Should You Sleep With Your Dog?

There抯 a moment of truth for every dog owner. It抯 the end of the evening and you抮e ready to go to bed. Rover is sitting and looking at you with those big brown eyes, head cocked to the side, cuter than any animal has a right to be. Do you let Bowser sleep with you?

There抯 no right or wrong answer to this question. The real question is ?is letting Fifi sleep in your bed right for you? And truthful answers to a few questions will let you reach the right decision for you and your dog.

First: Pixie is an adorable, 15-pound Mastiff puppy. But will there even be room for both of you in bed when she抯 a full-grown, 120 pound dog? Her legs don抰 bend the way yours do ?picture her, as an adult, taking the space of a five-foot square. Possibly not the best choice for a sleeping companion in your twin bed.

Next: Does Bruiser snore? Or shed? Or drool? Much as you may love him, there are times when he抯 been rolling in something that you really may not want on your sheets. And giving a dog a bath every night before bed-time isn抰 really a viable evening ritual.

Third: A dog抯 normal body temperature is somewhere around 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Which can be warm, wonderful and cozy on a cold winter night ?especially when you抮e trying to keep that thermostat low and the energy bills under control. It actually sounds delightfully snuggly this time of year. But picture those same 102 degrees in August. Will you really be able to look at that shaggy face and say 揘ot tonight, dear, it抯 too hot out!?Muttly isn抰 going to understand and may think he抯 done something wrong.

There are trainers out there who claim that dogs should never sleep with you, that it undermines your authority as the leader of your family 損ack.?The most important concepts in training are patience, decisiveness, and consistency. Decide what the rules are for your dog. Stick to them. As long as Sparky knows what抯 expected, she抯 happy.

Yes, Trinket would probably prefer to sleep in bed with you. He may even decide that your pillow is the best place to be, with the blanket pulled up to his chin. But he doesn抰 get to decide that. You do. If it抯 what you want, it抯 what you and Duke should do. If it抯 not, teach your dog where his bed is and reward him for staying in it. Be strong. The more work you put into training Hooch now, the longer you抣l be able to enjoy your well-trained dog.