Families that snooze together, stay together, a motto most dog owners and their furry pals believe wholeheartedly.
If they are healthy and clean, there is no reason why you shouldn’t allow your dog on the bed.
Some pet parents with insomnia even claim that the rhythmic sound of doggie breath works somewhat like a white-noise machine and it actually helps them sleep better.
Dogs also make young children feel more secure and protect them from any “monsters under the bed”.
Allowing dogs to share the bed with you is completely your call. However, if you do allow them, here are a few dog sleep safety tips.
Dog sleep safety: Clean their paws
While humans wear slippers at home, dogs usually do not.
Invariably, their paws gather a lot of dirt and bacteria all day long. This is why before allowing them to get on the bed, it’s crucial that you wipe their paws clean.
Antibacterial wet wipes work really well. Alternatively, you can even use a hand shower to gently clean your pet’s paws.
Just make sure you give them enough time dry before allowing them to hop on the bed. Unless, of course, you want beautiful paw marks on that Egyptian cotton sheet.
Dog sleep safety: Avoid tugging on their fur
If you have a short-haired dog, skip this step.
Dogs with long, flowing hair often need slightly more space. Mainly because their hair risk getting trapped under the human body which in turn can jolt them out of their sleep and may even cause them to snap reflexively.
The best way to prevent this from happening is by creating a pillow barrier between you and the dog. Once set up, you can hug the dog over the pillow wall without tugging on their fur.
Dog sleep safety: Scan for ticks and fleas
Part of responsible pet parenting is giving your dog monthly preventives like Nexgard to prevent fleas and ticks.
However, considering a lot of tick and flea borne diseases can affect humans, it’s also a good idea to comb through your pet’s fur for signs of ticks and fleas.
Checking their fur before allowing them to mount the bed also goes a long way towards creating a healthy grooming routine. You will able to take action long before an onset of a serious infestation.
Dog sleep safety: Understand your dog’s need for personal space
Depending on their individual temperaments, different dogs require different degrees of personal space.
For instance, a lot of pet Labradors prefer to snuggle and they enjoy long hours of hugging and close body contact.
Other dogs may not enjoy the hugging and they would prefer leaving a few inches of gap between them and the humans sleeping beside them.
Hugging them too tightly or cramping them for space can cause them to abandon the bed in the middle of the night and sleep on the cold floor or their own bed.
As a doggie parent, you need to figure out the sleep preferences of your dog and make adjustments accordingly.
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