When you turn in at night, your little dog looks at you with big, dopey eyes, pleading with you to let him climb in bed with you. Is that weird? Is that OK? You have to admit, you kind of like the idea, but you’re worried you might be spoiling your pooch. Fear not! Sleeping with your four-legged friend is beneficial for reasons you probably never even considered.
Less hairy
There are a few of you out there (you know who you are) who have let some real beasts sleep in your bed. You know what we’re talking about. Big, hairy and smelly. So why are you getting so hung up on letting your little dog sleep with you? It can’t be any worse than the Yeti who was sleeping there a while ago.
Dog, not hog
This is a little dog, not a hog, so you won’t be in a wrestling match for the blankets all night. Little dogs typically like to sleep in one of two places: at the foot of your bed or cuddled up next to you. It won’t roll over in the middle of the night and take all the cozy covers.
Drool away!
You’ll get the tactile satisfaction of having something warm and snuggly in your bed without having to worry about how you drool in a most unbecoming fashion, that you snore like a freight train or that your hair looks like it houses a small band of baboons when you wake up in the morning. Your little dog doesn’t care. You are always beautiful to her.
Won’t raise the temperature in your bed
If your body temperature runs a little hot, sleeping with another human can become a real problem, especially if he wants to snuggle all the time. In contrast, a little dog doesn’t generate enough body heat to make you uncomfortable. And if he does, he doesn’t mind if you gently shove him to the other side. Try getting away with that when it comes to humans.
No expectations
Sleeping with your little dog will be comforting to you, so you get all the benefits of sleeping with something with no expectations. A little dog isn’t going to arch her brow at you in a suggestive manner when you are bone-tired. She’s not going to tap you on the shoulder at 5:00 a.m., before you go to work, when all you want is another hour of solid sack time. Little dogs give all the companionship — without any expectations.
Minimizes stress
On a semi-serious note, studies have shown that pets and people who sleep in the same bed are both more relaxed. Having your pooch next to you at night can lower your blood pressure, relieve feelings of loneliness and reduce stress. And it does the same for your little friend. Just bear in mind that, if another human wants to share your bed with you, this place of tranquility can become a battleground. Recognize that you are going to have to train either your dog or the other person to share.
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