How To Decide If You Should Let Your Pup Sleep In Your Bed

Unsplash/Roberto Nickson

If you’re thinking about getting a cute, fluffy puppy of your own at some point in the near future, you’re probably considering whether you should let them sleep in your bed with you at night once you bring them home. That question puzzles even the most experienced dog owners because there are pros and cons to inviting them to snuggle unconditionally and enforcing a crate-training routine from their early puppy days. So here are a few things you need to think about in determining which setup would work best for you and your new doggo.

Your Sleep Quality

Believe it or not, sleeping with your new pup could actually benefit your sleep. A study from the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine asked 150 patients about their pets and their sleeping habits and found that of the 56 percent of people who shared their beds with their fluffy friends, 80 percent of them experienced high-quality shut-eye. So Fido’s snoring, kick-filled dreams and insistence on snuggling up right against your face rather than on his side of the bed don’t seem to trouble near as many people as you’d probably think.

Your Pup’s Independence

While sharing a bed sounds like the best way to go, dog temperament experts are very clear on the fact that puppies need to establish a sense of their own space when they’re young to make them independent (which is not to be confused standoffish), confident and comfortable in your home no matter where you are. If bed-sharing happens too early and too frequently, that can lead to the manifestation of some serious separation anxiety in your pup, which presents itself in him acting out. Think destroying valuables in your home when you leave for hours at a time during the day and excess barking, crying or whining until you give in and soothe them. It sounds flattering that they love you that much, but these behaviors are anything but cute.

Unsplash/Mike Marquez

Keeping Your Bed Clean

You also have to think about the hygiene of your bedroom when you bring your puppy into the mix. First things first, you definitely don’t want to put your new doggy friend on your sheets if he isn’t housebroken yet. (Just ew.) The crate, which is much more confined than your bedroom, will make him hold out longer until you get up to take him outside for a midnight potty run (because who wants to lie down in their own pee?). Therefore, this setup prevents unwanted accidents from reaching the fabrics that touch your body and face on a nightly basis. If you’re especially allergy-prone, you have to take his hair, dander and treats he tracks in on his paws and coat from the great outdoors into consideration as well.

The Middle-Of-The-Road Approach

If you’re not a germaphobe and good to go on the allergy front, we suggest going half and half with this co-sleeping arrangement. Start the night off with your fluffy friend in his crate, located conveniently next to your bed and full of cozy blankets and toys he loves so he feels comfortable. If whimpering ensues, let it be. But after the bathroom break that will ultimately occur in the middle of the night, you can welcome your pup into your bed with you for a few hours of cuddly bonding time before the sun rises. That way, your dog can feel good about owning his space, you can enjoy waking up to that sweet little face and no “accidents” ever touch your nice bedsheets. Win win win.

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