Many dog owners are very attached to their pets. The animal is more than a pet: it is a furry member of the family and a companion. Since pets and humans are so closely linked, many dogs and cats want to spend the night with their owners. Humans can also enjoy the comfort and companionship of having a purring cat curled up to one side or a curled up dog sleeping at their feet.
The benefits of allowing your dog or cat to sleep in your bed go beyond having a companion in bed. This co-sleeping can be an important bonding experience for pets and owners, as herds of animals generally tend to sleep together. For a dog or cat that is new to the home and separated from its littermates for the first time, the comfort of a human companion during sleep may be essential in helping the dog or cat feel safe and secure. A young puppy that cries when left to sleep alone will often be comforted by the sound of a human heartbeat and will happily fall asleep.
However, some questions remain as to whether it is a good idea, for your pet’s development, to allow your pet to sleep in your bed. Allowing a pet to sleep in your bed, especially a dog, can make that pet feel the same as a human. This can create dominance problems in the dog. A dog that feels equal to its owner may be less likely to submit to commands or be trainable. Dogs that feel the same or are in charge within the relationship can become tense and fearful as they take on the responsibility of being a pack leader in a pack that contains an unknown human member. Dogs can also become aggressive and overly protective of their human, if they feel they are in charge of their human or responsible for their human.
These dominance and submission problems can become especially pronounced if a new baby is introduced into a home where a dog sleeps on the bed. The dog, because he sleeps with the human leaders of the pack, may feel that he has a higher status than the newborn. The dog may also begin to resent the baby or feel that he needs to protect his place within the pack. These circumstances are rare and do not occur with all dogs, but can and do occur especially in dogs that have a high level of status as a result of sleeping with their owners. It is these types of circumstances that can lead to the delivery of pets to shelters or, in the worst case, the premature death of a dog due to aggression. Owners who want to ensure a long life and delay buying pet urns or headstones for as long as possible want to do everything possible to avoid this situation.
While there are potential problems, as long as the bed is inserted correctly, for most dogs there are no problems with co-sleeping with the owners. Generally, a dog should not be invited to sleep with its owners until its place in the pack is already established. This can happen around six months of age, once the dog is trained and understands that it must obey. Additionally, requiring the dog to sit and be invited to bed before entering can also help maintain proper pack order within the home and minimize any potential behavior problems caused by co-sleeping.
In general, owners can enjoy this practice of having their canine companions close to them while they sleep, as long as the privilege is properly introduced. These hours of bonding and cuddling can add a wonderful level of enrichment to the relationship, and when the day finally comes to say goodbye to your pet and write pet memorials, it can be a great comfort to know that you and your partner had this extra. time together to share love.