Dogs and their owners frequently sleep together. In fact, close to 50% of dog owners let their puppies sleep in their beds. There are a lot of variables at play, including dog owners just taking pleasure in a good cuddle with their furry buddy.
Dogs live by the pack mentality in the wild. This implies that they always live in close quarters and eat, sleep, and travel together. Being around their pack makes them feel protected on an instinctual level. Once a dog moves into your house, you join their pack. Because you make them feel secure and at ease, they like sleeping with you.
Dogs and their owners form an emotional bond when sleeping together. Dogs have the same love and gratitude for you as you do for them. Spending time together can strengthen your relationship and demonstrate to your dog that you are a comfort to them.
Why does my dog like to be on my bed at night?
If you’ve ever witnessed a dog giving birth or have just observed a litter of puppies, you are aware that newborn puppies snuggle close right away. This is because they naturally want to sleep in a huge puppy pile next to their littermates. They are at their most secure and most ease during that time. It makes sense why, even as adults, people still attempt to recreate that atmosphere of comfort and closeness with you.
Another evidence of affection and closeness is your dog’s desire to sleep next to you. It indicates that they enjoy your company and see you as one of the group. Sleeping next to you further demonstrates their fidelity, confidence, and willingness to defend you.
Don’t worry, though, if your dog doesn’t like to jump on the bed and cuddle with you all night long. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you or see you as the pack leader; it’s probably just that they’re overheated or can’t settle. Even worse, your dog can feel unsupported and too soft in your bed. No of the reason, it is not about you.
According to surveys, roughly half of pet owners allow their dogs to lie in their beds. Breeds vary in how much they like to be cuddled. The more cuddly breeds are retrievers, collies, and english bulldogs.
Do dogs snooze with their preferred partner?
We could get a small commission from eligible sales as an Amazon Associate, but there is no additional cost to you. Study more.
Dogs can be biased even if they adore every member of the family equally. You might have noticed this if you have a large family.
Additionally, he will choose another person to sleep and snuggle with. The entire family can take care of him.
If your puppy dog prefers to spend more time with someone else than you, it can be really distressing.
Why do dogs like to snooze close to their owners?
Pay close attention to the sleeping posture that your dog prefers. Depending on where they’re dozing, who they’re dozing next to, or how they’re feeling, your dog’s preferred sleeping position may change.
If you detect anything unusual in your dog’s resting position, look out for any indications of pain. Injuries or soreness can sometimes alter a dog’s sleeping position. If anything seems amiss, get to the vet right away.
On The Side
Given that sleeping on one’s side exposes the internal organs, dogs who do so must feel rather secure and comfortable.
Dogs who prefer this position are typically quite laid-back and laid-back, though they may change positions if they are resting somewhere new or around someone they are unfamiliar with.
A dog sleeping on its side may twitch more and kick its legs during sleep since this position allows their limbs to move freely.
Curled Up
When they are sleeping, dogs frequently roll up in a ball, snout to tail. Since it covers the essential organs, aids in maintaining body heat, and makes getting up rapidly easier, it is a frequent position for animals to adopt in the wild as well.
Because of the restriction on movement when sleeping, a dog curled up in a ball may snooze with less twitching.
While it’s possible that a dog would feel uneasy in their surroundings if they slept in this position, it’s not always the case. It may simply feel more comfortable for a specific dog to sleep in that position, especially during the cool fall and winter months.
Sprawled Out On The Tummy
The “Superman position” is another term for this. It makes it possible for a dog to suddenly appear and get moving.
Puppies who require frequent naps but also need to be prepared to run around and play at any time typically adopt this position.
Even while they are sleeping, dogs who sleep in this position want to be involved in the action. It is the preferred position for energetic puppies or puppies who grow tired during play and want to lay down just where they are.
On The Back, Paws Up In The Air
A dog can cool off while sleeping with its belly exposed, the opposite of how curling up in a ball helps to conserve heat. Exposing these areas is an excellent strategy to beat the heat because the fur is thinner around the belly and the paws contain the sweat glands.
Additionally, it’s a position that shows a dog is really comfortable, leaving their most vulnerable portions exposed and making it challenging for them to swiftly jump to their feet.
This attitude of slumber suggests that the pup is unconcerned with the outside world. In the summer, it is frequent.
Back-To-Back Or Snuggled Up
It’s very normal to see your dog curled up next to you or sleeping next to your other pets. Your dog is forming bonds with you and trying to get close to you or to their other furry family members.
When a dog naps in this manner, they experience great love and affection and are entirely at ease with their companion.
Is it advisable to let your dog to share your bed?
There is a ton of evidence to back up the benefits of sleeping next to your dog. It can help you feel less anxious and depressed and even lower your blood pressure.
But there are also strong arguments in favor of providing your dog with a cozy space of his own. Let’s focus on five of them in more detail.
A Dog Sleeping In Your Bed Can Disturb Your Sleep
Dogs aren’t always the best sleeping companions. They snore, kick, shift positions, and groom themselves. They might even experience the adorable twitchy-paw dreams we enjoy seeing while they are awake but dislike when they disturb our sleep.
One short study including 12 dog-cosleeping ladies found that doing so improves human mobility. In other words, when our pets sleep with us, we tend to be more restless, which can result in worse quality sleep that can have more severe side effects, such as sleep deprivation.
Sleeping With Your Dog May Aggravate Allergies or Asthma
As many as three out of ten persons who suffer allergies are also allergic to their pets, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Sleeping next to your dog can worsen an allergy if you know or suspect you have one.
Sleeping with your dog can cause allergy symptoms even if you are not allergic to dogs in general. Dogs can bring in pollen along with pet allergies like saliva and dander to your bed. Therefore, the dog sleeping in your bed could be the reason your hay fever is acting up at night.
Dog Sleep Reactivity Could Lead to Injury
The proverb “Let sleeping dogs lay” is well known. There’s a reason this metaphor exists: Some dogs snap in response to being frightened or agitated.
Giving your beloved dog a bed of her own is essential if she has ever growled or snapped when startled awake. When you aren’t concerned that a misplaced hand or foot might get bit, you can sleep easier. Additionally, if your dog isn’t disturbed by your nighttime activities, she will sleep better.
Sleeping With Your Dog Can Make You Sick
Disease transmission from pet dogs to their human companions is uncommon, but it can happen. Several illnesses have the potential to transmit from dogs to people.
Even while it’s extremely unlikely that sleeping with your dog can make you ill, it’s usually advisable to forgo co-sleeping if you’re feeling under the weather or if your immune system is compromised. The same is true for your dog as well. Make sure your dog sleeps on their own bed and away from you if they exhibit any symptoms of illness.
Dogs Can Carry Parasites
Parasites do exist, despite our wishes that they didn’t. Even a tidy, well-groomed dog is susceptible to contracting parasites like fleas, ticks, and even mites. And those little cockroaches aren’t above eating people. Intestinal parasites like ringworm can be spread from dogs to their human counterparts.
We don’t want to turn you into a bug-phobe, but it’s better to have your dog sleep on the floor if you live in a place where fleas and ticks are frequent or if you’re generally concerned about little creepy-crawlies.
Early-life bonding
The early months of a puppy’s existence, also referred to as the “socialization stage,” have a significant influence on its growth. As a result, during this crucial period, dogs frequently develop strong, lifelong ties with whoever feeds, plays, and generally looks after them the most.
Even if the person they developed a link with has passed away, a dog may still appreciate those who are similar to them. For instance, even if their new human parents are women, they can seem to prefer men if their primary carer while they were puppies was a man.
Are you concerned that your adult dog might have been raised to prefer someone else? The following element may help you win your dog’s approval.
Time, attention, and affection
Dogs tend to form deep relationships with those who provide them the greatest affection and attention (such as through feeding, training, and playing). And keep in mind that in this case, quality matters more than number.
A fun game of fetch or a demanding workout will have a greater positive impact on your relationship than binge-watching Netflix together and other idle pursuits. Check out our breed-specific guide on speaking your dog’s love language if you’re unsure of the kinds of things your dog would find meaningful.
Positive associations
Probably familiar with the adage “what gets rewarded stays in fashion. This adage holds true whether you’re trying to teach your dog a new trick or just improve your relationship with them. There is a reason why vets are so eager to hand out dog treats; they are attempting to foster goodwill because what follows may not be very pleasant.
The easiest approach to train your dog to link you with pleasant things is to always have a tasty reward available when you greet them. Additionally, you want to avoid negative interactions like stern correction or reprimanding. (In addition, the majority of dogs react far better to praise.)
Personality alignment
Have you ever observed that dogs frequently bear some resemblance to their owners? It has been scientifically demonstrated that individuals favor dogs that are physically similar to them in some way; this is not just a coincidence.
The same is true for personality, which is strange. Dogs often have personalities that are similar to the individuals they enjoy spending time with. A Golden Retriever, for example, might get along best with an outgoing, vivacious individual. However, a Basset Hound would probably feel more at ease with a distant or reserved person.
The more in common you have with a dog, the more likely it is that you will develop deep friendships, much like in human relationships.
Breed tendencies
Let’s discuss about breeds while we’re talking about personalities. Dogs have been developed for specialized tasks throughout history, from eradicating pests to protecting property. As a result, depending on their ancestry, pups frequently have different temperaments. This affects both how they develop relationships with humans and the types of pets they produce.
How do canines decide on the alpha human?
During their critical socialization stage, which lasts between birth and six months, many dogs form their strongest bonds with whoever is in charge of taking care of them. Puppies’ brains are very reactive at this age, and their early social interactions shape who they become for the rest of their life. Because of this, it’s crucial to make sure your puppy interacts well with a variety of people, locations, and objects.
For instance, dogs who are not exposed to people wearing hats may subsequently develop a fear of headgear. Radar and I didn’t meet until he was six months old, so I don’t fully recall the details of his early socialization. He does, however, favor guys, which makes me think he had a more good upbringing with male caregivers.
Don’t panic if your dog was an adult when you got them; it’s still possible to win them over. Early encounters are significant, but ongoing socialization through activities like doggie daycare, play dates, and regular walks is crucial as well!
Attention (and affection) increases the bond
I’ve already said that my own dog wants to be cared for by someone other than their primary caretaker. However, most dogs tend to form close relationships with the person who pays them the most attention. For instance, in a household with two parents and two children, the dog might choose the parent who gives them water in the morning and walks them in the evening.
The link between a dog and a person is also strengthened by physical affection. A dog will become distant from a person if they are distant toward them. However, if you offer your dog a lot of affection, grooming, massages, and love, they will probably want more.
For some dogs, the type of love and care they receive matters more than the quantity. Although I spend the most of my time with my dog Radar, I may be a little reserved and rigorous when it comes to letting a 40-pound Pit Bull sit on my lap. On the other hand, my brother is content to wrestle and let Radar crawl all over him. It makes sense why Radar flips over (sometimes literally) everytime he sees Jacob.
Positive association is key
Dogs use associations to make decisions about who they like to pay attention to outside of their favorite individuals. In other words, a dog develops a link with a person when they are the provider of pleasant things.
Considered carefully, it makes a lot of sense. A dog will undoubtedly adore the person who consistently engages in tug of war with them or generously provides them with their favorite stinking beef liver treat. They are also aware of how significant a role the person who feeds them most frequently plays in their lives.
On the other hand, dogs frequently display negative behavior toward persons with whom they have negative connections (you’ll never see Radar befriending a doctor). Positive associations result in positive interactions between dogs and people. Positive association is a useful tool for socializing and training your dog.
For instance, I make sure that guests who are new to my home greet the dogs in the yard and offer them treats. This creates an immediate favorable association—new person = delicious treats—which facilitates the introduction.
Wherever you go, there they are
Are you your own personal shadow, your dog? In your house, is it impossible for them to follow you from Point A to Point B? Then there’s a good chance that you’re one of your dog’s top favorite people.
Similar feelings can be reflected in the following, just as positive attention and associations strengthen the link between dogs and pet parents. As I indicated before, why wouldn’t your dog prefer to follow you over other people if you are the provider of walks, treats, food, and stroking sessions?
However, it’s critical to remember that a dog with separation anxiety differs from a “velcro dog” that appreciates your company. In contrast to velcro behavior, which has good traits like licking and playing, separation anxiety is not an indication of preference and has bad traits like accidents in the potty and melancholy.
What about dog licking?
Perhaps your dog just can’t resist giving your hands and face a short tongue bath. And while a dog licking you might not be intended to convey the same message as a kiss between two people, you may have pondered.
The response is perhaps. The portions of our bodies that are exposed to air and contact from the various places we go during the day are our hands and faces, which produce a salty perspiration that dogs adore. This is like a taste and odor feast for dogs!
Dog licking may also result from a food-seeking behavior between a mother and a young puppy, as well as being a show of submission or an act of communication. But it’s true: in some circumstances, dog licking can also be an expression of welcoming or love. Therefore, even while we can’t guarantee that those licks indicate that you are the dog’s favorite, there is a good possibility that you aren’t the least favored if your dog frequently licks you.
Human personality and dog breed play a part
Have you ever seen a dog that resembled its owner in both appearance and behavior? The adage “like attracts like” also holds true for canines and people. Dogs frequently select a favorite person who is similar to them in terms of vigor and temperament. My more energetic, noisy dog is particularly devoted to my more active brother, whilst my more reserved, cautious dog is more tightly bonded to me.
Furthermore, certain canine breeds are more likely to bond with a single person, increasing the likelihood that their favorite person will end up being their only human companion. Breeds that prefer to form close bonds with just one owner include:
