Should you share a bed with your pet? It depends, says the behaviorist – what you need to know

It’s the end of a long day and all you want to do is get into bed with your four-legged friend for a little snuggle and sleep. But is it a good idea?

It depends on your pet’s personality, according to the Best Friends of Animals, an animal welfare organization. In other words: While some dogs and cats may enjoy being with you, this may not be the best option for every type of pet.

“Anecdotal evidence has been documented that co-sleeping with your pet can help you with depression due to the release of oxytocin … commonly referred to as the “love drug” or “love hormone.” and possibly improve sleep quality,” says Dr. Carly Von, a certified applied animal behaviorist.

But just because it might be good for us humans doesn’t make it good for all pets. According to Faun, there are a few things to do before inviting your furry friend to sleep in your bed. First, it’s important to understand if your pet likes the bed and how he feels about sharing it.

“Always look for signs of stress so that pets enjoy the space,” Fon said. “For dogs, these signs of stress can be heavy breathing, restlessness, and just getting out of bed completely. For cats, signs of stress can be drooping ears, dilated pupils, and again, they may simply get out of bed immediately.”

If they seem a little skeptical or skittish about the bed at first, they try to plant a few treats to find them on it, Fawn suggests. Favorite toys or other items they enjoy can also help make them feel more comfortable.

“Don’t force your pets to do things they don’t like. Ultimately, if you pay attention to your pet’s reaction to the bed, you’ll know if they want to sleep in the bed or have their own space nearby.”

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Smaller dogs can benefit from a ladder to help them climb onto the bed, and it’s important to make sure it’s safe for your dog or cat to jump on or off the bed.

In general, keep in mind that while some pets go to bed immediately, others may take some time to get used to it.

There are also some pets that are better off not sleeping in bed with their owner. For example, dogs or cats that tend to carefully guard their resources may not be ideal to share a bed with. Von said that an animal might like the bed so much that they won’t want to share it at all – whether it’s someone who sleeps in bed with you or even tries to protect it from you.

Be sure to monitor your pets’ body language to understand what’s most important to their well-being and your well-being.

“All pets and people are individuals. Personally, I find it helpful to sleep with my pets because I like to snuggle up to them in bed. It helps to manage anxiety as well as improve the quality of sleep,” Fon said.

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