says that the mean sleeping quality among participants is slightly above the lowest acceptable.
3
Our female cat does high jumps in the middle of the night from the bed to a 6 ft dresser and back. We just sleep through it. The rest of the night she sleeps at the foot of the bed between keeping an eye on our male cat who she will not allow on the bed. I find it a comfort that she is by my feet and wouldn't want it any other way.
15
What is the name of the ridiculously adorable dog pictured in the article -- too lovely, and it's making it hard to work.
7
The first appears to be a beagle or american foxhound mix? Second photo is a bull terrier, last photo is perhaps a cattle dog or catahoula mix?
6
I remember taking a child development class in college which covered cultural difference in child rearing. It was mentioned that many cultures thought it odd that western parents put their children in a separate bed, in a room by themselves, but were happy to share their bed with their pets.
17
Pit bulls run warm and like to sleep under he covers. German Sheps prefer being on top of the covers. One does feel secure.
18
The most important thing to know about sleeping with dogs is to match the color of the sheets to the color of the shed fur.
31
Both pets I’ve shared my bed with weren’t mine - I was house-sitting. What they wanted most wasn’t the location or even the coziness, but contact with a human being.
I’d tried keeping the cat out, but took pity as she meowed outside the door. Once in bed, she insisted on lying right next to my face.
The dog was also suffering from separation from her owners, so I encouraged her to sleep with me. She would lean just slightly against my leg
In both cases I ended up sleeping surprisingly well
23
I live in a tropical country and my bed is in a screened sleeping porch. I judge the cold season temp by the number of cats under the covers - 0, 1 or 2.
18
I have two English Cocker Spaniels. They both stay in bed with my son till he falls asleep and then they come and stay in my bed. My only issue with the two of them is that they like to spread out and are bed hogs. If I leave the bed in the middle of the night, when I return one of them will have taken over my spot.
20
Of course--it's pre-warmed.
14
We worry about ticks in New England, so we discourage this at our home.
16
This entire test and article seem to be missing the point. Of course you sleep well with the pup. The reason to keep it off your bed isn’t because a pet prevents sleep, it’s because it prevents romance.
3
My six year old Irish Terrier Suzie began sleeping with me about 2 years ago. Nature caused this change as a rare early morning thunderstorm roared though Southern Arizona. Unable to sleep, I realized that this storm was causing Suzie a lot of stress and when I opened the bedroom door she was standing there shaking. So I coaxed her to come in and up onto the bed. She stood on the bed shaking for half an hour before she finally relaxed and settled down. From that point on I left the bedroom door open 24-7 and she began coming in every night to lay with me. Now that she has bedroom access, she sleeps with me most nights, but has since spent more time sleeping on her 5 living room couches and hassocks since my moving around during sleeping bothers her. But her time in the bedroom has mostly cured her thunderstorm fears and we both sleep well until she wakes me up at dawn by licking my face. Never had it that good when I was married.
24
My husband snores. My dog doesn’t. They are both prone to passing gas in their sleep. Who disrupts my sleep more? Well, my dog does not grab the duvet and pull it off of me when he rolls over, so...
One of my pups sleeps on my bed, the other doesn’t. Having a kind of living pillow to cuddle up to makes me feel safe, especially when my husband’s away, traveling for work.
16
The thought of my 3 dogs sleeping in my bed gives me the creeps. Besides ticks and hair and dander, who knows what they are walking through outside that sticks to their feet, and people, you DO know that they lick themselves, right? Ugh. Please don't tell me you let them rest their heads on your pillow after doing THAT! My dogs love their beds and are more than happy to be near us without being on my beautiful bedding leaving who-knows-what behind from their... well, behinds! Beloved, yes, but they are animals first and foremost. And don't get me started on what they may have picked up from their friends at daycare...
5
The topic and comments are just another telling indicator how "far" this civilization went.
Now we need some environmental activists (or "scientific consensus") telling us that having those pets, not only BIG, POWERFUL dogs who protect their owners while jogging, are actually making bigger (CO2 etc.) footprints than a child they replaces in lives and beds of their caring owners.
4
Refugee,
Is your claim that dogs take up a larger co2 footprint than children? You must be kidding. They live much shorter lives, eat less, don't drive cars, don't buy clothes and useless material goods, houses, boats...need i go on?
26
I had friends visit. They slept with their dog. When they left, I stripped the bed and found a tick. We are in an area with Lyme Disease. Hope they are all right.
35
Precisely. Dogs don't have the same needs for cleanliness that humans do. A dog takes a walk in the park, and then plants those same paws - that have just trampled through only heavens - next to your pillow. Most humans wash themselves everyday. Most dogs don't. Could you imagine sleeping next to a human partner that showered only once a week, or a month? If you add pet dander into the mix, then the ramifications of sleeping with a dog multiply. Pets are warm, furry and cuddly, but they're not throw cushions. They're living beings that with needs that don't always sync with human needs in a mutually healthy way.
10
No proof the tick came from the dog rather than the humans, though.
12
a tick is a tick...and one tick is one tick too many
8
Depends on the dog (or cat). I've had some that were easier to have in the bed than my children or spouse, and others whose sleeping/GI/bed hogging made it nigh impossible. That goes for the pets as well as the children...
14
Yes, my sleep is disturbed
- when I want to roll over and can't because one (or both) are in the way
- when the bed bounces because Romeo barks in his sleep
- when I feel a warm pile of fur at my upper back and realize it is Elmo and not Robin Williams
- when either one snores (especially when wearing a cone)
- when they decide at 4AM that it is time to practice professional wrestling
I wonder what they think about sharing the bed with me.
21
...BOTH?
1
Yup but it’s barely 30lbs of dog(s) after a large meal.
4
It amazes me that an 8 pound Papillion can turn into 80 pounds of sleeping weight at night, but I wouldn't have it any other way (and neither would Tallahassee for that matter). She knows that when my significant other and I want some "grown-up human time" that it's time to move to the living room couch so no worries in that area. I wouldn't be able to sleep well at night if she wasn't with me.
24
Our dog is perfectly content to sleep in the bedroom, but in his own corner under a desk, safe and sound from humans getting up during the night to use the bathroom...
I did have a cat who used to come to bed shortly after me, stretching out on my chest and falling into a deep sleep almost immediately - I did, too.
29
One of the great mysteries of life is how a dachshund manages to take up the whole width of a king sized bed.
397
:o)
My shelties always managed to find the exact center of the mattress and spread out as far as they could in all directions.
22
I think the answer is pretty simple Jack - your dachshund is a thief. He/she stole your bed immediately after he/she stole your heart. I simply loved your post. Thanks for making me smile.
36
Agreed! That's exactly the problem with dachshunds- they start out in parallel with us, then imperceptibly turn to lie perpendicular, separating two full sized adults with the force of a crowbar, and leaving them both clinging to the sides of the mattress and a small scrap of the bedding!
29
I love to sleep in a very cold room. All winter, we shut off the heat completely at night, open the window a good 3-4 inches and snuggle under a good blanket and our beefy lab mix. If we are lucky our lab/border collie joins us too, although he is often happy sleeping bedside in an armchair. This is our standard operating procedure even as temperatures drop into the 20s. Fortunately, my husband is an early riser and will adjust the heat in the morning so the rest of us don't have that startling, chilly foot-to-floor moment. I have to say our experience is a toasty snuggle-fest all winter and as long as they are at the bottom of the bed in summer, it's all good too, though they often stick to the floor in warmer weather for their own comfort and coolness.
We adore our pups and would miss them if they slept elsewhere in the house. If they have a small negative impact on our quality of sleep, it is more than off-set by the sense of reassuring comfort they provide in those moments of late night awakening, that quickly sends me back to sleep.
Now, what I really need some help with is the shedding!
51
if you had one more on a cold night it'd be a 3 dog night. and yes thats where the bands name came from; an eskimo term for needing that extra warmth on frigid nights.
my pup sleeps like a rock but has to be next me if g/f isnt over with his rump touching me and head facing the door "protecting" me from harm. who's a good boy? his only issue comes when he has doggie nightmares and twitches when the imaginary cat the size of a bear is chasing him (I'm speculating).....
15
My Harper has her spot near my bed; she will occasionally get in bed with me but that's a challenge given she is a Corgi. But after a while, she leaves and goes to her spot. We both sleep well.
15
I don't need a monitor - I can attest to the fact that dogs disrupt your sleep when in the bed with you but I wouldn't have it any other way. The emotional comfort of having my 2 50 lb pitties in the bed with me makes up for any lack of rest. They are the best companions.
49
Ha, I can relate. I have two 95 lb Rhodesian Ridgebacks I let sleep in the bed every night (it's at least a California King). But I won't pretend like they make it easy to sleep, especially as they like to flatten themselves up against me. But they cry and whine if I don't let them up, and I have no spine to say no.
17
Dogs, like humans, are social animals. When they're in our family we are their pack, and the pack sticks together, day and night.
55
Sorry. I don't mind dogs and have had a couple; I love cats and have had a couple. It is disgusting to have one's dog sleep in your bed. It is rather more tolerable to have one's cat sleep in your bed; they are somewhat more fastidious creatures.
Dogs have a right to be dogs, not surrogate children. They are not humans; they have interests in life other than us, and some of those interests can be quite filthy. It does not change a dog's essential nature to have been bred down into toy size. They are still dogs. You can and should love them for themselves and not as a fantasy creature of your needs.
53
My dogs are less filthy than certain illegitimately elected federal officials. I'll take my chances with the dogs.
You have no right to determine whether animals can serve as surrogates for others, just as I don't have the right to claim your kids are surrogate dogs.
33
Sorry. A person who doesn't mind dogs is no dog lover/dog person so that is why you think the way you do. Dogs are not disgusting...I've had more than a couple, perhaps 20 in 70 years and they were all warm, loving and clean. They are better than children -- they love unconditionally.
12
Not all dogs are dirty. I had an oily haired schnauzer, who spent a good part of the day outdoors, and her hair did hold dirt. She did not sleep in my bed, but on the floor, which was what she preferred. Later we adopted two lab mixes, who spend a lot of their time inside and are shockingly clean. I had never had this type of dog and am quite surprised at how fresh and sleek their coats stay. They do shed, which after having had poodles and schnauzers, was a rude awakening, but they are fabulously clean. I feel like we hit the jackpot.
They insist on being with us as we are part of the pack in their minds. Being separated seems to feel awful for them, so why would I isolate them on the principle that they are dogs and we are not? Based on how my dogs keep to my company, I know they consider me an inseparable member of their pack. When we adopted our pooches, our promise to them was to give all the love and care they deserved, and everyday we try to live up to that promise.
12
The only problem me and my wife have with our dog sleeping in bed with us, is that sometimes the dog doesn't want us in HIS king-size bed.
50
I used to have a large dog who would do a big stretch in the middle of the night, pushing with all four feet into the human she may or may not have wanted to shove off the bed. She was a great dog nonetheless.
9
Sure there are some dogs that may not be compatible bedmates. My Lab & Beagle have their favorite spots. They don't move all night unless I get up and talk to them. Routine is a key element of a dog's life. Most love to be close to their humans. Set a routine and sleep happy all night.
16
I slept with at least one dog almost my entire life, from the time I was 4 years old. There was a brief time during college when, my dog being to old to take with me, and my landlord not allowing dogs, I got two cats, and they too slept with me, one on the pillows above my head, the other on my side, where she comfortably "rode the wave" anytime I turned over. When I got a job as a Residence Hall Director, I wasn't able to take my cats so they stayed with my parents. I didn't keep the job long, mostly because I missed my pets. Once I got a new job, my cats came back, my now husband moved in, and we added a dog to the mix. He was too big to sleep with us, but he slept by our bed and the cats slept in the bed. Once we added a second dog, a Westie, he was much smaller and slept in the bed. Over the years the cats passed away, dogs have come and gone due to old age taking its last toll but all the ones we've added to the family continue sleeping in our bed. Granted, the last current ones caused us to upgrade to a King sized bed, but it was worth it to allow them to share our bed.
29
The dog, a standard dachs, and the cat sleep in the bed with us. The dog can be a hog, and is hard to move sometimes but if the pets wake us up it is offset by the fact that their presence is so comforting that they help us go to sleep faster. Ticks can be a problem though. Although both animals are treated the cat brings in a lot of hitchhikers that haven’t attached yet.
9
Our dogs sleep with us. The never start on the bed (my choice) but invariably end up there. I don’t mind but I fear one thing: deer ticks!
6
My wife sleeps downstairs in a special bed that has vertical support for her back and I sleep in the bedroom. Our border collie-cattle dog mix Aussie sleeps wherever he wants. His pattern is unchanging. He sleeps on the love-seat near my bed in the bedroom for 3 or 4 nights and then he sleeps downstairs on his chair near my wife's bed for 3 or 4 nights. Always one place or the other. We've been unable to regularly predict which he will choose after 3 nights. I sleep well whether he's in the room with me or not, but I'm always especially happy when that 4th or 5th night rolls around and I know he'll be choosing to be with me again. He's immeasurably enriched our lives.
33
Our dog has no interest in sleeping with us although will sleep on the foot of the bed at times during the day. We recently purchased a Class B RV and traveling is somehow different to him. He starts on the floor but at some point in the night I feel the thump of his 60 lbs and then the weight and warmth next to me. Mornings my husband somehow climbs over us both to make coffee. My day starts with a cup of coffee, the window and shades open, the dog and I cuddled watching the world wake up, we love watching the day get bright, the squirrels play and then the dog walkers out and about. It’s one of my favorite things of camping.
33
My beagle sleeps on the bed and I regularly get restful sleep. I enjoy digging my toes under her warm belly for warmth. She doesn’t seem to care much, doesn’t even wake up. It is bliss.
24
Sometimes I wake up to the feeling of soft little Chihuahua paws pressing between my shoulder blades when she is stretching. I'll turn over and see her little head resting on the pillows between me and my husband. She's exactly where she wants to be.
12
At the risk of sounding two discordant notes, I suggest two things based on my experience over many yrs of sleeping with several large dogs that are often outdoors.
First, shower every morning. Why? Well, if you sleep with outdoor dogs, you may get up with an occasional tick. Showering will remove the ticks before they bite and, if one has already bitten, definitely before they've had a chance to transmit any tick-borne illness. I don't use flea and tick collars, tho I must disclose that N Fla does not have many ticks bearing disease, but I would be more wary of sleeping with the poisoned collars.
Second, change your bedding once or twice per week and have your dogs' stool checked for worms at least twice annually. You may want to sleep with your dog, but you don't want to sleep with your dogs' worms.
The dogs and I enjoyed a good laugh at the photso of clear white bedding. False graphics! Except for the matters noted above, I have joined the dogs in subscribing to the hygiene hypothesis--not just in early childhood, but throughout life.
5
We got our 5 year old wire fox terrier 3 months ago from a rescue. She was our second WFT--our first was a mini one and could not jump up on furniture or the bed so this was never an issue and she happily slept in a crate in our bedroom until she died last year. Occasionally I would take this little one up on the bed with me to snuggle and that was nice. Our new WFT is big and strong and jumped right up on the bed the first night we had her. Problem was she then jumped up anytime, including right in the middle of my husband and I being intimate, and wanted to get right in the middle! So we had to set a limit. She can now get on furniture but N-O on the bed.
6
"Dogs may be attracted to humans’ beds, especially if they’re elevated, “because they are comfortable and strategically in a good position,” letting dogs keep watch over their surroundings, Dr. Siracusa said."
Really? Dogs are attracted to the human scent on the bed.
6
Your dog expertise is de minimus. Dogs like to cuddle their peeps, and they like being elevated so they can scope out the haps.
5
Certain dog breeds should sleep in the same room as their owner, the GSD is one example.
I'd suggest the Mayo Sleep Researcher include a Veterinarian in future studies as much of this work has already been done.
7
I would be interested in whether they controlled for the size of the dogs in this study. Might be easier to share your bed with a 20 lb dog vs. a 120 lb dog.
4
And, I might add, a 60# plus a 70# is worse than a 130#, because they split up and occupy more real estate, sometimes in the most challenging of ways. For example, it is no longer possible to have too many pillows on the bed. They all find a use.
2
Maybe I’m missing something. My spouse and I love dogs but don’t own one. I doubt we would want to sleep with it if we did.
Why has no one commented on how this affects couples’ sex lives?
6
When we get frisky, the older dog rolls her eyes and gets down on the floor until we have concluded. The puppy is more curious, but she's starting to come around to viewing this stuff as boring, too.
2
Doesn't the research say married people aren't having sex anyway?
6
See my comment above!
1
These comments are such a joy to read. Thank you, commenters!
Incidentally, I call what my 5 year old Golden Retriever does "tucking me in." He'll get into bed with me at night, with his special bedtime stuffy toy of course, and hang out until I fall asleep. In the morning I find him curled up in his flannel dog bed in the corner. Also, if I'm not in bed by 10pm, he comes over to me and stares at me until I stop what I'm doing and get ready for bed. God, I love that furry boy.
100
That's so adorable!!!
10
Our dog sleeps in his bed in our bedroom. He does sleep with us during storms. I don't understand how a 16 pound fluffy dog becomes an immovable object that keeps me trapped in one position the rest of the night. But I say this fondly.
20
Dogs are more high evolved than humans. It's a well-known fact.
30
My dog has staked out a spot in the corner of my bed. He will refuse to lie down if so much as the corner of a pillow invades that spot. Once settled into the spot, he rarely moves during the night. If I have trouble falling asleep I often reach out and give him a few pats which he doesn't seem to notice but is a nice way for me to drift off. Honestly, I'd rather sleep with the dog than most people!
33
I've slept with various cats and dogs for the last 52 years. I'm now down to one small dog and she sleeps between the pillows, with her own head resting on a small boudoir pillow. No, of course, she's not spoilt! As a widow, I love her gentle, even snoring and her little snorts she makes from time to time. It's nice to have a living thing in the bed with me with my husband now gone for over 12 years.
64
"Scientist who sleeps with dog finds people who 'generally' sleep well with dogs sleep well with dogs. PLUS: Stock photos of dogs!" Sigh. That noise you hear from the cemetery is Carl Van Anda turning over in his grave...
4
I was going to make a comment, but all dog lovers would probably want to "tar & feather"me.
11
Well, we might hound you a little...
17
I now have my second Maine Coon cat which is basically a cat who is really a dog.
He sleeps with us all night long at the bottom of the bed.
I rub him with my feet if I wake up in the middle of the night.
Sigh.
17
Over the decades I have slept with my Scottish Deerhounds on my bed. Leo only recently returned to bed after a few years on the floor nearby. His choice. I suspect it’s because he knows I have cancer. I find it supremely comforting and an honor to have him here.
64
loved having our Deerhound in the same room with us at night.. Although she is gone i miss her turning at night and hearing her make that "settling Grunt" after she was finally comfortable! THE BEST!! an Honor for sure!
12
I struggle with sleeping with our dogs. I am already an extremely light sleeper and temperature variations can really mess with my sleep patterns and if Quince (our male boxer) comes up and flops down right in back of my shoulder blades.. that's it, I'm done for sleep unless I move him. I love him a lot but he definitely does not make my sleep better. The only exception is when it's very cold out, and the temp in the room drops - then he's a welcome heat source. This does not talk about the fact he's a snorer, and when he dreams he's very "active" kicking and yipping. It's adorable but not conducive to me sleeping. Ah well.
5
I love my dog to pieces and if not for my allergic partner she'd be in bed with me every night. When it comes to dogs in beds people will do what they want whether the evidence says. Speaking of which...who funded this study? Please, Mayo Clinic....cure cancer.
8
I'm sorry, but I'd rather sleep with five cats than with half a dog. Cats are extremely clean animals, as everybody should know. Dogs sniff and walk dirty places, what a cat wouldn't even dream to do. They smell and they drool.
Dogs are ok the bedroom, but in their own bed, right, Oliver?
5
I know I shouldn't say this, but you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Okay, everybody attack.
I do sleep with my daughter's cat when I visit, (it's the cat's bed...) but I prefer not having a four-legged animal in bed.
But best to all of you who enjoy sleeping with pets.
12
I had a cat that liked to sleep on my head.
11
Dr. Krahn, a sleep expert should know that actigraphy is next-to-worthless as a way to measure sleep quality.
3
As a single women living alone I think I sleep better with my dog. He’s a 5 pound Yorkie and while his bite would not be much he is ever watchful and would alert me if needed.
12
I tried 'off the bed' 4 dogs ago. My current pack is just one pit and 1 hubby. I get nudged when she decides she's tired, and if I dont respond, because im dead asleep, she just tries forcing her way under the covers until I subconsciously lift them up. She then goes directly to my legs and pins me by spooning my legs, you know, sweating me out to the point where I thought I was going into early menapuse. I've tried to assert myself, to put her in her place, but after we watched that TED talk on REM sleeping, and she figured outhow to hit me up during my bodies witching hour, it was a lost cause. I nap.
8
I can’t fall asleep if our dog isn’t in our bedroom. From puppyhood, Marcello always slept with us. But Murray is a rescue and jumps off the bed at the slightest movement. So, we’ve had accept that he’ll just be on his orthopedic bed at the bottom of our bed. We miss our bed sleeping heart dog but at least have Murray in our bedroom.
8
No dog was ever clueless enough to get involved with Donald Trump.
28
Lie down with dogs and you wake up with dogs wanting to be fed and walked.
25
I know of nothing better than sharing my bed with Colette, my cat.
16
Well, in "Game of Thrones" you've heard of the mother of three dragons?
I'm the mother of three Yorkies.
13
How in the world is this (a) a scientific study, and (b) something that merits mention in the NY Times? Will the next study/article be about how dogs really like table scraps?
5
We fall asleep in a pile but with the first nudge from us our 60 lb mutt puts himself to bed (he sleeps on the guest bed across the hall) and we all sleep better for it. He's back in the morning though--as soon as he hears us talking he returns, jumps on the bed and settles in between us for pre-breakfast pets. We alI seem to like this system.
19
I work in the medical field and I smile when I see people worry about germs and stink with dogs. My dogs are regularly bathed and groomed and I guarantee they smell less than a lot of people. Also I am unaware of any illness I have contracted from a dog but can arrest to colds and flus from my fellow humans.
61
For 15 years we've shared the bed with three dogs. As they got older they chose to sleep in the same room but in their own bed. My peaceful sleeps were destroyed.
11
Sleeping with a dog is addictive....warm and cozy and furry. Those who try it will immediately become converts. If you try it, you never want to return to one species sleeping.
45
I've had cats and dogs all my life and I've never had a problem with cats sleeping on my bed. They acclimate themselves to your sleeping schedule, at lease mine did, and they learned that waking me up in the middle of the night is not a good idea for either one of us. I don't believe in ever physically disciplining an animal. If done correctly, the word "NO" delivered at the right volume and urgency works like a charm. Against beliefs that cats cannot be trained, it's all based on your reaction to their actions. If they wake you up in the middle of the night and you feed them, you can be assured that they will continue waking you up in the middle of the night whenever they want a snack.
33
Exactly!!! Once they learn we won't be bossed around by them ( most of the time) ...:)
4
Dogs and humans run and sleep in packs. Or used to. Cats not so much.
14
Yet another piece of scientific research that I already knew. The thing I would most like research on at this point is the relationship between climate change denial and studies like this.
4
I’ve had dogs all my adult life and as a child, too. All of them slept with me (and a husband or two). I found them a sweetly reassuring presence and I can’t imagine not having them there with me overnight. The dog I have now is a sensitive sort and more of a loner in many ways. She has her very comfy dog bed and she sleeps within an arm’s reach of me. But every night I wish she’d jump up on the bed and snuggle in.
22
My dogs, both Goldens, sleep on the bed.
One sleeps right next to you.She's warm, she cuddles and she does not snore. Occasionally she will roll over in the middle of the night and drape her legs across your face.
The other usually stakes out the foot of the bed - and she will stays there until someone moves and then its slow and steady for the pillows or middle of the bed.
Both are aged - one is an epileptic. Both are deeply loved.
My husband and I sleep better knowing that they are with us, cuddling and safe.
I guess from their snores and nighttime kisses they must feel safe, too.
Nobody in our house would have it any other way.
Pure bliss.
66
"But is sleeping in the same bed with your dog a good idea? Wouldn’t they be disruptive to our sleep?"
For 13 years and 2 days, every night, my husband and I slept like babies while our sweet dog, Abby, slept on the bed, between us.
It wasn't until after we had to say good bye to her that our sleep became restless and disruptive.
Abby was the finest, warmest and most loving "security blanket" we ever had. We still miss her and think of her every day.
276
We really love our own Abbie also. But recently found that she sleeps better just outside our bedroom with the door almost shut. She gets better sleep now that she doesn’t have to watch TV with us, or become awakened by galloping horses, etc on the “silver screen”. Our golden “Abbie” has a huge heart defect, but always acts as if it isn’t there. It’s all about THE LOVE.
11
I completely understand. Our first dog, Missy, was a brindle boxer and also a rescue. From the first day we had her in our home and in our hearts, she would only sleep in the hallway, next to our bedding doorway, as if she thought her job was to protect us while we slept. You are so right in that " It’s all about THE LOVE" and what's best for the dog rather than the dog parent. Thank you so much for sharing your comment. Isn't Abby/Abbie one of the best names for a dog? Take care and please give your Abbie a pat and hug from the Kellers.
14
We have slept with larger dogs for years who slept comfortably at the foot of our king sized bed on top of the blankets. After these dogs passed on we decided to adopt smaller dogs. One adopted chihuahua and two foster chihuahua’s that followed all demanded to crawl under the blankets and sleep tightly to our bodies. At first we worried that we would roll over on them but they seem to move with us at night. Not sure I’m sleeping better but I know they feel a strong part of the family at least a bit because of this arrangement.
34
I loved having our dogs on the bed with us from November through March. From April through October I was terrified of the ticks they brought into the house and our bed. If we get another dog it will not ever be allowed on the bed.
15
You don't have to worry about ticks, Jzzy. There are wonderful monthly
medications, oral and others, that can be found online or at the vet. Stay
tick, flea, and heartworm free.
29
Those meds are wonderful but they don't free you completely from ticks. My dog still carries them in on her coat occasionally and they drop off before the meds start the killing process. Then the ticks find their way to us. Caution must still be taken even when the dog is given the best of these flea and tick repellents. Check your pet's coat and ears every time they come in from outside.
13
My cat does not snore, hog the blankets, or take up more than half the bed. Hmmm, not so bad.
63
And I'm he sure he doesn't attack you if he "gets startled"
6
But your cat will never love you like a dog. She merely tolerates you in her bed.
5
our dog sleeps in our bed, he sleeps on top of my feet or crowds me despite the fact that we have a king size bed. yes, he disturbs my sleep but I couldn't imagine leaving him downstairs.
30
I started out with the No Dogs on the Furniture rule and they slept all night in their crates without a fuss. Then one of them got injured and had to wear The Cone. When I let that one up on the bed, I had to let the other one up too. I think you can guess what happened.
107
Good laugh...
It is comforting
to sit in bed with
my puppy gang
when reading.
They get lots
of stroking, then
lights out and
they all find
their favorite
spot in bed
for the long snooze.
Pretty nice for
all of us! I would
be the saddest
human without
my sweet dogs.
13
One of the reasons we moved from an open concept loft was that there was no way to keep the cats off the bed. It was like sleeping with a pair of cement blocks (until it was time for breakfast). Now we have a dog, too. Guess what? No cat on the bed!
13
"We can't quite trust people."
I read that a lot in this publication. Is there a better way to say it.
5
We love dogs as much as the next person though we don’t condone that mouth to mouth licking we see some dog lovers indulge in.
There need to be clear parameters.
Let us not forget Ben Franklin’s, our founding father, advice:
“He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas"
14
and ticks.
6
You really haven't lived until you've shared a bed with two 90 pound Dalmatians. Just saying.
90
We have one dog that sleeps in her bed next to ours and another that sleeps tightly against one of us while under the covers in our bed. Even in a king size bed, at 50lbs, she always wakes us as she stretches out, which usually involves her getting out of bed. Then she scratches at the side of the bed until we lift the the covers for her to get back in bed. I have to move around her all night. Though I won't kick her out of our bed, I will have future dogs sleep in beds next to ours.
That being said, my wife and I are jealous when she sleeps next to the other!!
20
My 16 pound dog snores. Loudly. I can sleep right through it, but my boyfriend cannot. However, when he's out of town, I pull her little bed, complete with cozy sheepskin, back into the bedroom, and it's likely we both lull each other to sleep with our snores.
19
Before these comments close, a public service announcement: for those of you with these new stratospheric higher mattresses and small dogs, do take care that they don't injure themselves making the leaps on and off, which can strain their spines and knees and cause injuries. There are now stair sets you can buy for this purpose. I think even medium-sized dogs need to be careful with this.
148
All dogs need to be protected from back injuries from jumping onto beds and into vehicles. My bed has a set of adjacent carpeted normal sized wooden stairs. And my dog is huge.
10
My scientific studies conclude that regardless of the size of the dog one sleeps with they end up with having the largest part of the bed in the morning.
217
Otherwise known as Strategic Sprawl.
34
Sometimes I end up on the edge with a 5 pound Yorkie in the middle of the queen sized bed :)
21
We marvel at our beagle's ability to go 'coast to coast' on a full-size bed. Well, we marvel after we wake up to find that we are scrunched in small areas of the bed.
16
We have three dogs and two sleep on the bed and the larger dog prefers the floor right next to the bed. We also have cats, and one in particular likes to snuggle up at night. My husband and I feel lost when we travel without them.
41
So it's a three dog night.
9
Have slept with my dogs for years. But usually for only part of the night. They tend to get off and go to their own beds during the night.
15
I am as enthusiastic an amimal lover as you will find and I sleep with my cat. But folks, dogs STINK! They are not self- cleaning like cats. Even after a bath, they smell like a dog. I have friends who brag about cuddling with their dogs. It is eminently obvious that they do.
27
Give a Schnauzer a whiff. They smell awesome.
19
Lynn: if a dog has a bad odor after being bathed, the dog has some kind of skin condition -- probably fungal. It is not normal.
Dogs have a kind of natural musk, but it is mild (some of us love it!) and it is VERY mild if the dog is regularly groomed and bathed.
I don't smell my dog at all, but I fear "nose blindness" so I regularly check with non-dog owning friends to see if the slightest hint of "doggy-ness" is around my house. They say no.
Obviously if you dislike the slightest odor of ANYTHING....you must lead a hermetically contained life that is sterile.
It should be noted that humans have a natural odor too and I do not mean "B.O." -- even a squeaky clean person has an odor. You don't notice it, because you are used to it.
31
I can smell cats standing in front of a house of cat owners. The kitty litter in the bathroom or kitchen is also unsavory.
11
In his travels in a remote area of Utah Canyon country, my son came upon a panel of writing scratched into the wall of a canyon, protected by a rock overhang. It was in an archaic script, and it went like this:
"For many a year, I have believed that the domestic dog represented the utter apogee of human creation, or attainment. The miracle, I must say, is not simply the dog, but the relation of the dog and man."
31
The only reason humans are around, and survived the Ice Age is dogs. Dogs are the first domesticated animal and they created US as much as we created THEM. They guarded our caves, played with our children, taught us about genetics and breeding -- they hunted with us and protected us from predators and even served (sadly) as a food source. They give us EVERYTHING and take very little. Humans EVOLVED with dogs and in turn, manipulated dog genetics to give us what we know today as a modern dogs.
Dog is our co-pilot.
79
It was four years before we let our 5-year-old, 8-pound, female, Coton de Tulear, BiBi, sleep in our bed. Previously, she slept in her dog bed in our bedroom and simply snuggled on our bed before the lights went out. Her current routine is to start under the duvet spooning with me (I work at home and so am her main caregiver), then go to sleep at the bottom of the bed on the duvet. (If I am traveling, BiBi spoons with my husband.) Later in the night, she comes up and curls against me on the duvet. Shortly before we get up, she comes under the covers for some morning snuggles. For the researcher, I get slightly less sleep with her on the bed, since she likes to sleep against me and its harder to simply roll over for fear of disturbing her or to free my legs, if she's by my feet. She's so affectionate and such a joy in our lives, however, it's worth losing a bit of sleep to have her in our bed.
25
United Airlines seems to think dogs should be “put to sleep” in overhead bins, not beds.
44
That is so sad,disgusting,
horrifying and wrong. I
will never ever ever fly on
United Airlines. Remember
when they dragged the
doctor off the plane
last year?
45
I agree. For the flight attendant to state that she did not know there was a dog in that canvas bag, where did she think the barking was coming from for two hours? The belly of the plane? That horrific story is another reason why I will never fly United. Common sense and courtesy seem to be in short order as of late.
If my husband and I were in this situation and were denied access to our dog like this young couple was, we would have told the flight crew they would have to have us arrested when we landed. We would NEVER have allowed this kind of unthinkable behavior to exist with any of our four-legged kids.
20
D Priest: I have never heard something so horrible...for an airline to do! They should be sued out of existence. Imagine the fear, horror, and entrapment the dog felt! Imagine not being able to breathe! It was like being buried alive. The people should have disembarked the plane with their dog, and the poor animal would still be alive. I am livid over this.
15
My dog loves being elevated. She sleeps on the couch in a blanket she burrows under. Just like a human...so funny
18
We have two cats, they are sisters. The little one, our little runt, gets under the covers between us and places her little head on a pillow! When it is breakfast time, however, she marches up and down my body. Her “big” sister, on the other hand, loves to lean against our legs when she sleeps.
22
My first dog lived all his life outside in insulated doghouse. Smart, and loyal this black lab loved it outside, although I heated his water and house when it got really far below freezing. 3 dogs later, the last mutt, rude and pushy, has 4 beds inside the house plus the “big bed” where he favors my pillow, when the wife encourages him to jump up in it. Now who doesn’t believe in evolution.?
33
You waited until "it got really far below freezing" to heat his water and house? SMH.
4
I cannot imagine NOT having my dog in bed with me every night. We both sleep better and since their lives are so short, I don’t want to miss all those hours net being close to him. His nighttime snores and morning snuggles are the best start and end to my day.
89
My cat sleeps on my bed, snuggled up next to my legs, and it's a lovely feeling. The only thing he does in the morning, when he thinks it's time for me to get up, is to move from sleeping next to me, to sleeping on top of me. And given that I can continue sleeping through that, I think he's very well trained.
35
People have been sleeping with their dogs for millennia. What better way to stay warm. Ask any Inuit.
45
It's cheap, free heat.
I have a 50 lb fur-covered heating pad all night long!
22
I nu it!
7
All good until your 55 lb sweat pea thinks he's a cat and ever so gently walks on top of you to carefully wake you up. (I decided he's just checking to see if we're alive and will in fact get up to fill the bowl)
17
Snoopy never slept with Charlie Brown & turned out just fine.
8
and that's why Snoopy always laughed at / mocked Charlie Brown.
11
Dog on the bed...bet that smells great.
14
My dog is bathed and groomed regularly -- brushed every day or two -- smells as clean as a nice lady's fur jacket! -- just sweet and clean. Even her breath is nice!
She has flea and tick and heartworm treatments, and has never tested positive for ANY parasites, ever.
Also, I change the sheets weekly (or more often in summer), so they smell absolutely fine.
Trust me: she smells better than a lot of people I know.
34
Hmmmm...
"Dog on the bed...bet that smells great."
Better than most people. Dog on the bed is a very comforting smell, and a very comforting presence.
15
Amateurs! Five dogs, one cat, me in a queen sized bed. We all get awesome sleep. Well, the cat does try to smother me sometimes but..... Wouldn't have it any other way.
38
I cannot begin to imagine life without two dogs. Two, because they're pack animals and fare better together, and two because when one dies, we have the other one to alleviate the heartbreak - a little bit, at least. Then, we adopt another rescue dog, and so it goes.
Our dogs are non-shedding small, white dogs. Their feet are washed each time they come in from the outside; their teeth are brushed each night. They are bathed weekly and brushed daily. They smell like my perfume, mostly, as I hug them so much.
Of course they sleep in the family bed. All four of us sleep just fine, thank you very much. Every night is a "Two Dog Night." Bedtime is very cozy and waking up to their cute faces is hilarious. Thank you, God, for precious companion animals.
63
I have a cat and a small dog. At night I stick the dog under the covers where it's warm. Later my cat comes up and sits on a pillow that I use for reading. We commune there for up to 45 minutes; he purrs and closes his eyes. When I turn over to sleep, he jumps down. But soon he returns and sleeps on my back. I am comfortable and I love having my cat with me. The dog sleeps all night and gets up around 9 AM. I adopted my cat when he was smaller than my hand and he is still number one.
60
Our dog does not sleep in our bed with us. Have no doubt, however, that he does sleep in our bed. When we are not home. After having a party on it first.
57
I wake every morning with my dog's head right beside mine as we share the pillow. This, by the way, is exactly how we were positioned when we fell asleep the night before.
57
I cannot seem to fall asleep because my terrier is sleeping elsewhere tonight.
43
Please, can someone explain to me why after several studies, stories, books, movies, etc. proving that the dog or cat is a beloved family member, why oh why does United Airlines continue to subject our babies to inhumane treatment? See 3/13/2018 NYT article re: United apologizes for dog’s death in overhead compartment.
Sorry, this may be not the correct place to ask and comment, but, maybe finding this comment with the article re: the mutual beneficial relationship between pets and human in the Well & Health section of NYT may jolt United to become better people.
101
That wasn't the airline, that was the flight attendant who despite being told multiple times that a dog was in the dog tote, forced the owner to put in the overhead. She is claiming she didn't know the dog was in the tote bag which was designed for animals. Huge fail on her part.
12
That flight attendant must be held accountable in some way. Suspended or even fired.
41
Uh...leave your pets at home.
9
My husband and I sleep in our dog’s bed and we love it! (:
442
I love that my little fuzzy child sometimes gets up from her pillow and sometimes stretches out beside me and then scooches back until our backs are touching. It usually wakes me up for a few seconds then I smile and fall right back asleep.
40
A dog is not a child.
4
There's something called "fitbark" for dogs yet we're cool with people punching sheep in the face to get our wool fabric on (look it up).
7
Not me , I am vegan and wish more people would be aware. I think more and more people are
There is no way I can sleep without my dog! She keeps me warm at night and licks my husband's face when he snores gently telling him roll over. I tried letting her sleep in her own bed... I ended up on the floor curled up next to her!
30
I didn't crate train my youngest of 3 terriers (Daddy said "don't upset him, he can sleep with us.") Sleeping with "us" was actually sleeping on the top of MY pillow above my head while Daddy snored undisturbed. So I bought baby his own bed, one that looks like a miniature couch, and put it on top of the blanket chest at the foot. Sometimes he sleeps there, but mostly now he sleeps on the pillow next to mine - my former husband's. We both sleep much better that way.
23
Our 16-pound Shih-Tzu/Coton de Tuléar generally goes to bed when my wife does, 2-3 hours before I am ready. By the time I come to bed, I usually have to push him out of the way to make room. Sixteen pounds of dead-to-the-world weight is pretty inert. I’ve been out of town for two weeks, returning tomorrow, and a little concerned that I may be sleeping in the guest room.
42
We have an elderly dog who sleeps with us and sometimes on cold nights, if i get up to use the bathroom or something, she curls up in the warm spot i just vacated. Most times, rather than make her move, i head down the hall and spend the rest of the night in the guest room. I let her get away with so much because I love her beyond reason and I know someday in the not too distant future, she won't be here to steal my spot. Just my heart.
33
As a pup, my Coton slept in the bed with me....until he grew to full-size. When he fully stretched out, he was nearly 3 feet long! He was vocally disappointed he had to sleep elsewhere and I felt mildly guilty. Our compromise? After his early morning bathroom break, he could snuggle under the covers until I was fully ready to take on the world. RIP Lafayette.
11
Our 8lb coton shares a similar belief the bed is her domain. Heads upstairs exactly at 10am and is quite put out if she goes unaccompanied.
11
This begs the question, what has caused the role of dogs to change so much? In my childhood (50 years ago) dogs did in fact live in dog houses. Basically chained to a long leash in the back yard and fed table scraps. Played with a bit but otherwise ignored. Looking back it seems so cruel.
33
We've evolved?
8
GG: not in my family!
50 years ago, our dogs lived in the house and slept on beds or couches. They ate with us in the dining room (though on the floor) and were generally treated as "fur people".
My mom used to say "if there is reincarnation....I want to come back as a pet in our family!"
12
It was cruel.
5
To those who are grossed out by the thought of dog hair, ticks, and bodily fluids in your bed, why would you have a dog at all? It's the nature of dogs to climb on people, lick them, stay as close to them as possible most of the time. That's the joy of them. I've had big dogs, small dogs, medium-sized dogs all my adult life and maybe I don't have the most pristine house in the world but it's sure worth it. When my 5-pound Yorkie curls up next to me at bedtime and gives his little sigh of contentment, I'm content too.
120
Theresa...because some of us respect the breeds. Still use our dogs for what they were bred for...but I dont want their hair and fur and skin oils in my/our bed. The stuff is every where else...the bed remains a sanctuary...
My dogs serve another purpose besides making me happy...Im there to help them be better dogs, to honor their breed. They do for me, I do for them.
8
There is no obligation to let a dog in your bed if you don't want it. And some dogs prefer to sleep in a crate, on the floor or wherever.
However: if your dog is IN YOUR HOUSE....and has fleas or ticks! -- just keeping them off of the bed will not prevent flea & tick contamination of your home! Believe me, those things get around.
Unless your dog is a farm dog or working sheep dog...and is outside 24/7....they need regular flea & tick meds, tests for heartworm and so on. They need to be regularly bathed and brushed.
I've never heard the "dog skin oil" theory, but I wish my sheets very regularly and never have seen anything "oily".
5
Years ago when Tom Brokaw, a dog lover, was a guest on David Letterman's show, he was showing pictures of a camping trip he took to Alaska -- or someplace comparably cold. When Letterman said something along the lines of, "...and you chose to sleep in tents and sleeping bags?", Brokaw said, "You know you've been married a long time when you're freezing in a sleeping bag in Alaska and all you can think is "Wow, I really miss my dog."
135
Francois - I have loved Tom Brokaw since the first time I saw him in 1966 when he was merely a cub reporter in LA. I can literally hear him say that quote with his slight South Dakota twang. Great story. Thanks so much for sharing.
7
Anyone with dachshunds knows there is absolutely no question that your dog will sleep anywhere else but the big bed. I routinely fall asleep with my two boys under the covers and curled up between my legs, and then wake up with one on each side, wedged between my arm and body, noses resting on my shoulders. Pure and divine heaven.
188
I love sleeping with my dachshund!
14
Yes, dachshunds must burrow, often in perpendicularly in the center of the bed. It's a requirement of guardianship.
6
How could I fall asleep without a dog in my bed?
82
I have a 27lb Siberian cat, he’s a big boy. Every since I put heated floors in the bathroom in my high rise condo, he prefers to sleep there in his bed. He visits in the early morning mostly to let me know his food bowl is empty. In the summer he sleeps with me at my log cabin in Montana, it’s a big bed and we both hear critters outside moving around. He has a tendency to bolt when something startles him. I really wish he would sleep in one of the other bedrooms.
Dogs sleep on your bed because they like you. Cats sleep on your bed because they like your bed.
111
My dog is like a sleeping pill.
108
You mean having the dog out of the bed at night is an option? Who knew?
472
LOL
8
LOL. Would you tell my husband?
8
I had a cat that used to sleep near my head. He used to snuggle and rest his head on my forehead. It was a wonderful feeling.
96
NYT has the best dog articles always!
73
People so disconnected with dogs that they have to read this for actual advice should never have a dog. Incredibly dumb.
5
I live with two bed-loving cats who are shockingly well-behaved (for cats) when it comes to cosleeping. They not only carefully arrange themselves along my legs and neck and readjust as necessary, they do not wake me up in the morning. When I take a nap, they rush to the bed as well.
I think the happiest time of their lives was a few years ago when I was suddenly stricken by the flu and was unable to leave the bed for more than a few minutes at a time for an entire weekend. They must have thought I had finally become a cat at last, just like them.
278
My dog has a choice. She is allowed to sleep ON the bed (not on the sheets) I have several quilts I alternate and if it is too hot for me to have a quilt it is just folded up for her. It was easy to get her to understand she is only allowed on the quilt, not other bedding. I had Lyme long years before I got her, and I also wash her paws when she comes in from outside.(Baby wipes by the door work great.)
But there is also a cage in the room with a comfortable mattress. If I have had a bad night with frequent waking she retreats to her own little den until morning.
Works out well for both of us.
And it really is sweet to wake with her standing at the edge of the bed, quietly waiting for my eyes to open to start the day.
17
Our beagles tend to howl or wake up barking when things go bump in the night, which can be super annoying at 3am. However, I have found turning on a fan or a bit of white noise helps them sleep through the night without getting woken (and thereby waking us) when they hear the train or a neighborhood cat.
9
I've slept with one or more dogs most of my life (I'm 73). When I was 12, my dog Trusty kept me warm since there was no heat in my bedroom. Years later, I ran into a problem in Brooklyn. I had four large dogs and they took up so much room in my bed that there was not much room for me. So I had to kick them all out. But they each had a very comfy dog bed surrounding my bed. When the alarm sounded at 5 a.m. every morning, I gazed down toward the floor and marveled at my four best friends, comfy and cozy, curled up in their beds. Now I have only one dog and cuddling/sleeping with him is heaven on Earth. For me, life without a dog is a life not worth living, unless of course, you have a cat!
69
When I was a child I was not allowed to sleep with my dog. Now I can't imagine sleeping without my dog(s). Of course, they're Yorkies and the total weight is under ten pounds. I love seeing those cute faces in the morning and snuggling at night. And the other human in the bed is pretty good too.
43
Well, I love my dog. And all the ones who've lived under my roof for 50 yrs. But unless they learn to wipe their behinds, don't lick their nether regions, and take a shower every night, they're not sleeping in my bed. It'd be like having some lovable hobo wearing shoes and the same clothes he's had on for the last month crawl under the sheets. Spouse agrees. No dogs, no hobos.
83
My thoughts exactly. I totally get people who love their pets, but in the bed? I don't think so.
17
Well may I suggest giving them a good brushing, wipe their paws and other areas before going to bed? Waking up in the morning to wagging tail is the best thing ever!
18
Don't bother with the study for cats. It's the same as with dogs.
13
Except my dogs don't wake me up by licking my eyelids. I don't even try to understand that one.
3
A dog is like a security blanket/alarm rolled into one. She would wake me when I have low blood sugar or jump off the bed and start barking when someone tried to break in once. Believe me, 90 lbs will wake you in the middle of the night.
22
My dog senses low blood sugar, too. It's a bonus!
16
Interesting, my dog knows when my Lupus is going to flare.
9
Ticks. Ticks. Ticks. Lyme Disease and a whole host of other diseases. That Frontline stuff and the other brands? Ticks are evolving resistance. Ticks, ticks, ticks. Sleep with your indoor cat. Don’t sleep with your dog.
16
Or you could check your dog for ticks on a regular basis. Not everyone has a tick problem where they live and/or walk their dogs.
24
My parents used to close our (well-loved) cats down in our basement at night to eliminate disruption, no matter how much I pleaded with them not to. I was a lonely kid and wanted a cat in my bed desperately. My stuffed animals filled in as best they could.
Now that I can do what I want, for many years there have been various cats in my bed and always a large dog.
I find something almost primal, and comforting, sleeping with animals. These relationships go way back--the 3 Dog Night story, as others have mentioned. These creatures sought us out by our fires and started sticking around even after they got our food scraps, offering us their protection, affection, friendship, hunting skills, and beauty.
Sometimes on winter nights we all sleep on the living room couch in front of the woodstove. I can see the stars out the windows, and, like a kid, imagine I'm in a lost world with my animal companions, safe and warm for the night.
362
My Chi-Wei sleeps in my bed and sleeps without disturbing me through the night . He sleeps on top of his own blanket which is rather large right up next to me . Sometimes when I wake I find him sleeping on his back , his paws curled like a rabbit's on his little chest . We sleep very well through the night . As to some comments made here , about rolling about in unsavory piles , he is an indoor dog in an apartment and I clean his feet after a walk.I keep him healthy and well fed with a diet good for him , I include raw carrots and green beans as veggies and blueberries and apple as fruit with the occasional commercial snack from the pet store . He is definitely very healthy with a very shiny coat.
26
If I had to choose between my ex-husband, who snored and thrashed in his sleep or my well-behaved terrier who warms my feet at night when he curls up at the foot of my bed and doesn't make a sound all night ... no contest!
165
Im sure he feels the same way.
2
Our Basset Hound sleeps between us under the covers with his head on a pillow. Sometimes he spoons us. This is perfectly OK in our household and we have not yet had any complications from this practice. Sometimes we bring him breakfast in bed: a little mimosa, some toastie soldiers and a soft boiled egg. He prefers to do a little light reading before dozing off.
283
Our dogs were always welcome in our bed---but only at the foot od the bed.
Simple reason---they drool quite a bit when sleeping. Unless you are going to clean and change the bedding every day, they should lie at the bottom, on a doggie blanket.
Ours always loved it there. It was their spot, and they enjoyed it.
12
Is it okay to sleep with your dog or cat in your bed?
Don't know.
I need to keep this experiment going another 30 years to get reliable results....
252
The vet recommended I stop sleeping with my 10 year old Dachshund after she came down with lupus, lest she disturb me. Yeah, like that would ever happen.
88
I recently brought home a rescue dog after four dog-free years. She slept with me at first but now that she's settled in, she sleeps on her bed more or less. I usually wake up with her nose in my face, happy and ready to start the day (preferably with food). She's a joy and way better than anti-depressants.
201
How utterly revolting.
7
Speak for yourself.
21
At night, Logan our beloved Belgian Shepherd sleeps in our bedroom in a "Dog Cave" we designed and made for him. The "Dog Cave" is located close by the bed my life partner Gary & I sleep in. During the day, Logan often takes an afternoon nap stretched out on our bed. I get great joy from observing him serenely stretched out on our bed having a peaceful afternoon snooze. My studio is at home so unless I have a meeting offsite, most days Logan is my 24 hour a day companion. He has special signals (expressions and actions) that let me know it's time for him to go for a walk. Logan also has different expressions that let me know that I could benefit from a walk. I sleep better at night knowing that Logan is nearby sleeping in his "Dog Cave".
16
We tried sleeping with our cat, but his pouncing on my feet was too disruptive. He naps on me often while I'm awake, but we use a gate to keep him out of our bedroom.
1
My 8 month old pup in bed has brought me joy and happiness beyond my dreams. Doggy love is one of the simple pleasures in a world gone haywire!
101
For those of you griping about how gross dogs are, you should probably be reminded that your body is just as - if not more so - disgusting. Yet, Fido is still perfectly happy to snuggle next to you.
342
When's the last time your dog took a shower?
12
Nope, not in or on the bed. Or the furniture. Sorry...till they learn to wipe their feet and rears, and/or wear underwear, stop eating their feces, garbage, lick and otherwise put everything in their mouths, etc...they dont get in my bed, or on my furniture. They are still dogs, still animals, important - yes, but they are not humans.
Dogs need structure, they demand it actually being pack animals, and in that structure there must be restraint and boundaries. I dont get down on all fours and share their meals, put my face in their bowls, I don't pester them when they're out pooping, and doing their thing in the yard. And they don't bother me when I'm doing similar things.
The pack is cooperative, hierarchical, and I'm the alpha at all times. Period!
Its the natural order of life.
18
It’s not fortunately. Research has long debunked the pop culture belief of wolf pack and leader relationship. Dominance theories interfere with our enjoyment of our dogs and damage our relationship with them and are in the way of your dog trusting and wanting to be with you.
45
Sebastian, nonsense! Show me the definitive proof that dogs, not wolves, but the domestic dog is not a pack, clan, family animal. Like humans. Bred and been involved with various dog breeds for decades...and nearly every behavior problem can be fixed with the dog and human recognizing their roles in the "pack". Its not about pure dominance. (Wolves dont operate that way.) As a parent I dont dominate the rest of the family, but there is a hierarchy that is respected, and nurtured...and when the children get older more mature that structure shifts ...but I remain the parent. Just Not in charge of their lives...
With the dogs, Im always in charge. And they love me for it. And so do the other humans we encounter...as they are well behaved.
Trust me they want to be with me...and they trust me, as I do them. Been thru some scrapes together.
Show me a misbehaved, poorly socialiized dog, and I'll show you a weak, non leading, non alpha human. (In relation to the dog.)
4
Sebastian, it's actually not nonsense. I would encourage you to read the position paper on the use of dominance theory in the behavior modification of animals by the American Society of Veterinary Behavior. This organization is composed of Ph.D veterinary behaviorists (a specialty that requires additional education) and those who conduct research in applied animal behavior:
https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
2
Sorry, I'am a human. I rather sleep with my own kind.
11
My thoughts exactly!
Haha! How much money was spent to find out what is common knowledge...
8
We would not be able to sleep without our sweet girl Georgia in our room. She is the best sleeper out of the three of us! She loves being up on our bed to rest and relax and to monitor the world during the day, but when we get ready to get in bed, she jumps off and sleeps on her own bed or on the floor next to the bed; we can't even entice her onto the bed for the night....unless I am taking a nap...which happens infrequently....she might be in the back yard doing her thing but as my bottom hits the bed, she is bounding up the stairs and leaping onto the bed to snuggle and cuddle. As soon as I am up in the morning to get ready, she gets on the bed and snuggles up with her butt on my pillow and her head buried in covers.....It doesn't get any better than this!
12
A movie about just this issue: http://www.documentaryaustralia.com.au/films/781/baxter-and-me
Well, a dog in the bed ought to keep you from having human babies, given the way that works, so it's all good. Like dogs? Have dogs. Like humans? Keep dog out of bed.
4
Too bad that isn't a deterrent to procreating. We humans already overpopulate the planet.
19
i have a small 17 year old cat. recently i was hospitalized for over three weeks with traumatic injury to my right hip and leg. when i got home, the cat assumed a caretaker role. before my accident, she might come up occasionally and take a nap with me in the bed. when i came home from the hospital, she slept with me every night, curled up against my back and/or curled into my stomach when i slept on my side. she never went near my injured leg. but i found having her in the bed very comforting... she decided when bedtime was, and a good thing because i always stayed up way beyond my strength level. she never woke me to feed her but would stay as long as i stayed in the bed. now that i am mostly recovered, she starts off the night with me, and then goes about her business. i had human caretakers during the day, but i honestly think the cat in the bed really helped me to sleep better. and recover quicker.
491
@bronxbee — It is amazing how animals know when you aren’t feeling well, and they are the best medicine.
60
I had a similar experience with my 15-year-old cat after a 10-day hospitalization. I had to recuperate at home for several months, and I'm convinced that I slept better and therefore healed better with her "guarding" me in the bed. Plus she got extra treats out of the deal. Pets are an amazing source of comfort.
85
Oh, I believe this occurs so often! Cats can seem so aloof sometimes, but whenever I have been in physical or emotional pain, I have always felt my cats have a sixth sense of empathy, and loving caring.
50
Our 2 dogs sleep on their own pet beds in our bedroom. They are not allowed to even put their front paws on our bed. We sleep on the first floor with our windows open most of the year so the dogs are our "security system".
We no longer set an alarm to wake up. The dogs get breakfast at 7AM so they start moving around at 6:30. We slowly, naturally, wake up which is nice. A dog alarm is accurate to +/- 5 minutes, but there is no snooze button on a dog alarm. No sleeping in....
20
No dogs in the bed because of the dirt, fleas (once in awhile), gas, etc. However, dogs in the bedroom - a.o.k. My pomeranian mix's bed is at the foot of ours, when we retire for the night so does she. I look forward to the sound made when she jumps on her bed and then "digs" herself a comfy spot... All is right with the world and I drift off soundly to sleep.
11
Here is the main reason our dog is not allowed to sleep in bed with us: deer ticks and the ever-present threat of Lyme disease (and all those other new diseases carried by ticks). They can hide in her fur, and I have found several dead ticks in our bed if she has been on it. (Yes, she is treated, and if they bite her they die, but if they are just wandering around, they can find us.)
21
I agree. And the ticks are developing resistance to Frontline and such products. Lyme disease is common here and it’s a nasty disease.
11
Then you guys cannot have dogs in your home AT ALL, because the ticks and fleas can bite you anywhere -- the couch, the rug, the living room, ANYWHERE.
A tick does not require being in your bed to bite you. Most people pick up ticks out of doors, in the tall grass!
I groom my dog and I'd know if she had a tick. She gets flea & tick preventive. I have not had any problems.
HOWEVER...if you cannot tolerate the slightest chance of any insect in your home at all and want to lead a hermetically sealed, sterile existence....DO NOT HAVE A DOG. Or a cat. Maybe you can have a goldfish.
1
Then I assume you never let the dog in your house? because a tick does not need to be IN YOUR BED to bite you -- it can bite you anywhere, inside or outside, in the living room or kitchen.
They make effective preventive meds for Fleas and Ticks!!! call your vet!
After my husband died I was a total wreck. A few months later I adopted a 25pound dog who has become my comfort and joy. We needed each other. Now we know each other very well. She is well groomed and healthy, and stays next to me all night ... on her side of the bed. Not a peep, except the getting settled to sleep snore which stops once asleep. My husband did the same thing.
I love her little snore and how she puts her paw on my arm as we wake up. I highly recommend adopting a dog or cat whose temperament is a good match for you.
630
I agree with your assessment Snuggle. I have found that a dog or a cat are more effective in treating any emotional trauma, event or heartbreak than any prescription drug out there. The love given to each other is returned 100 fold.
51
My dogs are like velcro and stick to me. I need a break at night. The dogs sleep in the living room and the kitties sleep in the bedroom.
11
Dog in my bed? Sorry.
Never. Going. To Happen.
28
Sleeping with cats is a nightmare. They sleep between your legs, against your side and on top of your head, rendering you inert. Then there is the night time wandering and demands .... gosh i miss my cat!
454
Can't do without them though!
29
My favorite is when they either sleep on my breasts (ow from either the weight or the kneading!) or on my bladder (you can guess the results in the middle of the night).
After that, the next cats were trained not to come in the bedroom and given lovely kitty beds on their cat tree in the living room and they slept there, with a great view of the trees and garden.
My sleeping improved immensely.
9
I have two cats that share my bed, a 25 pound Manx and the boss lady, her nine pound Marmalade evil eyed sister. Once they settle down I fall asleep quickly, the Manx snores a little which is very soothing. They may move around but they are careful not to wake me.
They are well groomed indoor cats, I would not want to host ticks, worms and fleas in my bed.
34
Our dogs seem to know that they should be quiet at night. They quietly tip toe around the house so not to disturb us while we sleep.
7
Are there perhaps some other considerations about having a dog sleep in or even on your bed? Ticks, fleas, worms? Dirt? No country dogs in beds!
16
No matter where your animal(s) sleep, you shouldn't allow them to be infested with fleas, ticks or worms. Or even left dirty (there is such a thing as brushing them).
21
Dogs should be kept free of parasites, for their own sakes as much as the humans'.
8
A healthy and well-cared-for dog has none of those things. Mine certainly does not.
18
Worth it for the photos.
34
Funny thing is that they are all free stock online images.
No NYT photographers were made to sleep with dogs.
2
I'm sorry, but letting dogs sleep in the human's bed is just filthy and disgusting. They are smelly, and so many of them love to eat/roll around in garbage, excrement, and dead critters. Not to mention most of them shed incessantly. Just what I want in my bed!
29
Dogs shed only twice a year: Jan. to Jun. and Jul. to Dec.
33
Sounds like my ex-boyfriend...
22
ME
I'll bet that you're not a dog owner or animal lover. No dog I've ever owned loved to eat or roll around in garbage or excrement. Shed excessively? Do you know how much dead skin you shed into your bed? You'd be amazed.
23
Dogs are wonderful beings.
583
Agreed. Nothing better than our 55 lb. pit bull comfortably snuggled between us on a cold winter night.
8
Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, people have no beds at all.
Some children in Syria sleep on the ground, if they're lucky enough to find a safe spot. In Calcutta people carve out space near garbage. Life has been bare bones in Puerto Rico lately, too.
Think about how spoiled you are Americans, and how the expense of your pet care could save lives through international or even American charities.
17
Not being resident of Syria, Calcutta or Puerto Rico, I, comfortable within my position of American privelege, frequently contribute to sources working to relieve these dire situations elsewhere. But, while still occupying this position, I choose to appreciate my fortunate circumstances, which include two very affectionate dogs, with me as we sleep and wake. Spoiled as I am, my enjoyment of this situation will continue undimished, your comments notwithstanding.
32
You can apply that logic to any type of article. It's an absolute tragedy how
sentient beings (not just children) are treated in this world. But for now,
a non politically charged article, with photos of pets, will do.
14
Maybe people in Syria & Calcutta should demand their governments implement American style capitalism and government? It works for us in the US.
5
I can't believe there aren't hundreds (if not thousands) of comments on this article!!!
And seriously - that 2nd to last paragraph is the best.... "....cats do what they want."
Yep.
SB
34
Oliver the cat was too busy knocking over all of Jen's stuff onto the floor to comment.
Fluff likes to jump on my sleeping brother when he comes to visit. No boundaries.
10
Tesla manages to occupy 75% of the bed on average.
22
A purring cat is a great sleep aid.
294
Our dog. Toby, now sleeps in our bedroom. Moving from bed to side of bed when the mood strikes. Please let there be reincarnation and please let me come back as a dog...
16
My 2-year-old, 75-pound golden retriever sleeps in our queen size bed with me and my husband. We're all squeezed-in together like a tight-knit pack. We love it.
222
Golden Retrievers are the best! Mine sticks to me like glue and I wouldn't have it any other way.
17
...waiting to read your husband's comment...
;-)
7
My husband and I share our king bed with 2 Great Danes; each about 150 pounds. I love it, husband says he loves it. The dogs seem to love it. It makes us all happy, so who cares what others think.
33
One thing that is glaringly not mentioned is the dirt and bacteria and hair that dogs (or other animals) bring into the bed. Our two like to sleep at the foot of the bed (on their own beds, thank you), but in our bed? Never!
14
They didn't call it "3 dog night" for no reason. People have been sleeping with their dogs for a thousands of years.
411
You are right! On those cold dark winter nights i need the dogs to snuggle in so we all stay warm.
24
Amen
8
Dr. Krahn should also study why a dog's snoring is so darn cute, but a spouse's is so darn annoying.
848
Love my dogs but its nice to have one space not covered in fur and be able to freely move my legs. One of our girls was so sweet but so gassy, we would need the carbon monoxide detector just for safety.
13
She snores and is a bed hog, not to mention awakens at 4A. No, she sleeps in her crate...the cats, on the other hand, are great bed companions
9
There is really nothing like feeling a warm doggo curled up next to you as you sleep — all is indeed well. A dog’s snore is about the only kind I don’t mind.
364
"Doggo", you said? Is he a male?
I call mine "doggita", when overcome with love.
11
Yes there is. Feeling a beloved human partner beside you is much better (and warmer).
4
Our english bulldog, Coco, slept at the end of our bed for a trial week but her snoring kept us up - she's back downstairs but has this uncanny ability to know when someone is sick and she will sneak up and get on the bed to be with the sick child/adult. We call her Nurse Coco and its funny to see her start her "duty."
12
Jen A. Miller - the last line of the story had me laughing out loud!!
10
I was surprised this article didn't touch upon hygiene or health issues. My dog sheds, which would make the bed a big hairy mess, not to mention occasionally drips body fluids into his bed, which honestly would be a little gross to add into my own bed.
14
Cats are the enemy of a good night's sleep. Almost as bad as my toddler.
7
Thanks a lot, Dr Kahn. My fight to keep dogs out of MY house has just gotten harder.
In spite of reader ire, let me just say it. I do NOT like animals in MY house - I see what dogs do outside. They roll in dead animals, they eat poop, they lick disgusting stuff. They are dogs and have an excellent olfactory system that informs them of their environment. There is nothing wrong with this. BUT I do not want them in my bed leaving residue of dead animals. I do not want them licking the backside of another dog then licking me. I do not want them to transmit poison ivy oil from a run in the woods,.
Increasingly, my house guests do NOT respect MY rules for MY house. Just a week ago, a family member insisted on bringing the dog for an overnight, insisting it was well behaved, etc (it is not - it is excitable, cannot sit still, climbs on everything). The plea was the dog was a member of the family, considers itself human. and would suffer depression without being with its people. Only because it was 20 degrees outside, I set up a cot in the garage (For the human) and made them stay out there. Needless to say I will not have either this person or their "4 legged person" in my home again.
So, maybe the dog does not interfere with sleep. That is just fine. Want the dog in your bed? Fine. But if you go down that road do not expect everyone to go along. And don't cite this study to make me change my mind.
11
Why do you bother having a dog? You don't seem binded to yours in any way. My dog keeps himself clean in general. Like a child, he may get into something or throw up in the house. Like a good parent, I help take care of him then. Finally, you seem inhospitable and mean spirited to both humans and dogs.
33
You sound like a lovely individual.
29
If you kept the dog inside 98% of the time, they wouldn't get into those messes - why do you have a dog, again?
17
My cats are crying out for their own article under the Equal Air Time Rule. Their favorite subject matter is the many permutations of sleeping.
60
our 2 Beagles — Copper 10 years old and Evy almost 3 years old — have each slept in our bed for years. it's the only way to go provided you properly bathe them on a regular basis.
9
Dr. Krahn, please buy poor Phoebe a dog bed. A six year old golden retriever is middle aged and even a carpeted floor isn't enough padding for her aging frame.
24
If the bedroom is big enough, how about a nice baby crib mattress on the floor, with a clean sheet on the mattress? (For the dog, that is.)
4
I cannot imagine why sharing a bed with the average dog would be any more disruptive than sharing a bed with the average person.
67
I can't sleep without my dog next to me.
59
How about a study on the psychological profiles of those who feel their pets need to sleep in bed with them? What sorts of human needs does this practice satisfy? Is it reassuring to the owner that they must be a nice person? If pet owning is a model for caring, do pet owners care more about other people than non-pet owners?
I'd wager that most American dogs have a higher quality of life than millions of children around the world. I wonder how many pet owners care about this? I'm sure some do, but I suspect many have a misplaced need to be needed. How many of these overly-pampered pets are unhealthy and overweight from more TLC than is really good for them?
I have loved a few dogs in my lifetime and shed tears when they passed, but I've never confused them with my or anyone else's children.
If you really love and care about animals, adopt a low-consumption, eco-friendly lifestyle, because the largest threat to animals in the wild is habitat destruction driven by human needs for more and more and more of everything.
And, please, have your pet spayed, especially cats - they are actively decimating our wild bird populations.
14
And please apply the "low-consumption, eco-friendly lifestyle" to raising children, as well!
21
Chill, Kestrel,
24
Some people like children, others prefer dogs.
15
It has been said that, "Three Dog Night", the band of '60's rock 'n roll fame, got its name from a colloquial expression describing a night so cold it would take three dogs to stay warm in bed.
With the spread of Lyme disease, and ticks in general, it would seem that short haired dogs would be preferable as bed mates.
3
We share our comfy king-sized bed
with our most beloved pet,
a large Chihuahua with long hair.
He sleeps between us unaware
we’d have more room if he would sleep
curled up into a little heap
or stretch the long way, not across –
the space he takes is our loss,
we often end up on the edge
ignoring doctors that allege
tranquil sleep is paramount.
Though when we stop to move around
he’ll snuggle up and it feels great
to sense warm concord emanate.
31
I cannot imagine falling asleep without "the pack" in our bed. It is our time together to cuddle, pass out, and just relax in total peace after a long day.
87
My husband and I adopted our first dog about three and a half years ago. For the first three days we had him, he wouldn't go upstairs. (He's a rescue and we didn't know all his backstory.) So for the first two nights one of us slept on the couch to be near him.
The third night we had him he finally came running up the stairs and into our bedroom. I was so happy to see him I said "C'mon up!" and he immediately jumped onto our bed.
He's slept there ever since, and both my husband and I have a hard time falling asleep without him in the bed. For us, things are exactly as they should be when we go to sleep with the dog snoring on the bed.
326
This article misses the point - dog lovers have their dogs in bed with them ESPECIALLY when the dogs are old or sick, and if they wake us up, that's OK, too, because in this lonely contemporary American life a dog is a wonderful connection to God's precious creatures, nature, and a daily life that has nothing to do with your income, your looks or your status. A dog getting aggressive if he/she is woken up? Never heard of it.
536
@Carrie: Our rescue Jack Russell will snap or bark if disturbed during sleep. At the same time, he is so anxious that he can't bear to be alone and refuses to sleep anywhere but in bed with at least one human. Who knows what happened to him during the first four years of his life, when we did not have him, but whatever it was, it traumatized him, and if he is startled awake in the middle of the night, he can be quite aggressive. Otherwise, he's as cute as a button and irresistibly sweet. Go figure!
6
While I’ve heard of dogs having an aggressive reaction on waking, it’s always when they’ve been startled, usually by a small child who jumps on them or is otherwise overly rambunctious while they’re comfortably napping.
4
@carrie, now you've heard of it. My Pomeranian gets aggressive sometimes if I kick her in my sleep. She will growl and snarl, sometimes bite at the blanket. Then she wakes up, realizes where she is, and settles back down. This is only if she is in her first phase of deep sleep. After that, she's fine.
2
I grew up with our dog sleeping on my bed on many nights. She tended to move around a lot, so it occasionally disrupted my sleep. Years later, I adopted a dog who wound up sleeping on my bed too. She is still and silent most of the time. I sleep very well with her on my bed. She's a small terrier mix. I make her a little nest out of a pillow or blanket.
26
Dr. Siracusa makes an important point that more people need to hear: Dogs are not trying to establish a hierarchy with their humans. Too many so-called dog trainers without backgrounds or credentials in animal behavior and science believe that normal dog behavior is a willful effort to assert dominance when in fact dogs are reacting to different stimuli. This misplaced belief leads to a bevy of harmful, destructive practices (e.g., shock and prong collars) that lead to dogs to experience more anxiety and mistrust of their humans.
18
I agree. Thanks to Cesar Milan and a host of other bogus sources, people (mainly men) think it's necessary to assert 'dominance' over their pup. My dog pulls on the leash but I'm not going to put a choke collar on her and roll her on her back. We have a wonderful, fun relationship. I adore her and it's mutual.
25
Sadly, this attitude toward dog behavior is widespread among "trainers" and, bizarrely, veterinary professionals in my area (metro Detroit). My sister is a veterinarian who finds herself in the strange position of having to educate and persuade her own colleagues that aversive training techniques are damaging to the dog and the human-dog relationship.
5
I have 7 dogs. 4 of them always sleep with me. Two under the covers. Three choose to sleep on chairs and loveseats. In December I was hospitalized for a week. I missed my dogs,their breathing,their snores,their warm bodies. The dogs regard the bed as theirs. Sometimes I have to nudge one to move,they don’t like that but they do,begrudgingly. Yes, I have to change the bed more often,but it’s a small price to pay for all that I get in return!
68
That laundry must be a nightmare.
6
Our dogs always start the night sleeping with us, but whether they stay there depends on the weather. During the summer they will usually move off one-by-one to find cooler places. During the winter they can't be pried off with a crowbar.
I find it difficult to fall asleep without at least one furry body close to me.
47
My cat comes and goes but never wakes me up. He makes me feel part of a litter, secure when another body's warmth and steady breathing. I've discovered I can scam him (and myself) to sleep by starting some deep slow breathing!
He curls up at my neck during my afternoon nap, too.
34
Sally Grossman - I remember you with Dylan on the cover of "Bringing It All Back Home." Best wishes to you!
5
Sweet article. My cat sleeps regularly with me and helps me get to sleep.
Regarding kitty being hungry in the middle of the night, may I recommend leaving a glass ramekin filled with "kitty crunchies" along with a nice, clean bowl of fresh water? Works well with mine, and she's always very happy.
Thank you, NYT, for this validating article.
44
My husband and me have two medium size dogs that sleep with us every night. They love it and we love it. There such a feeling of contentment and a truly calming quality about it. Of course it isn't always nirvana. Many times we end up on the east and west coasts of the bed with them in the middle. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
64
The great thing about dogs is if you tend to pass gas in front of company you can always blame them. But good dog friends can smell the difference. If I had to choose between my husband and my dogs it’s a no brainer. God I hope he doesn’t see this.
2
Our cat snuggles hard and crowds me out when it's cold, wakes up around 4:30 or 5 and makes noise to wake us up: she pounds on a woven rattan sliding door which sounds like a drum, she jumps around on top of us and meows.
She definitely does not care about waking us up. She has developed many behaviors to get what she wants.
11
My wife and I have slept with as many as 5-6 dogs on our bed for 40 plus years with the main challenge to keep them off our heads - they love pillows. The number has gone up and down, but they want to be next to us, never trouble getting enough to have a three dog night. Occasionally sleep is interrupted, but all in all they crash and sleep. On vacation (with furries at home), bed seems very empty
38
I sleep better when my 15-lb maltese/pug/cattle dog mix sleeps on my bed. He's a calming influence, only woofs a warning once if he hears a weird noise, and will wag his tail if he's chasing rabbits in his dreams. A real charmer. The best bedmate ever. Irreplaceable. Period.
80
Now I'm going to spend the rest of my life imagining what a maltese/pug/cattle dog mix looks like.
2
My dogs have been sleeping on my bed forever. Starting in 1996, my first Jack Russell was with me in bed. Then came the 100 pound Lab. That pair has since passed and the 14 pound Jack Russell and the 73 pound Lab now keep me company. The little one is cat like, the puppy is a bit of a bed hog and I admit I end up in some pretty contorted sleeping positions, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Being away last week, having the bed to myself felt lonely and cold. Spending a morning off cuddling with my pack is one of my favourite things. I revel in the bark dreams. I love the stretches. I will never have enough of the snuggles that you think they can't get any closer but they do. The snoring. The dog hair. I'd never give it up
131
I'm surprised that there's no mention of pests that animals can bring into your bed, including fleas, ticks, worms and other parasites, and germs like MRSA. There have been many documented cases of zoonotic diseases, such as plague, MRSA, meningitis, hookworm infection, being transmitted by pets that sleep in bed with their owners. And then there are people whose allergies are exacerbated by allowing pets to lie on their sheets. Most people will likely never have problems, but there are reasons beyond sleep quality to be careful about letting pets share the bed.
13
Might you cite some of those many cases, ck?
11
Certainly. Here's a CDC document on the subject: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/2/pdfs/10-1070.pdf
4
LOL -- no, there are NOT "many cases". I'll bet dog-to-human cases of MRSA are very rare if they exist at all.
Fleas do not much like human blood, and only will bite if they can't get a better meal. I'd hope anyone who sleeps with a dog has gone to the vet, and gotten Frontline and Heartguard and the other meds that PREVENT fleas and ticks.
Worms? parasites like that are easily treated and I've had 9 cats and 3 dogs in the last 30+ years and not one has ever had roundworms -- not one -- or heartworms either.
I don't think I'd crawl into bed with a strange feral dog, but this is MY OWN PET who has had good veterinary care its entire life -- is bathed and groomed and teeth are brushed. She is no "dirtier" than any human being.
ck, if you are THAT sensitive....you can't sleep with any HUMANS either! or children! since they all carry germs and disease!
12
I adopted my first dog, I never, for a minute, thought she would be on the furniture- let alone on the bed with us. She had other ideas- and despite many hilarious attempts to move her from the bed (in a Benny Hill-like routine) we finally just relented to her preferances.
While she did disrupt my sleep sometimes(mostly because she would not move for anything), I found that when I would travel for work, I really missed her presence- even the weight of her on the bed was comforting. I cherished the mornings when I would wake up and just hear her steady breathing. It was so peaceful.
Of course, it only makes me miss her more now that she is gone. But it was 18 years I would not trade for anything. I'm so glad my dog forced the issue.
181
I agree with your assessment Nicole. Why ruin a perfectly good sofa when a bed is so much more comfortable for any animal, cat or dog. I share your reasoning and thought process.
4
This was very accurate at the moment because I’m trying to decide if it’s my bed or my dog that’s making me not get good sleep. I am an extreme dog lover and always took care of dogs; so I do have 2/3 dogs that sleep with me. This is kind of excessive and maybe the reason why I’m not getting good sleep but hmm maybe not after this recent study...
3
I have 11 dogs ranging from 3.5 pounds up to 22 pounds. They sleep where they want. Throughout the night it is not unusual for all of them to be on the bed with me. Their comings and goings do not seem to bother me. Though if there is something unusual happening causing them to all come awake, it is enough for me to tune in a bit. If there is no barking, I am back to sleep quickly.
We have a pet door, so the dogs go in and out 24/7. A couple of the dogs are personal body guards, or so they think. It is rare for me to be out of their sight. The others like to snuggle for a bit, and then move to an empty spot. When it is really cold, it can be difficult for me to move if I awake before them. I am just grateful that the 5 parrots prefer their cages at night.
Growing up we had cats and dogs. Both slept in the beds with us. It was common to see cats and dogs in a sleep pile. We had one cat who thought go-to-sleep time was fun. She liked it under the covers by your feet. When you wiggled your toes, she would bat at them with her paws.
33
By any chance do you live in Huntsville? Your house sounds awesome! I would
love to meet your menagerie!
3
I can't say what's right or wrong on this topic, but I can say that I enjoyed over 22 years of comfortable sleep with two different Labrador retrievers who both slept under the covers with their heads on my shoulder. I've always lived "close" to my four-leggers and always welcomed their company in or on the bed.
41
I admit to miss sleeping in the same bed with the dogs who have been companions in our household throughout the years. Their warmth and regular breathing was sleep-inducing at its best--at least until they aged into snoring and more active dreams! Fortunately that time of life seemed to coincide with our dogs wanting their own beds on the floor of our bedroom. Our Standard Poodle who came to us as an adult with so many rules of her own was our champion of bed warmers.
The cats who live with us now are restless during the nighttime which fortunately coincides with our getting up for what cycling refers to as "nature breaks" once or twice a night. The noisy Persians who populated our beds in our younger years have passed due to compromised breathing and the other defects of "purpose bred by the ignorant" animals who fill our shelters and rescue groups. While their snoring is silenced, we are often comforted as we go to sleep by purring cats cuddled into various warm spots next to us on our bed or in the case of one very spoiled cat on our shoulders.
Yes, it is irritating to be awakened by a soft paw or the brush of a tail across a face only to find what the cat actually wanted was one of his humans to wake and watch him eat the food which was still in his dish. We try to remember to celebrate these times knowing how few are left for us to enjoy the comfort of our elderly cats.
I am delighted that research continues to be done on the animal- human bond.
23
My daughter says her cat leads her to a full bowl of cat food so my daughter can watch her eat. Really interesting since the bowl is way upstairs! Maybe the cat's intention is to share the food with my daughter? The cat also complains when my daughter returns from a long absence.
7
I love that there's a item called a FitBark. Our dogs have always slept wherever they want. Some wanted to be in bed with us, others wanted to be on the couch or even outside. We always sleep just fine.
8
Does not apply to cats. I slept fitfully last night because two of our spoiled, fatty pants cats took over the foot of my side of the bed and would not be dislodged.
9
I took my cat into the house from my bushes; she was apparently abandoned there. The very first night, she sought out my bed and always sleeps with me. She rarely moves in sleep, and is very comforting.
58
We both our dog (and there for she leaves the bed) a lot more than she bothers us. That being said, the colder months make our bed a desirable spot for her.
6
Growing up, I always had at least one dog in the bed. I am forty-four, married, and all three of our dogs sleep in the bed. To focus exclusively on the ways a dog might interfere with rest is, to me, misguided. I find it reassuring to have my dogs snuggled up against me, to be able to reach out and stroke a furry ear or a back. That I occasionally awaken to find myself sandwiched to the point of immobility, or have to lift the blanket to allow our older dog to burrow (yes, he sleeps under the covers) seem like minor, and well-compensated, inconveniences.
40
Get a Corgi. Their legs are too short to allow them to jump onto the bed.
I'd love to be part of the cat in the bed study. We've almost 50 years of that with a few cats.
7
“Dogs can distinguish between the relationship with its human fellows and other dogs, and the way in which they regulate their interactions with humans in the house is not trying to establish a hierarchy,”
Plenty of well qualified canine professionals hold the view that elevating a dominant dog can be quite problematic. Does your dog challenge you when you command it off the bed? Or growl if you pick up its filled dish or a chew item? Barge through doorways in front of you? There are non-compulsive training fixes for these (related) problems but at least some believe the answers begin with establishing a benevolent dictatorship in the case of dominant or challenging dogs. That might include not elevating them to the keepers highest ground, the bed. I would preface the paragraph above by saying it applies to some dogs, and wonder what the context of the quote might have been?
2
I've slept with 1 or 2 dogs much of my 60+ years and have found they are generally more calming and relaxing than human companions. The relationships are better and any odors are about the same.
192
I normally have 2 or 3 standard poodles in bed with me, and couldn't agree more. They are wonderful to spoon with and the relationships are much better to. Odors are not an issue either....
9
I don't know, I think I prefer the Frito-Lay smell of my dachshunds feet to any human odor.
10
I've always had my Jack Russell Terrier with me in the bedroom. Most of his life he has slept pretty soundly through the night (I am a light sleeper).
Now that he's approaching 19, I keep him in the bedroom for safety. Just like my elderly father, he is more restless and he's prone to sliding on the smooth wood floors elsewhere in the house. I don't sleep well when he doesn't, but monitoring his safety is important to me, too.
25
My dog slept with me every night... until the first night my new love slept over and declared his discomfort. At that moment, I flashed on a future as a woman with a husband or a "crazy dog lady". My beloved pooch (who became every bit as much my husband's beloved dog) passed many years ago and we still miss him (and lavish love on his sister... who sleeps in several places around the house, but not our bed). I made the right choice.
7
There had been some question whether we should by a king size bed. This came up in context to accommodate our sleeping husky, Sophia. She sneaks into the bedroom in the middle of the night to claim a portion of the bed, then maximizes her coverage. The bed size is irrelevant. Her goal is to be next to us snuggling with the pack. It has been a benefit since she no longer bothers us to take her out in the middle of the night, but rather sleeps through undisturbed. It works and we still have a queen size bed.
12
A very timely article, as me and the Misses were discussing the issue last night. We ave two dogs and three cats, all but one of the cats usually in bed with us (me). Last night was a perfect example: Dog A sharing my pillow, Dog B at me feet, Cat C on my upper chest, Cat D behind Cat C on my abdomen. This drives my wife nuts. She thinks I'm nuts. I love it. As I tell her: they know who "really" loves them.
32
What a cuddly, warm article, soothing with mutual affection and love. The pictures are so adorable. I have two siamese cats who are family with the same mutual love and affection. Mikey, Sparky, Oliver could easily be my Chunni and Munni. When they were 6 weeks old, they slept on our bed. They are 18 yrs. old now and they still sleep on our bed, albeit, Munni snores, a teeny rhythmic sound which lulls you to sleep. Dr. Krahn can start her research with my cats! The only condition is they will not be displaced from our bed!
15
Depends on the dog. Our late border collie mix slept peacefully through the night while sharing the bed with me and my husband. My current dog, a Jack Russell mix, is much too lively and has been relegated to his human sister's room for nighttime slumber.
5
Another thing to consider is the possibility of ticks migrating into your bed. We live in a wooded area where ticks are a problem. We have found tick crawling in our bed after even a short visit on our bed.
20
Flea and tick meds -- now even in long-acting shots.
Ask your vet!
12
Dipstick the cat would have been distressed by Oliver's reported disregard for the needs of his humans. He slept on my niece's bed from when she was four until she went to college, occasionally getting up very quietly to go downstairs and use the cat door to go out into Rock Creek Park for a while. I know that because I slept beside the cat door a lot when I visited and sometimes was still awake when he was coming and going; he was careful not to step on me either. His brother Melvin was careful, too, but not so much into co-sleeping with humans.
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carole Goldstein - Dipstick the cat? OMG - I simply adore the name and laughed out loud for 5 minutes. Sounds like the perfect name for a cat novel.
7