Verified by 
Key points
- Of 1,000 people questioned, 76 percent allowed their dog to sleep with them and let them feel the love.
- 33 percent of married pet owners say their best quality of sleep comes from sharing their bed with only their dog.
- We need more data on how a dog's and human's personalities and different dog-human relationships influence sleeping preferences.
Debates are ongoing about whether dogs should be allowed to sleep with their human guardians. I don't see why there have to be any hard-and-fast rules. If you and your dog like it, then do it and let them feel the love. If there are disagreements with those with whom you sleep, figure out something that works for both of you and the dog. From the practical side of things, and taking into account a dog's well-being, knowing the sleep relationships to which the dog was accustomed in their past home is very useful information when people decide whether or not to foster or rescue that particular individual.
Who does and doesn't allow their dog to bed down with them?
I just learned about a recent online survey called Should Dogs Sleep On Your Bed? that offers a good deal of data on who allows their dog to sleep on their bed and why or why not. There are some interesting surprises in this study. Here are some of their results.
- 76 percent of the 1,000 people questioned allowed their dog to sleep with them.
- Among those who don't allow their dog to sleep with them, 26 percent feel guilty about their decision but 57 percent still keep their pets close by, allowing them to sleep in the bedroom.
- 56 percent of married pet owners say they sleep the best when they share their bed with both their dog and their human partner.
- Nearly a third of married pet owners say they and their bedmates disagree on whether or not to allow the pet to sleep on the bed at night.
- 33 percent of married pet owners say they sleep the best when they share their bed with only their dog.
- Single dog owners (80 percent) are slightly more likely to sleep with their dog while slightly fewer married dog owners (73 percent) allow it.
Main reasons people sleep with their dog
- Reduces feelings of stress: 67 percent
- Lessens feelings of anxiety: 60 percent
- Reduces feelings of loneliness: 59 percent
- Their pet feels more comfortable: 55 percent
- They feel safer at night: 53 percent
- Reduces feelings of depression: 51 percent
- Fosters stronger dog-human bonds: 51 percent
There were few differences when comparing people who sleep alone and those who share their beds.
Reasons why dogs aren't allowed to sleep with their human(s)
- Worries about germs and cleanliness: 45 percent
- Concerns about fleas and ticks: 40 percent
- Pet is antsy and moves around: 29 percent
- Concerns about allergies: 21 percent
- Pet pees or poops in bed: 18 percent
- Pet is too noisy: 15 percent
There's still lots to learn about dog-human bedtime habits
Clearly, not everyone wants to share their bed with a dog. I was pleased that more than half of the respondents reported that they slept best when sleeping with their dog and human partner and surprised that a third of married pet owners reported they slept the best when they shared their bed only with their dog.
A few women have told me that they, too, sleep better when their male sleeping partner is gone and only their dog is cuddled up or spooned with them. They also said that, at times, it played havoc with their human relationships.
A few men have told me similar stories. Someone asked me if it's known if men or women are more disturbed by a dog's presence in a shared bed and my initial take is that there may be a good number of reasons why one or the other is more disturbed that go beyond gender.
It also would be interesting to learn more about attitudes toward dogs and humans sleeping together in same-sex relationships, among animal activists and those who aren't, and also what sorts of trends emerge in different religious, cultural, and socioeconomic groups. I also wonder if a dog's breed, mix, gender, or size makes a difference, for example, the ratio of the dog's size to the human's size.
What about cat-human sleeping relationships? How do these data on dogs and humans compare with decisions to sleep or not to sleep with companion cats? Some people I know prefer to sleep with their cats rather than with their dogs because they're smaller, move less, and don't yelp or "chase deer" in their dreams.
I look forward to learning more about if and how individual factors—for example, a dog's and human's personalities—and relationship factors—dog-human and human-human—influence the choice to sleep in the same bed as their companion dog. It also would be interesting to know how often and why people who don't like to sleep with their dog change their minds to please their human companions and if, when, and why those who don't want their dog in bed tune into the dog's needs and allow them to sleep with them when they ask for some extra attention and contact comfort.
There's still lots to learn about dog-human bedtime habits and this information has very practical, on-the-ground, value.
Facebook image: DiMedia/Shutterstock
