Bringing a new puppy into your home involves many decisions, including where they should sleep. One common question is whether letting it’s your puppy sleep with you is bad. This topic has sparked a debate among dog owners, trainers, and veterinarians. This article will explore the pros and cons of letting your puppy sleep with you, shedding light on the different perspectives surrounding this issue.
The Bonding Experience
One of the main arguments that favour allowing your puppy to sleep with you is the opportunity for bonding. Sharing a bed can create a sense of closeness between you and your furry friend. It promotes feelings of security and comfort for both parties. The warmth and physical contact can strengthen the bond between you and your puppy, leading to a deeper relationship.
Promoting Good Behavior
Advocates of letting puppies sleep with their owners argue that it can help promote good behaviour. When a puppy sleeps close to its owner, it learns boundaries and manners by observing and imitating their behaviour. Additionally, puppies are social animals and thrive on companionship. Sleeping together can alleviate separation anxiety, providing a sense of security and preventing destructive behaviours that may arise from loneliness or boredom.
Potential Health Benefits
Potential health benefits are associated with allowing your puppy to sleep with you. Physical contact and warmth can be calming, reducing stress levels for you and your pet. Studies have shown that human-animal interaction can lower blood pressure and release oxytocin, a hormone associated with bonding and relaxation. Furthermore, having your puppy close by during the night can alert you to any potential health issues or emergencies that may arise.
The Benefits of Crate Training
Crating your puppy gives them a safe space of their own. Your puppy’s crate is essential, especially when you need to keep them in a contained area when unsupervised. Still, it also gets them used to other situations like being in a crate or kennel at the vet, daycare, groomer, or travel.
It also helps teach them independence and confidence by being alone and away from you. When puppies are constantly with you, it makes it harder for them to be without you, which can ignite more whining, barking, and destructive behaviours when you need to leave them alone. Introducing crate time while they’re young can help curb all of this while preventing separation anxiety from ever forming. And one of the easiest times to do this is overnight while they’re sleeping!
Crates also add instant structure and boundaries into a puppy’s life and can help significantly speed up the potty training! Puppies naturally want to soil where they sleep, and getting puppies on a crate rotation schedule throughout the day will teach them how to hold their potty for longer intervals as they grow.
Maintaining Boundaries
While there are advantages to sharing your bed with your puppy, it’s essential to consider the potential drawbacks as well. One significant concern is the establishment of boundaries. Allowing your puppy to sleep with you may blur the lines between owner and pet, leading to behavioural issues later. Establishing and reinforcing rules consistently is important to prevent your puppy from becoming overly dependent or possessive.
Hygiene and Sleep Quality
Another aspect to consider is hygiene. Puppies are known for accidents at night, and having them sleep in bed with you increases the risk of messes and odours. Regular baths and grooming can help mitigate these issues, but it’s crucial to factor in the additional cleaning required. Additionally, some puppies may be restless sleepers or prone to snoring, disrupting your sleep quality. Assess your sleeping habits and preferences before making a decision.
Safety Concerns
Safety should always be a top priority when deciding where your puppy should sleep. Sharing a bed with a small and fragile puppy might increase the risk of accidental injury, such as rolling over onto them or falling off the bed. If you let your puppy sleep with you, ensure the sleeping area is secure and free from hazards. Consider using a crate or a designated dog bed adjacent to your bed as a compromise.
Gradual Transition
If you decide that letting your puppy sleep with you is the right choice, it’s crucial to approach the transition gradually. Start by crate training your puppy and gradually introduce them to your bed over time. This helps establish good habits and prevents separation anxiety when you need to leave them alone. Providing a safe and comfortable sleeping space for your puppy near your bed can also be a compromise if you’re concerned about boundaries or hygiene.
Can You Ever Let Your Puppy Sleep With You in Bed?
Yes! Many owners love the comfort of having their pups in bed with them, and if this is your goal, too, we want to help you get there! We recommend crate training for the first 1-2 years of their life to provide structure in your pup’s daily life while building their confidence, independence, and overall good manners. Giving your puppy the freedom to join you in bed is a privilege that should be earned through good behaviour and age.
If, after transitioning them to the bed, your pup begins to misbehave, starts having more potty accidents, or shows signs of separation anxiety, it just means your pup wasn’t quite ready yet for this transition and needs more structured sleeping time in the crate at night. Make this transition to the bed early enough, too! If you need to check if your pup is ready, give them more time. It’s more difficult to return to using the crate overnight once they’ve started joining you in bed!
Ultimately, having your puppy sleep in bed with you is a decision and a lifestyle choice for you to make for yourself. From a puppy trainer’s perspective and what we’ve experienced working with thousands of puppies and their parents, we’ve listed our recommendations and what we think you should consider when making this decision.
Your puppy needs structure most from you to start understanding their role at home and developing good, lasting behaviours. Where your puppy sleeps is part of building a daily routine, and if you feel like you are isolating or neglecting your puppy by letting them sleep alone in their crate, don’t! The confidence and resilience they will develop can transfer into other areas of their life and help them become far more well-rounded adult dogs. Remember: more structure now means more freedom later.
Conclusion
Whether it’s bad to let your puppy sleep with you has no one-size-fits-all answer. The decision depends on various factors, including your lifestyle, preferences, and puppy needs. Letting your puppy sleep with you can enhance your bond and provide comfort and security.
However, it’s essential to maintain boundaries, consider hygiene factors, and prioritize safety. For specific advice, speak with your veterinarian or a qualified dog trainer if you need more clarification. Recall that the main objective is to provide your pet with a secure and caring environment.
FAQ
At What Age Can a Dog Sleep in Bed With You?
Opinions differ on this viewpoint. Many veterinarians feel that a dog should be fully mature and have learned basic training before they are allowed to sleep in the bed with their pet parents.
It’s best to wait until your dog is at least a year old before ” bending” the rules and allowing it to sleep in the bedroom or bed.
Can a Puppy Sleep in the Bed?
Humans and dogs both need a decent night’s sleep. If you can do that with your puppy sleeping in bed, please do. But, when we tried this with a young puppy, we had issues with him constantly being restless, jumping out of bed, and keeping us awake.
How to Make a Dog Sleep on Their Own?
Makes dogs sleep on their own. You can train your dog to sleep on their dog bed by putting them through obedience training. This will not only help to change the behaviour, but it will also come in handy later on. When you want your dog to get comfortable in their dog bed, this trick can help. Please bring them to their dog bed with a treat.
Why Does My Dog Sleep With Me?
Your dog may sleep with you because of the strength of your bond. Touch and heart connections can lead to the formation of bonds. It could be by sharing happy moments or demonstrating empathy. Maybe you just recently got a dog. Specifically, a puppy. They will seek bonding if they are moved to a new home. Why?
Can a Dog Sleep If He is Co-sleeping?
But if your dog shows signs of aggression or any other problem behaviour worsened by co-sleeping, provide them with their own sleeping space. At the same time, you consult with a professional trainer, a behaviour consultant, or your veterinarian.