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I know what you’re thinking, you dirty birds — no, not that way. I mean, should you share the Tempurpedic with Rover and/or Fluffy — and if you choose to, what consequences could it have? It’s more of an issue these days, as our domesticated animals’ habitats have migrated from back yard to porch to sleeping inside and finally, in some cases, the bedroom. (Though I’m sure a fair share of old prospectors preferred to bunk with the dog rather than freeze their way through a winter in an unheated shack alone. Slate tells us that “the rock group Three Dog Night takes its name from the supposed [Australian] Aboriginal practice of judging the coldness of an evening by the number of dogs required to keep warm.”)
We certainly don’t need our pets to keep warm at night anymore. Nevertheless, a recent survey found that about 62% of American pet owners keep their dogs and cats inside at night, and about half of those allow their pets to share the bed with them. Confession time: I’m one of the latter. That said, we’ve just got one little Tonkinese kitty (pictured above, in bed of course; how can you resist?), who doesn’t go outside, devour mice or do anything particularly unsavory, as cats go — but one overriding issue, cleanliness aside, remains. Cats are nocturnal creatures. The cat spends most of her day sleeping in our big red Ikea Poang chair, and when night comes, it’s time to stalk, skulk, run and play — even if her playmates are trying to catch their forty winks. The last thing you want when you’re deep in dreamland is a cat pouncing on your stomach. (On the other hand, a little purring ball of fluff can be a great sleep-inducer. So does the good outweigh the bad?)
With dogs, it can be even worse: bed-sharing becomes a dominance issue. Once you allow a dog in the bed, according to some animal behaviorists, your role as leader of the pack is greatly diminished. (Not all experts agree about this, and anyway, most hard-core pet sleepers wouldn’t care if you told them their pets were poisoning them in their sleep — the animals are like a security blanket.)
I spilled my guts a little, now it’s your turn: who sleeps with their animals? Of those who do, who’s woken up regularly by the cat or the dog — and doesn’t bother changing their sleeping arrangements?
Comments (78)
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Our dog sleeps with us and we love it.
posted by Cathy on 9-4-2007 at 9:19 am
Our golden retriever sleeps on a dog bed on the floor in our bedroom, but still manages to wake us up – either scratching, jingling her tags, licking things, etc. – at least once a night.
The cat decides where he wants to lie at any given moment. During the day, he usually sleeps on the couch or a chair in the living room. At night, although he’s awake and roaming, he jumps up in bed with us, plops down as close to me as he can get, purrs for a while until I fall back asleep, then leaves. Process repeats approximately every 30 minutes until I get out of bed.
posted by Bre on 9-4-2007 at 9:20 am
We have 4 cats but only sleep with one regularly. He’s the good one. He will settle down and stay until about 3 or 4 in the morning. All he has to do is jump off the bed and it wakes me up enough to let him out of the room. Of the other cats, 2 of them have pee’d on me in the middle of the night so they have been banished and the other one just doesn’t settle down at night so he’s been banished too. The one time when we had a flea problem none of the cats were allowed in the bedroom at all. We keep our cats in at night because we have a lot of predators in our area.
posted by zanti on 9-4-2007 at 9:31 am
I love to have our cats (Marcel and Frances) sleep with us, but I have learned that it’s only possible if the room is clean (nothing stacked up on the dresser), the closet doors are closed, and if there is not a glass of water on the nightstand. As long as those requirements are met, they sleep with us part of the night, and leave the room to act crazy. That means I have constant motivation to keep our room clean, which is definitely a good thing.
posted by Molly on 9-4-2007 at 9:31 am
My dog sleeps with me if I’m napping. He’ll curl up in my husband’s spot, and I’m always the first one awake. I generally have to wake him up.
At night, he’ll lie in between my husband and me for a little while, but he prefers to sleep on an old comforter on the floor.
posted by Caleythia on 9-4-2007 at 9:31 am
interesting. my mom lets her little corgi sleep in her bed. this is the same woman who would not let our previous two dogs upstairs, much less on her bed. She has to wake up at 3:30am to go to work and lately she’s been getting up a little earlier so she can make the dog some eggs as she’s making herself breakfast.
posted by Anjelica on 9-4-2007 at 9:39 am
I think I’ve had one or more cats in my bed since the day I was born. I can barely sleep when they aren’t there! The dogs aren’t allowed on my bed, but the three of us can often be found snoozing on the couch together in the afternoons.
That said… no, I probably wouldn’t care if my pet was poisoning me in my sleep, I love them too much.
posted by Korin on 9-4-2007 at 9:41 am
I swore I’d never let it happen, but my little dog sleeps on my bed every night. He does wake me up. He gets in the way and he also barks sometimes.
posted by Rhea on 9-4-2007 at 9:43 am
When I had cats, I found they were too rambunctious in the middle of the night to sleep with. Being used as a trampoline during the midst of one of their games of tag was no fun at all.
Our two dogs however do sleep with us. When we tell them it’s bedtime, the larger one hops on the bed and sleep at the bottom between our feet with his head facing the door as if he’s on guard. The smaller one goes underneath the comforter, but on top of everything else, to also sleep near the end of the bed. Most nights they are no trouble at all although they od ocassionally “alarm” about something we humans don’t consider worth waking up over but seems important to a dog.
Since wolves and feral dog packs sleep together for warmth during the winter, I fail to see how this does anything but reinforce that we are a pack i.e. family.
posted by Betty on 9-4-2007 at 9:45 am
I sleep with my cat, with occasional visits from the family cat. I let the golden retriever into my bed, a fact that drives the rest of the house up the wall since the dog figures she can climb up on all the furniture now.
posted by Zach on 9-4-2007 at 9:51 am
When we adopted our 3-year old lab mix, we pretty much let her have free rein. After all, we had “saved” her. So she ran around the house, jumped on the bed and the couch, chewing socks and wagging her tail, while we were practically humming “Born Free.” When she tried jumping up to eat people food on the table, all three of us went to puppy training. Of all the recommendations made by the trainer, providing Maisy with her own sleep space in the living room and bedroom made the biggest difference. She knows she doesn’t lead the pack, yet still enjoys being part of it. We enjoy having socks that at not chocked full of that dog-saliva goodness.
posted by Jenny on 9-4-2007 at 9:52 am
Our male cat sleeps with my older daughter, to whom he is totally devoted. He is at the foot of the top bunk, often with a front leg hanging over the footboard, ready to protect her from all boogeymen.
The female cat sleeps under the furniture, to hide from my younger daughter.
posted by Miss Cellania on 9-4-2007 at 9:55 am
Maya has slept with me since kittenhood. She was crazy skittish as a babe, and the only way I could get her to calm down and rest was by spooning her up next to me under the covers. Nowadays she prefers the end of the bed, where she’s less likely to get an elbow to the head.
posted by natlynn on 9-4-2007 at 10:13 am
Our 85 pound, 14 year old black lab sleeps with my husband and I and although he takes up more of the bed than my husband, I sleep well. Anyway, he came before the husband so he’s got dibs on the pillow.
posted by Lush on 9-4-2007 at 10:14 am
5 cats and 1 dog (Golden retreiver). The dog sleeps on the bathroom floor, because it’s cooler. 3 or 4 cats sleep on my side, 1 on my husband’s side. One of my 4 likes to sleep on my pillow, curled around my head. He’s done this ever since he was a kitten. I find it quite comforting. One of the other 4 has apparently been delegated to wake me in the morning so they all get fed. this is the only time I wish they would all go away.
posted by Nettie on 9-4-2007 at 10:19 am
When we found our cat, I said “no kitties in the house.” Then she won me over and came inside but I said “no kitties in the bed.” Now the little darling curls up at my feet in bed.
If my spouse is hogging the bed, I’ll shove him over. But if the cat is hogging the bed, I’ll move around her and nudge my spouse over for more room!
posted by Quiltchicken on 9-4-2007 at 10:23 am
65 lb dog sleeps at foot of bed on sofa, 25 lb dog, early riser and likes to lick ears is crated, 4 pound dog is crated because she likes to pick on the 25 pound dog that sleeps with us.
He is a lump and loves to lay next to one of us. I move him, she doesn’t.
posted by Going Like Sixty on 9-4-2007 at 10:27 am
All you cat people out there are fooling yourselves (and maybe some dog people too) – I sleep in my cat’s bed. I have no doubt that he considers the bed his property and shares it with me out of the generosity of his little kitty heart (that and he appreciates the food I give him twice a day). My dearly-beloved deceased female cat woudl even growl if I got antsy and moved around too much. Time for everyone to reevaluate just whose bed you’re sleeping in…
posted by Keeker on 9-4-2007 at 10:28 am
We used to let our cats sleep on our bed. They’d always place themselves as close to our heads as possible.
But my wife developed allergies and now they are banished.
posted by Eric on 9-4-2007 at 10:34 am
Two dogs and one cat. Both dogs start the night in bed with us.
The Jack Russell will hop down to her own bed whenever she’s ready. The miniature Schnauzer will stay until you pick her up and put her down in her own bed, although she does catch a break once in awhile and stays on our bed all night.
The cat comes in usually about 30 minutes after we climb into bed and gets petted then curls up at the foot of the bed. He comes and goes as he pleases and doesn’t make too much trouble.
All three sleep with me when the hubby’s gone – with the schnauzer taking up his pillow. I couldn’t imagine trying to sleep without them in my bed or at the very least next to it. They are my children and my family and I would never force them out of our room.
posted by khm on 9-4-2007 at 10:58 am
Our dogs sleep outside… I can imagine the destruction that would ensue if they were allowed to remain indoors while we slumbered. However, to ensure their comfort, the doghouses I’ve built for them are double-walled and insulated (a marvel of engineering if I do say so myself). I’ve also devised a destruction resistant way to pipe heated air into them so they can stay warm on particularly cold winter nights.
posted by Jason! on 9-4-2007 at 11:00 am
We have 2 terriers. Westies.
One will sleep between my legs, the other by my wife’s side. At bedtime, they compete for the spot between my legs. Sometimes one gets it; sometimes the other does. The one that winds up sleeping between my legs doesn’t really sleep. Instead, he will lie between my legs facing the bedroom door with head up and ears erect, staying alert in order to protect us all through the night.
I’m the boss, but they know I’m a deep sleeper and believe its their job for one of them to keep the night watch when I sleep. If it makes ‘em feel useful, who am I to disagree? Who wants a dog with no self respect?
posted by mg on 9-4-2007 at 11:01 am
My husband and I have two 100 lb. rottie crosses whom we rescued. Each has their own dog bed in the bedroom although they occasionally switch. Same in the office. We’d never fit all of us in the bed, even if we had a Cali King, plus my husband draws the line at all that dog hair in the bed. I definitely agree that letting the dogs sleep in the bedroom enhances the “pack bond” and I’ve never had discipline issues because if it. In fact, the dogs are more responsive, I believe. Consistent training helps that, of course. My husband was a “dogs sleep outside” kind of guy when we met until he saw the bond I had with my first rottie.
I used to have 2 cats who slept on the bed with me. My favorite memory is of reading a book in bed with a cat tucked into each armpit, their heads on my shoulders while they slept and I read.
When I lived in a studio apartment, they also used to do a road rally that consisted of running from the couch through some pocket doors that I left open only about six inches to make it challenging, up over the bed (and my legs), down the other side, back through the pocket doors to the couch. Rinse, repeat until one of them didn’t clear the door properly.
I also learned to sleep with a pillow over my head because there was a window above the head of my bed where they liked to jump up and sit on the sill. Fourteen pounds concentrated onto two small paws landing on your head makes you adapt quickly.
posted by Michelle on 9-4-2007 at 11:06 am
My 70 pound pit bull Roxy sleeps with my boyfriend and I in bed about 3-4 out of 7 nights a week, she is a real bed hog though but she is a real snuggler!!!
posted by Melissa on 9-4-2007 at 11:14 am
I used to make fun of my sister and her husband for letting their 165 Mastiff takeover their bed. Fast forward-I now have 2 dogs, bothof whom sleep on the bed. One is a 77 lb Rottie/Pitt mix and theother is a foxhound/spaniel mix. They both sleep under the covers, one down by my feet and the other at the top of the bed with his head on a pillow. Puppy-pillow-puddles!! My dog trainer tells me letting them sleep in the bed both elevates them physically and emotionally – puts them on the same ‘level’ as their pack leader. I have trained them to respond to the ‘OFF’ command only to wake up in the middle of the night to find that the little sneaks were back in the bed.
You know what? I love having them their, they are both cuddlers and ther eis nothing like waking up to two creatures who absolutely adore you. (they have me trained so well). Bad news I have to change my bedding at LEAST twice a week d/t the dog hair. Oh well.
posted by JaneM on 9-4-2007 at 11:19 am
I have 4 cats. The “diva cat” sleeps on top of me and adjusts to my turning over now and then. The “mentally slow cat” sleeps at my feet and tolerates getting kicked by accident. The “pinkus-eunichus cat” sleeps on the dresser next to the bed and his sister the “old man cat” sleeps on the bench at the foot of the bed. None of them give any sleeping attention to my husband whom is right next to me all night. Usually the old man cat will wake me up at 5:30 to feed them and that is when I also feed the two stray cats who live on my front door step. “Coalie” and “Girlfriend”
posted by Janice on 9-4-2007 at 11:31 am
I’ve always allowed my cats (I have 2) to sleep on the bed if they choose, mostly they have been good sleepers and leave the bed in the middle of night to prowl or do whatever they do without disturbing the sleep of bed occupants. I recently adopted a pound dog, an 18 pound corgi. No matter what I did, it was difficult to keep him off the bed! Stubborn little dude and I didn’t have the energy to keep fighting it or let him cry and whine all night in another room. Giving in worked out okay, as he finds a spot, curls up and sleeps soundly through the night. I’ve been scolded about it by a number of people because of the whole dominance thing in the household, but he’s definitely low man on the totem pole as far the cats are concerned.
posted by valley on 9-4-2007 at 11:47 am
I used to have two Rottweilers – a 95lb. female and a 140lb. male (both passed away earlier this year) – who slept with me and my husband for years. The female would lay across the bottom of the bed and the male would sleep on his back between me and hubby. Had no problem sleeping with them….
Now, have a 7lb. Silky Terrier and a 12lb. cat who both end up in bed with us — they will wake me up at least once a night. The dog can never seem to make up her mind if she wants under or on top of the blankets and the cat requires petting (he nips if we don’t). So, maybe the real question should be how many pets allow us to sleep in bed with them?
posted by turotts on 9-4-2007 at 1:44 pm
My 7 month old Walker hound, who is roughly 4 feet long lying down, sleeps at my side or between my feet every night and my little 5 month old kitten sleeps on my neck! Yes, it’s a little odd, but she won’t rest until she is allowed to curl up on my neck and stretch out like the diva she is.
posted by Kelli on 9-4-2007 at 1:45 pm
I have 3 dogs- all of which sleep on a bed. I have a Great Dane who gets a bed to herself. I also have a old english/american bulldog who sleeps at the end of my feet, sometimes under the covers when he gets cold. And I have a Min Pin who sleeps under the blankets right next to.
They are ready for bed before I am. The Bulldog will go to bed around 8ish when he gets tired.
I am so glad they do sleep in bed with me because I would not be able to sleep without them.
posted by Liz on 9-4-2007 at 1:57 pm
I recently got a cat from a friend of mine, i feel that he can sleep where ever as long as it is not in my way,
but about a month ago my very cute very heavy (18 pounds) started sleeping on my chest, at first it was cute then about 2 minuets later i realized i cant breath,
Every night is the same routine he curls up on my chest and i promptly push him off
posted by Lindsey on 9-4-2007 at 2:15 pm
Ever since I was old enough to insist my cats stay inside (many, many moons ago), I’ve allowed them to sleep with me. It has become such a habit that they now know when it is bedtime and will loudly and, quite obnoxiously, fuss at us if we don’t go to bed on time.
Of course, they only stay there for a short time – my son’s cat on his bed and my cat with me and my husband – until they are either bored or we are asleep and then it’s off to play in the den until morning or until they are bored of each other and want to wake us up, whichever comes first.
They do wake us up frequently – probably an average of twice a night – and it’s more frequent if we’ve been out of town or they haven’t spent a lot of time with us throughout the evening. I call it their “loving quota” and if it isn’t met by bedtime they will make sure it’s met before morning.
posted by Jen on 9-4-2007 at 2:46 pm
I have 9 cats, work nights and sleep days. Sharing the bed with at least 3 at a time is just a foregone conclussion. I’d stay up all day trying to stop at least one from curling up with me :)
posted by Zak on 9-4-2007 at 2:46 pm
My older dog always sleeps in bed with me. He’s about 80 lbs. His brother is about the same size and will often join us but is more finicky about his space and gets annoyed easily. Think I have back and neck aches b/c I let them win out on the space in bed….Does that mean they’re spoiled? :) Cats (2 seniors) are a different story. Rarely will they sleep in bed as dogs don’t pay close attention and will step on them. Cats are fairly annoying once the alarm clock goes off, they refuse to let me activate the snooze on the alarm… must feed … starving critters so meows are inevitable.
posted by Sarah on 9-4-2007 at 2:46 pm
We have two chihuahua mixes (Toby and Milo) and their all time favorite activity is snuggling under the warm covers. We have only tried having them sleep with us once, and the bed got SO warm with four creatures in the bed that none of us got any sleep.
At night they both sleep in their own crate (fully equipped with a tempurpedic pillow and fleece blanket each) and after breakfast they spend as much time as possible under our covers. They also join us after work when we watch TV. Both are especially partial to the food network.
posted by Lizzy on 9-4-2007 at 3:49 pm
I have, in thirty two years, never gone to bed at home without an animal. It started with my poodle that I got at age two, and continues today with my four cats. At least one of them is next to me, at times all of them.
One of my kittens was born in my bed. Now THAT is a big surprise to wake up to! (The mother cat was a rescue. She had to have gotten in the family way a day or two before I got her inside for good!)
posted by Allison on 9-4-2007 at 5:40 pm
I sleep with my cat, in fact, I sleep BETTER with her than without her. If I were to forget to set my alarm, she would wake me up by pawing at my head and licking my ear. I don’t know what I’m going to do when she’s gone… mostly I try not to think about that.
posted by Kelley O on 9-4-2007 at 5:41 pm
Both of our adult Labs sleep with my wife and me. That is, until they drove me completely out of the bedroom. I, and the cat — who, by the way, sleeps all night without moving, evacuated to the guest bedroom. Now I sleep better. My wife sleeps better. The dogs sleep better. The cat… eh, she can sleep through anything.
posted by Billy on 9-4-2007 at 5:55 pm
I have 5 large dogs (labs, goldens, a bulldog) and while they sleep in the bedroom with us, they have never been allowed to sleep IN bed with us.
However.
I have lost my mind. Three weeks ago we rescued a 13-pound chihuahua mix. And yes, we let her sleep in the bed with us usually. (Although she had been made to sleep in a crate next to my side of the bed after she was spayed.)
I used to think people with little dogs were crazy.
It looks like I have joined the ranks of the insane.
posted by Lesli on 9-4-2007 at 6:00 pm
The Duke knows my schedule and will follow me around until I finally settle in bed. At which point, I must lay on my back so he can sprawl on my chest, paws on one or either side of my head as if he’s hugging me. Purrs, rumbling sigh, furry cheek against mine, and an occasional grooming lick are the routine for about a half hour before he moves under the blankets or to the foot of the bed. I’ve had a cat in bed with me since I was roughly 6 years old and cannot imagine it any other way.
posted by Gina on 9-4-2007 at 6:52 pm
One morning I woke up and couldn’t move my leg–and couldn’t FEEL it. I was sure I had had a stroke in the middle of the night. Then I realized my 16 pound cat was sleeping on it. So, yes, she sleeps in bed with me whenever she wants.
posted by cmk on 9-4-2007 at 8:07 pm
My sweet little Tabby, Selket, sleeps with me almost every night. She is pretty calm and usually sleeps all night (with the occasional few minutes of frenzied licking!) To wake up with a warm little purring (she purrs in her sleep so loudly that I cant believe she doesn’t wake herself up!) lump snuggled into the small of my back…well…a good start to the day!
Love my kitty! ^.^
posted by Johnston on 9-4-2007 at 9:15 pm
Three cats and one sheltie/corgi mix have their own bed. We’re allowed to sleep in it occasionally. They all have their appointed place. One cat at the head of the bed. One cat at the foot of the bed. One cat on me. The dog has the rest of the bed. It amazes me how much space a little dog like that can take up!
posted by Braveheart on 9-4-2007 at 9:39 pm
My cat sleeps in my bed sometimes. When she feels like it. She loves to curl up next to the small of my back in the winter. She does wake me up sometime to play fetch. She’ll drop her toy mouse on my face. And if I ignore her, she will start to lick my face to wake me up. Now I’ve started to miss her. She’s been staying with my parents for 2 months while I dealt with moving.
posted by Danyel on 9-4-2007 at 9:45 pm
My cat “Angel” climbs into my bed and wants to sleep between my arm and chest. Her arthritis makes it had to climb over me. She discovered that if she nudges me I will lift my arm or leg for her to go under it. So I’m lying there and I feel her head nudge,nudge,nudge me until I move for her.
I inherited Smokey from grandma, Angel doesn’t like Smokey and WHACKS her upside the head if she gets too close. Smokey sleeps on my feet while Angel is curled up in my armpit.
I had a cat named Punkin. One night I was dreaming that I was trapped in the back of a moving van while furniture was being shoved against me and I couldn’t breathe and was trying to yell. I woke up to find 17 pound Punkin sitting on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Apparently that’s what caused the dream of suffocation.
posted by Tdave on 9-5-2007 at 12:54 am
I love having my cat Diesel in my bed with me, though he likes to sleep ON me rather than next to me. Whenever he wants attention at night he’ll usually just wander into my room and stare at me and meow until I invite him up, then he kneeds on me for a couple of minutes and proceeds to the purring fluffbak stage. I love it.
Our other cats, Oreo and Max like to sleep with my mom and dad, respectively, but only for a while until they randomly decidt to scamper loudly around our dining room.
posted by heather on 9-5-2007 at 12:58 am
I used to let my dog sleep with me when I had him. He was my security blanket for sure. I heard somewhere that snake handlers sleep with their snakes because it brings the handler closer to the snake. I think it’s the same with your furry pet it shows you trust your pet and he/she learns respect. And my dog never woke me up I was the one out of bed before him the lazy little thing ;)
posted by Mickey on 9-5-2007 at 1:03 am
Another thing about Angel. If she can’t get under the covers she wakes me up by tapping me on the shoulder with a paw.
posted by Tdave on 9-5-2007 at 1:24 am
My husband has always believed that allowing dogs to sleep in the bed as puppies establishes them as part of the “pack”. Once the puppy is no longer a puppy (usually around 1 year old) the dog is no longer permitted to sleep in bed.
He argues that this is similar to the pack environment the dog would experience were it not for living with a couple of humans. Puppies, as part of a pack, are permitted to stay with the mother until they can fend for themselves. Then they are pushed out of the den and are treated like any other adult member of the pack – that is to say, they are subjected to the pecking order. By removing your the dog from the den, or bed, of the alpha male and female, you are asserting your position as the leader of the pack that exists within your home.
That being said, I’m not a huge fan of sleeping with the dog. Maybe it’s because sharing a full size bed (not even a queen size) with my 6′2″ husband is difficult enough without adding a 1 year old Labrador retriever.
posted by Julie on 9-5-2007 at 6:38 am
My dog sleeps in bed with me… actually, she sleeps on the pillow next to mine. She’s all of 17 lbs, though, so I don’t think it’s a problem. She loves to snuggle, and usually sleeps with her head on my shoulder. The only problem is if she rolls over at night and kicks me in the head…
posted by xenylamine on 9-5-2007 at 7:14 am
My pups sleeps with me and I love it. However, she does have an annoying habit of thinking she is the primary inhabitant of the bed. If I shift or try to move, she will growl and jump off the bed of her own accord. It’s really weird. Me and my boyfriend normally just laugh it off.
posted by Bianca on 9-5-2007 at 8:13 am
Just be absolutely sure your dog doesn’t have ANY mange, from either Sarcoptic or Demodex mites. While they are generally considered not communicable to humans, intimate contact can transfer a pregnant female to your skin. If ONE pregnant Demodex mite gets into one of your facial hair follicles, it will be months before you first notice the signs that you now have hundreds of follicles inhabited by these obnoxious parasites. By the time you’re getting really obtrusive symptoms of rosacia and worse, you may be so infested that it will require months, or years, of harsh, usually toxic, treatments to cure. And you may infest your fellow humans via intimate contact. And most doctors don’t have more than the slightest, misinformed, inkling about the whole subject of mite parasites.
I have known people this has happened to, and it can destroy lives.
The 1st prevention is to keep your dogs away from dogs with mange. And educate yourself on the subject, and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the mite so you can defeat it.
You can Google for: human Demodex dogs
(be sure to click the Images option for a good dose of reality)
posted by eD on 9-5-2007 at 12:51 pm
Our dog and our cat sleep with us. Normally, we only get woken up when the cat decides that it would be really fun to attack our feet when we roll over under the covers…the dog, on the other hand, will generally sleep as late as we do!
posted by CB on 9-5-2007 at 12:59 pm
I have three cats and sleep with ALL of them every night. Two of them (Schroedinger and Pewter) sleep the whole night through and only get up when I actually sit up out of bed. Even if the alarm clock goes off, they will wait patiently for me to make the first move. My third cat (Kafka), however, is a rascal, day and night, and his midnight exploits have forced me to sleep with earplugs.
posted by roanwight on 9-5-2007 at 8:32 pm
Our sweet ginger would sleep at the foot of our bed and snore thougthout the night. She went to heaven in 2006 and we still miss listening to her at night.
posted by carlos on 9-6-2007 at 11:19 am
We have a 16 month old boxer that we’ve raised since she was a 10 lb puppy (now a 60 lb energy factory). She sleeps on a dog bed right next to our bed every night. We rarely experience a problem with her waking us up, unless she really really has to go to the bathroom which is acceptable. If she wakes us up simply because she wants to play, etc. there are disciplinary consequences, as we believe that we should only be waking on our terms, not the dogs.
Regardless of anyone’s habits, a dog will test you every once in awhile and because she has never been allowed on the bed, we find her dominance test usually involves the bed. A quick correction and she won’t test us again for about a month. Obviously, this works great for us, but everyone is different. I do agree that it is a dominance issue and prefer the way we do it, but would never recommend anyone else change their habits.
posted by nwhamilton on 9-7-2007 at 7:59 am
Hah! Schroedinger is an awesome name for a cat…
posted by Jason! on 9-7-2007 at 9:18 am
I’ve got a 20lb male cat who sleeps wrapped around my head, and he’s still enough that I only get woken up by the occasional whisker-in-my-nose. There’s nothing quite like having a warm, squishy, furry belly acting as your sleeping cap – I have trouble sleeping when he’s not there.
posted by Jillian on 12-5-2007 at 1:43 pm
Oh yeah, 3 dogs sleep on the bed. My husband never had pets and the day we got our first puppy, he said over and over again, no dogs in bed…so as I was starting to convert couch in living room to a bed…husband gave in and said “ok, if you really want…” the weird thing is that the dog slept next to my husband all night as husband was trying to move away from him. Since then, Dobby ALWAYS sleeps right next to my husband. I have studied canine behavior and although trainers and ‘experts’ said we need to establish pack order…but I think we are giving out canine friend less credit than deserve. Dogs have been domesticated as early as 100,000 years ago, and dogs were with the hunters and gatherers when they crossed from Asia to N.America 12,000 years ago. We are no longer hunters and gatherers…and we assume that dogs still act like wolves?
posted by Ginger on 2-21-2008 at 11:24 pm
Four of our five dogs are on the bed at night. They get on and off the bed, during the night, depending on how warm or cool it is. Two of our cats come on to the bed at times too. When we are not at home, I find it harder to fall asleep without them.
posted by Pam on 2-28-2008 at 6:51 pm
We have two dogs,a Siberian and a mixed herder breed. Both start in bed with us when we first get in but abandon us to the dog beds on the floor when we drift off and the scratches and rubs stop. I believe we are abandoned as their beds are placed right under a low window which we keep cracked open for fresh air. Therefore, they get the best of all worlds, initial time with their people, and the remainder of the night with their noses poked out the window taking in all the aromas of the countryside.
posted by Kate on 2-28-2008 at 7:22 pm
I have had at least one cat as long as I can remember. I currently have two, Stoner and Holstein, and I sleep in their bed. I have 7 pillows on my bed and two of them “belong” to Stoner, although Holstein tries to snake them from Stoner every so often.
When I was away at college, I missed sleeping with my cats, almost more than I missed my family and friends. :)
posted by Melodye on 2-28-2008 at 10:20 pm
Sigh… my rabbit sleeps with me. Well, kind of. He is litter-box trained and has free roam of the bathroom and bedroom of my apartment. He’ll often start off the night in my bed, letting me pet him- and he’s a Mini Rex, which is known as the Velveteen rabbit- what they use for furs- so he’s VERY soft and sleep-inducing. The only problem is that rabbits neither sleep all night nor all day, so he can pounce on my bed and nudge me whenever he wants. This has so far woken me up every morning before my alarm =)
posted by Emily on 2-29-2008 at 5:56 pm
how do i register
posted by Carol on 3-29-2008 at 11:57 am
I sleep in my bed with my two 55 lb dogs (one lab one shepherd). I think it’s possible to do this and maintain being the pack leader. The dogs are not allowed on the bed when I am not there and are not allowed on the bed until they are invited- only after I am in bed and situated (otherwise I’d have no leg room). I also don’t let either of them sleep too close to my head or under the covers, though I will snuggle with them in the morning when I wake up. I think this is fine as long as there are consistent boundaries and training in the relationship. For those of you with pet hair problems, I keep a sheet over the comforter. One sheet lasts about 3-5 days before it’s too disgusting. I just put it in the hamper and pull out another. This lets me go 7 days (or 14 if I’m feeling particularly lazy) before washing the bedding. Almost never any hair on that.
posted by Pack Leader on 6-22-2008 at 12:00 am
My dog has slept in our bed since he was old enough to not pee in the middle of the night. He’ll sleep under the covers for a few hours, then surfaces (for air I’m guessing, I don’t know how he breathes under there)to sleep on top of the covers. He likes to curl up behind my legs when I lay on my side though sometimes I’ll wake up to find that he wiggled his way into my arms. Sometimes if my boyfriend is snoring I’ll go and sleep in the guest room and as soon as the dog realizes that I’m gone he comes to join me. We sleep better when we’re all cuddled up.
posted by Jen on 1-27-2009 at 9:12 am
We have three cats who sleep with us nightly. Our 12 year old, 23lb orange tabby, Otto, sleeps between my husband and me. The 11 year old Ragdoll-mix, Simeon, shares a pillow with me and has a very unfortunate snoring habit (thank God my husband doesn’t!!!). The newbie, Ari, is three and sleeps wherever he decides is best – between my legs (on top of the covers) or curled up behind my husbands legs.
The old timers, Otto & Simeon, come to bed within 5 minutes of me getting into bed and turning out the light. It does not matter where they are in the house or what they are doing. It does not matter if my husband is in bed or not. The only thing that might stall them is if they’re getting fed, but they still come shortly thereafter.
They don’t always stay put all night. We have water guns on our nightstands to keep them from having wrestling matches on the bedroom floor at 4 in the morning.
posted by Renis on 1-27-2009 at 11:17 am
i let my cat sleep with me when we first got her and i regret it. she disrupts my sleep by prowling and she doesn’t settle down very well. if i ever get another cat, it will not sleep with me!
posted by Shelly on 1-27-2009 at 12:14 pm
Letting our puppy sleep in our bed did wonders for house training him. Any time he moved about on the bed I would feel it and wake up, then be able to pick him up and put him in his doggy litter box so he could do his business. We didn’t have one accident.
I love having our dogs sleep in our bed – they’re snugglers and don’t disturb us in the least.
posted by Leah on 1-27-2009 at 1:37 pm
I have three dogs and a six year old. My oldest dog, Ranger, I have trained him to lay down with my son and when Ranger comes downstaies, we know that my little boy is sound asleep, I personally love sleeping with my dogs, they are part of our family and watch out for us, so we sleep as a pack!
posted by Chelby on 1-27-2009 at 1:52 pm
In high school at my parents’ house, I slept with Rosie, the Jack Russell Terrier. My room was the coldest in the house, so she acted as my little heater. She was a little obnoxious about making herself comfortable…and is rather rocket-like when she decides that she needs to be under or on top of the covers, but she was generally a well-behaved heater. The only really negative incident was when she had puppies and her water broke on my comforter…
Now I’m married to a cat guy and he has always let his cats sleep with him, so Delilah shares our bed. She doesn’t get to sleep on my pillow due to allergies, but she usually either curls up between us or next to him. She has been known to curl up right in the middle of my back (I sleep on my stomach) but Husband is very assertive and she’s pretty cool with that.
No one else has mentioned this, but I have a friend from school who le
posted by Fruppi on 1-27-2009 at 3:35 pm
oops :)
I have a friend who got married a couple of years ago and she and her husband rented the basement of her parents’ house. They were worried about crate training their puppy because she didn’t want to interrupt the sleep schedule of anyone in the house due to the puppy’s crying, so they let it sleep in their bed. That seems like a fairly common solution, but she complained constantly that it was interrupting her newlywed sex life! I honestly couldn’t tell you why they didn’t just kick the thing off the bed, but that right there may be a very strong argument for a dog-free bed :)
posted by Fruppi on 1-27-2009 at 3:38 pm
I have a 5-year-old calico cat named Cass who sleeps either on my feet or curled up behind my knees. She is generally well-behaved, but I do keep a water gun on my nightstand to curtail any late-night rambunctiousness.
I keep my house pretty cool at night to save on energy costs, and there’s no better foot warmer than a fuzzy, happy, purring 10-pound kitty.
posted by Kessie on 1-28-2009 at 3:05 pm
My 2 dogs and 1 cat sleeps with me.The 3rd dog all 85 lbs of him sleeps on the couch.I live alone and they keep me safe.If they bark at night something is wrong.
As long as they live they will always have a warm bed,with me.
posted by Shirley on 1-28-2009 at 4:19 pm
My mini schnauzer’s favorite spot is in the bed, under the covers, at my feet. If he gets too hot, he curls up around my head on my pillow. He’s such a snuggler!
posted by Steve on 1-28-2009 at 7:50 pm
My partner and I used to let our dogs sleep on the floor of our room at night during winter and leave them out during the warmer months. Our excuse was that they would get cold outside in winter. It only ever gets to about -5C on even the coldest nights here… and our dogs were huskies! Excuses excuses, huh?
posted by Evelyn on 2-2-2009 at 11:33 pm
My two lhasa sleep with me.. Its more of whether i allow or they make me.. if i dont take them, the elder one makes such a sad face that i give in :(
posted by Vin on 5-25-2009 at 1:15 pm
My cat used to sleep with me, but now she doesn’t. I kind of wish she still did though lol When my boyfriend stays over she just wants to cuddle with us in bed the entire night, but she likes to lay right near our heads so that’s a problem. When my boyfriend isn’t staying the night she doesn’t want to sleep on the bed, so she’s up playing around the apartment. The only problem with that is that I live in a small one bedroom apartment and the bedroom has no door, so when she does something noisy it wakes me up and there’s nothing I can do about it because I have no door to close!
posted by Jessica on 11-9-2009 at 11:40 am