Every day, millions of pet owners find themselves in that terrible position. Whatever they choose, it’s time to stop barking your opinions at pet owners in judgment. Recent discussions led by experts reveal that while many owners view their pets as cherished family members, there are health considerations to keep in mind. A national survey of over 1000 Australians found a surprising pattern. Almost one in two pet owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them at night. In light of these trends, understanding the effects of co-sleeping on health and sleep quality is important.
Kate Mornement, an animal behaviorist and dog trainer, believes that including dogs on the bed conveys their status as treasured members of the family. This connection promotes an experience of warmth, safety, and coziness for both people and their dogs. The first thing to know is that dogs can carry a variety of harmful bacteria and parasites. Some of these are even transferrable to humans! Veterinary professional Jane Heller underscores the mutual benefit and reciprocity of this relationship. Infection with zoonotic bacteria and parasites can spread from humans to pets, posing health risks to our canine companions.
Health Considerations in Co-sleeping
Though the emotional benefits of sleeping with a dog are real, the health risks are serious. These concerns include the presence of Staphylococcus bacteria as well as roundworm parasites, which may pose a threat to human health. According to Mornement, these pathogens pose a mild health threat, especially to those with weakened immune systems.
Whether that’s the case or not, the survey results are indicative of a major cultural shift towards allowing pets to co-sleep. Turns out, almost half of all pet owners in Australia allow their dogs to stay in bed with them. This trend was profoundly influenced by both past policies and social attitudes. As ethnographies of Indigenous Australians find, co-sleeping with animals is not a new practice. This underscores the profound and abiding connection between people and their pets.
The emotional benefits Dogs offer affection and loyalty, companionship, and nonjudgmental social support, all improving emotional well-being. Not only do they make rooms cozier, but improved warmth can help create the optimal temperature for a good night’s sleep. It’s important for pet owners to continue to be cognizant of the downsides.
Sleep Quality and Canine Behavior
It’s worth noting that any negative impact on human sleep quality from co-sleeping with dogs is likely to be fairly minor. There’s research that indicates dogs are only active about 20 percent of the night. This nighttime activity can contribute to significant sleep disruption among their owners. Most hardly notice these disruptions or quickly adjust to them. Pet owners will often tell you how difficult it is to obtain quality sleep when you share your bed with a dog.
Mornement suggests that being inconsistent in whether dogs can share the bed or not can be confusing for dogs. Setting firm expectations on where dogs should sleep is an important first step to encouraging desirable behavior and improving the human-animal bond. Heller recommends commonsense precautions to reduce the health hazards of co-sleeping. Keep all of this in mind, and train your dogs to sleep at the end of the bed on their own separate washable blanket! This hands-free approach reduces the spread of germs and keeps you and your pet close.
Replacing the myth that letting pets sleep on the bed will cause them to become more dominant is a key element. This is simply not true. The truth is that making rules about where animals can sleep doesn’t ruin their behavior or their sense of security.
Balancing Affection and Health
With pet ownership at an all-time high, the question of co-sleeping is more topical than ever. Pet owners need to lavish attention on their cute companions. They must be aware of the negative health effects that come with close contact. While those emotional bonds are irreplaceable, knowing how to safely include pets in sleeping spaces is just as critical.
