Social surveys have shown that more than 65% of dog owners sleep in the same bed with their pets. Some of them note that the four-legged friend prefers to lie at his feet, and some talk about the dog’s head on the owner’s pillow. Each of these phenomena has its own explanation, essentially going back to the roots of the origin of these animals.
Dog sleep
A healthy adult dog requires about 15-17 hours of sleep daily. Puppies and older pets can sleep up to 20 hours. There is no need to doubt the correctness of these figures, because dogs do not sleep for the entire period at once, but alternate it with being awake. Like us, they have two stages of sleep: fast and slow sleep. In the first case, the pet will settle down on a flat surface, lie down on its side or back and stretch out its paws, which may sometimes twitch. For deep sleep, the animal prefers to curl up into a ball. At this time, breathing will be calm and even, and the muscles will be relaxed. The slow-wave sleep phase occurs faster if the dog is on a soft surface and preferably on a hill. Moreover, furry friends will need some kind of support. This is why pets so often love armchairs and sofas - they are comfortable there.
Genetic habits
Dog owners report strange behavior during sleep. The animal wakes up, begins to mark time, lay down, get up again, or completely change the surface. The fact is that genetics plays a role. The dog, being descended from the wolf, tramples down the grass or snow in preparation for sleep. In bed, such a gesture may be accompanied by a digging movement, and as a result forms something like a large hole. Curled up on a flat surface, the animal is forced to constantly keep its muscles tense, and lying in such a hole, it is finally possible to relax and maintain the pose.
Nature's cues tell our pets to lie in a ball shape to stay warm. This is no longer relevant for domestic dogs, but those dogs who still sleep in the open air cannot do without this position. The call of the ancestors dictates that furry household members should always be on alert. Almost all dogs sleeping soundly wake up literally within a split second if something disturbs them. During sleep, the animal’s sense of smell and hearing are actively working, so when the slightest irritant appears, the pet returns to wakefulness.
Sleeping in the master's bed
From year to year, dog breeders and animal psychologists cannot come to a definite answer to the question: “Can a dog sleep with its owner in the bed?” Looking for pros and cons, we can confidently say that both lists will be great.
Let's start by assessing the situation if the puppy plays the main role in it. Babies always ask to go to bed because they still remember the warmth of their mother, to whom they snuggled just recently. Puppies really need this, so it’s better to take the little one into your bed or lie down with him on the floor for a while so that the dog can feel himself in the familiar environment of physical contact with his breadwinner and protector. As time passes, the older dog will become more independent and will no longer need human warmth.
The nature of the four-legged friend pushes him to share a dream with his owner. In the natural environment, a wolf pack sleeps in one large group, where everyone cuddles up to his relative. Only exiled animals spend the night alone. Every dog perceives the family in which it lives as its own pack. The pet worries if it is removed from its brethren for the night.
Our pets have several basic poses, where they press their backs, butts against their owner, or go to sleep at their feet. This speaks of complete trust in the leader, that is, the owner of the dog, and a sense of security. A dog sleeping at our feet demonstrates its devotion and literally watches our sleep. With this gesture, the pet shows that it respects its leader. By the way, if you are trying to put the dog on your pillow, you may simply lose your leading position. When allowing co-sleeping, do not let the dog throw you off the pedestal of the leader.
The effect of a dog in bed on human health
People who fall asleep with their four-legged friend are divided in their opinions. Some approach this moment with disgust and a stereotype that says that everyone should have their own place. However, the animal is allowed to sleep on the bed at night. But the thoughts of other dog owners are in complete denial of possible harm. By the way, psychologists have long proven that a child hugging a dog in his sleep falls asleep easier and faster. A human child, just like a puppy, will feel warm, cozy and completely safe. In addition, sleeping together is beneficial for lonely people, since the warmth of a living being removes the feeling of loneliness.
Whether you want to sleep with your pet or are not ready is up to you to decide.
Today we will share with you the story of Bill Barol, the owner of two Labradors, who is convinced that taking pets into your bed at night is not only possible, but also necessary.
One night in 1998, my wife and I fell asleep and forgot to put our puppy Majo (our first dog) on his bed, so he fell asleep quietly between us on the bed.
When we woke up the next morning and found that there were no catastrophic consequences, a wonderful thought came into our heads: “Mmm. The dog is sleeping on the bed. She settled down comfortably next to people. Not bad. Perhaps in some ways this is even good.”
No one knows exactly how many people let their pets sleep in the same bed with them. But two studies presented last year at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies confirmed what any animal lover like me can tell you: "There are so many of us, and we walk around like zombies."
During the first study, 298 people were interviewed. About half of them took pets (more often dogs than cats) to sleep in their bed. A third of respondents reported that their pets wake them up once a night (at least). 63% of respondents who shared a bed with their pet more than four nights a week said they noticed a sharp decline in sleep quality. Another study found that 10% of pet owners experience irritation when their pets disturb their sleep. I am, of course, not an expert, but this figure (10%) seems insignificant to me.
I recently had my annual physical and my doctor asked me if I was sleeping well. I told him it wasn't very good. I had suspicions that my dogs played a certain role in this. “Do you and your wife allow your dog to sleep in the same bed with you?” - asked the doctor. “Yes,” I replied. “What breed is your dog?” - the doctor continued the question. I replied that they were Labradors. And as soon as I said it, I immediately realized how funny it sounded.
The doctor blinked for about 40 seconds, and then said incredulously: “Labradors? LABRADORS? That’s right, in the plural?” “Yes,” I answered in a quiet and meek voice, dreaming of falling through the ground.
Yes, I now have two Labradors. One - his name is Scout - is 11 years old and weighs 27 kilograms. The second pet, named Roxy, is four years old and weighs 25 kilograms.
Roxy and Scout are not too big for Labradors, but they have an eternal desire for a good night's sleep, and they are not at all averse to taking up more than half of our bed.
The dogs love to lie right in the middle of our huge bed, while my wife Jennifer and I often have to huddle on the edges.
I know it's not good for me. Experts at Harvard Medical School say that it has an extremely negative effect on our mood, ability to make decisions, cognitive abilities, ability to absorb and remember information, and also increases the risk of getting into an accident or getting injured.
Chronic lack of sleep can lead to a range of serious health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even premature death.
And yet, night after night, my wife and I, two adults who train our dogs and treat them quite strictly, persistently call them to order, cannot stoop to the point of chasing dogs out of bed and waking up grumpy in the morning and feel cruel.
I decided to talk about this topic with my friends and acquaintances. One of my friends has a 38 kg coonhound who loves to sleep in the same bed with him. As the dog's owner notes, this makes him uncomfortable. He is trying to train his pet to sleep in a different place, but so far without success. My second friend says that recently, when her two-year-old Great Dane jumped on the bed at two in the morning, she tried to come to terms with it for about an hour, and then went to sleep on the sofa.
I believe (without any disrespect to our smaller brothers) that dogs are great manipulators. Or perhaps they, like people, want simple comfort. And it’s clear why they prefer a bed to a floor and even a luxurious and expensive dog bed.
Don't discount the comfort and joy you feel curled up next to a dozing dog or cat. In addition, it is warmer with pets; their body temperature is several degrees higher than ours.
Psychologist Stanley Coren refers to the thoughts of anthropologists who believe that the desire of a person and/or pet to share one bed for two may not just be a whim on the part of you or your pet - the roots of such behavior are much deeper.
And, to be honest, it’s already difficult for me to give up the basic comfort that I experience when I hear Roxy’s muffled snoring or Scout’s quiet snoring, to which I peacefully fall asleep. I associate these sounds with the end of the day, home and safety. Often around three o'clock in the morning I feel that the dogs have taken up too much space. Instinctively, I can try to push them off, but I do it so weakly that the dogs don’t even wake up, and I, as usual, move to the edge of the bed. Night after night.
Do you allow your pets to sleep in the same bed with you?
Owners whose dog sleeps in their bed sometimes notice that the dog begins to lie down at their feet. What does this mean? What could this position during sleep indicate?
Causes
There are various explanations for what causes dogs to adopt the leg position while sleeping. Of course, it is almost impossible to fully understand why a dog lies at a person's feet.
- Convenience. Sometimes a dog's decision to sleep at his feet is dictated solely by a feeling of comfort. This may be due to the amount and brightness of the light (perhaps there is no bright lighting in the dog's eyes), the amount of sounds or drafts. Perhaps the pet is simply more comfortable there than on a pillow.
- Attitude towards the owner. It is generally accepted that if a dog sleeps in the legs, this is a sign that the dog treats the person as a leader and gives way to him. It is difficult to say whether this theory is objective, but such an opinion exists.
- Another dog. If the owner has another dog, which he puts on the pillow, the other one can give her his place and lie at his feet. It depends on the attitude of the owner towards the pets and on the interaction of the dogs with each other.
There is more to love than just comfort.
Why do dogs love to sleep at your feet? It's not just for comfort or loyalty. It's because they love you. If you are a good teacher who takes care of your dog, you cannot avoid this. If you find it a little awkward, you better find a way to get used to it. The dog lying at your feet is a dog with a natural predisposition that is passed down from generation to generation. This is part of the essence of a dog. You could say it's in the DNA of our canine friends...
As mentioned earlier, dogs that sleep on human feet may not be the best place for refreshing sleep. However, this is not a habit that jeopardizes the health of the owner or the dog. Your pet won't mind if his sleep is interrupted by his movements, discomfort or even some muscle pain after being in a compromise position for a long time. Remember that you are your loved one, the one you need to always protect .
What to do?
Sometimes the owner is not happy with the fact that his pet lies down at his feet, because the owner loves his dog and wants it to lie next to him on the pillow. What to do in this case?
First of all, you need to check whether the pet is comfortable on the pillow and analyze what reasons make it lie at the feet of the owner. Perhaps the place near the owner has some inconvenience from the dog’s point of view. You can stroke him while he is lying on the pillow to create a feeling of security and comfort for him. It is quite possible that after some time the pet will move onto the pillow itself.
They love to be near you
It's very simple. Dogs they love to sleep with their flock and the stronger they are, the better. If you take a dog home, give him a good life and lots of love, he will be considered his family. They also consider you to be the leader of the pack, so they will try to sleep as close to you as possible. Keep this in mind if you are wondering why your dog is lying at his feet.
Dogs will be willing, as often as necessary, to show their loyalty simply by being present. For them, instinctive sleep at our feet is a demonstration of mutual protection. They feel that you care about them, and at the same time they care about you, as if you were a team in battle. This is a very common tendency in dogs and is completely normal . What happens is that our dogs don't care if they're in a pretty awkward position as long as they're as close to you as possible. My dog sleeps standing up because he knows he is mine. He is my partner and lies there demonstrating.
Dogs love to sleep. If it were for them, they would sleep all day, and even better if they could do it at the feet of their human friend. For them, sleeping is as pleasant as going for a walk. Our pets can sleep for hours. However, dogs are not too picky when it comes to space. They may completely ignore and refuse this expensive and comfortable bed: if your legs are free and you let them sleep on them, they are delighted.
How to train a dog to sleep on your feet
There are times when owners want their pet to learn to sleep on their feet. This happens for a variety of reasons, but often it is done for your own comfort. When a large dog lies lounging on a pillow, it can interfere with proper rest. How can you train a dog to rest at its owner’s feet?
- Create comfortable conditions for her. You need to make sure that nothing interferes with her there, there are no drafts or bright light.
- Encourage her for sleeping on her feet. You can give him a treat and pet him, showing that it is pleasant to rest at the owner’s feet. It is important to create a feeling of coziness and comfort for your pet.
In any case, if you cannot retrain your pet, it is better not to insist on changing the place of rest. If your pet is comfortable on your feet or on a pillow, then there are certain reasons for this. If your pet cannot be re-educated, there is no need to be too principled!
Experienced dog breeders know how important it is to start training a pet from a very young age. A puppy is more receptive to training and is easier to motivate to behave correctly than an adult. If you miss this favorable moment, besides allowing your pet too much, then in the future this is fraught with food stolen from the table or traces of dirty paws on the white sheets. This article will discuss how to wean a dog from sleeping on a bed.
This behavior is due to the fact that the ancestors of domestic pets are wolves. These animals, in the wild, huddle together and cuddle together while they sleep. This habit helps them conserve heat and feel more protected. The dog instinctively repeats the behavior of a wolf at home, since its owner is its pack that needs to be protected.
On the other hand, many animal psychologists note that in dog psychology, sleeping on a hill is the privilege of leaders. Therefore, if a pet likes to climb onto the bed, then this may be a sign that he is striving to take a leading position in the “pack”. Such behavior, if left unpunished, can lead to the dog becoming uncontrollable.
There are also quite prosaic reasons why a pet tries to climb onto the bed:
- An animal may jump on the sofa because the owner is paying too little attention to it.
- Due to the desire to keep warm, which is quite common if the dog is a small or hairless breed.
- An animal may like to sleep on the sofa because there are children or strangers in the house. If the children are very small, then this relieves the dog of worrying about them, and if they are strangers, then there is a better view from a higher place, which means the “stranger” will not sneak up unnoticed.
- One of the reasons why your pet is more willing to sleep on a bed may be fear or a feeling of insecurity.
In any case, whether to allow a shaggy friend to sleep on the sofa or not is the owner’s decision. If this causes him inconvenience, then further recommendations will help him understand how to wean the dog from his owner’s bed.
Strong arguments from opponents
Dogs are pack animals that perceive the family as this unit of society. In the wild, the leader of the pack is always higher than the other members, both figuratively and literally. He is located on a hill, keeps order and the rest of his brothers. He never loses his vigilance and maintains his position through strength.
How does a dog perceive permission to sleep in its owner’s bed? That's right, as a promotion, a rise up the hierarchical ladder, and to the same level as the owner. And even if a person is not interested in conventions, and he does not mind his four-legged pet sleeping nearby, sooner or later he will have to face the consequences of such carelessness:
- the dog ceases to see the owner as a real master, which means he believes that he has no right to command;
- Gradually, the dog begins to set a routine on its own - you will have to get up in the morning when it wakes you up;
- Today the pet curls up at the feet, and tomorrow it lies imposingly in the center, refusing to move.
But dog breeders who do not accept having a pet in their own bed attribute their dissatisfaction not only to the pet’s behavior:
Many owners whose pets rest with them confidently say that with such proximity their sleep improves, and in the morning they feel cheerful and rested. But after a statistical survey, a slightly different picture was revealed.
Only 10% of dog breeders were truly satisfied with this situation. And among 58% of people who constantly sleep with four-legged pets in their beds, 35% experienced significantly worse sleep. And 10% of owners are dissatisfied with the manner in which their dogs sleep; they are irritated by paws stretched out in different directions, snoring, a specific aroma and other “delights” of such close contact.
Yes, a dog is a faithful, devoted friend, but at the same time it still remains a pet. You should not humanize the dog and think that he needs the same comfort as the rest of the family. If a pet sleeps in the owner’s bed, then this should not be assessed as impudence; in fact, in such a situation, the person is solely to blame.
The phenomenon of a dog sleeping in the same bed with its owner is quite common. Surveys have shown that about 65% of dogs sleep in the same bed with their owners.
Should you let your beloved four-legged animals do this? Is it safe for pet owners themselves? And what is the real reason why a dog sleeps in the same bed with its owner? Let's figure this out today.
How a dog develops the habit of sleeping with its owner
Most often, the habit of sleeping with the owner is developed during puppyhood. The baby has just arrived in your home, he has just been separated from his brothers and sisters. And, of course, he suffers very much from this. Wanders around the apartment at night and starts whining. And when the owner takes the puppy into his bed, he undoubtedly begins to feel warmth, care, and calms down.
Now our Jack also sleeps with us. When he was very little, we stood firm and did not allow him to climb onto our bed.
But at the age of 7 months he became very ill. We had to treat him a lot. I will never forget his sad eyes looking at me from below. I felt so sorry for him. This is where I gave up. I took him in my arms, hugged him, and we fell asleep together. Now we even worry if after we go to bed, Jack doesn’t come right away.
Now let's try to understand the reasons why a dog sleeps in the same bed with its owner.
For what reasons does a dog try to share a bed with its owner?
As I already wrote in the article Dog in Human Life, the ancestors of modern dogs were wolves. In the wild, when going to bed, all members of the pack try to snuggle closer to each other. This way they get warm from each other and feel safer. Only individuals expelled from the pack are forced to sleep separately.
Every dog perceives all members of the family in which it lives as a pack. And therefore, it is very important for her to feel involved and needed by this “pack”. It is difficult for her to understand why she should not be near her relatives.
The dog sleeps in the same bed with its owner because it perceives itself as a member of the pack.
If your dog sleeps with you, have you ever noticed what position he sleeps in? By the position in which your dog falls asleep with you, you can determine how much he trusts you and how close you are to him.
If your four-legged dog sleeps with his back or butt pressed against you, then you can be sure that he trusts you 100%. The back or butt are the most vulnerable parts of the animal’s body. And in the event of a sudden attack (so the quadruped thinks), they will be reliably protected, since they are under the reliable protection of a relative (that is, you).
How does sleeping with a four-legged animal affect human health?
Is co-sleeping with a dog safe? What problems can arise if a dog sleeps with its owner in an embrace?
Sleeping together with a four-legged animal is not so unsafe.
For those who suffer from allergies, doctors strongly recommend not even allowing the animal into the room where you sleep.
55% of pet owners who sleep in the same bed with their pets admitted that their four-legged animals do not allow them to sleep peacefully. Tailed animals sniff, snore, breathe heavily, and roll over from side to side. In the middle of the night they jump out of bed and click their claws on the floor, walking around the apartment, and then jump onto the bed again.
This, of course, prevents a person from getting a full night’s sleep. But, despite all these inconveniences, few people refuse to cuddle their pet at night.
Well, if you cannot deny yourself the pleasure of hugging and cuddling a warm, fluffy, dear creature, then I advise you to take into account the following recommendations.
What to do if your pet sleeps with you
If a dog sleeps with its owner in the same bed, the following must be observed:
Well, if you still can’t get enough sleep when your dog sleeps with you, then you need to come to some kind of compromise.
Compromise
If you want your four-legged dog not to suffer because you don’t allow him to sleep with you, but at the same time you want him not to interfere with your rest, then try to make sure that the four-legged dog is as close to you as possible.
You can read on the Internet how to properly equip your pet’s sleeping place.
Place some of your things in his bed so that the animal can smell you and not feel lonely.
A four-legged animal helps you sleep
For those who have problems falling asleep, it is very good if the dog sleeps with the owner. This is especially true for children who feel safe falling asleep in an embrace with a four-legged animal.
Beginning of behavior correction
No matter how trivial it may sound, if the owner does not want to wonder in the future how to wean the pet off upholstered furniture, then you need to start from the very first day the puppy is in the house. First of all, it is recommended to equip a comfortable and cozy sleeping place for your little pet, preferably secluded so that no one disturbs him there. If the bed is comfortable enough, this will eliminate the motive of cold or dampness when the pet tries to settle down on the sofa.
Animal psychologists note that even the most well-mannered and accustomed animal does not mind lying on a soft bed. Some of the pets do this to their heart's content when their owners go to work. What is this connected with? Here are some reasons:
- The sleeping place smells like the owner. If it is absent, then the dog feels calmer if there is a pillow next to it that smells like its beloved owner. A good solution to this problem of boredom can be the owner's old item placed near the pet's bed.
- The animal is interested in the place where the owner slept and where he spends his time. No wonder he wants to study it carefully.
If the owner finds his pet lying on the sofa, under no circumstances should he be pulled out of there by force. This is due to the fact that the dog can be injured if in a hurry it unsuccessfully jumps from a hill. In addition, some individuals may react aggressively to such an attempt.
It is much better if the owner simply loudly and sternly calls the animal by name, and then gives him the command to get down to the floor and take his usual place. You can reinforce correct behavior with a treat or a pat on the head. Consider correct behavior when the dog quickly and unquestioningly leaves the bed.
Gradual development of positive emotions associated with its own bed will also help to train your dog not to climb on the sofa. This is quite easy to do with the help of toys and favorite foods that the owner can provide to the pet only in his resting place. Over time, regular praise will be enough.
Remember that the solution to the question of how to wean a dog from sleeping in the same bed with its owner begins with determination. Yes, it is firmness that will allow the dog owner to forget about such unpleasant things as fur on the pillow and traces of dirty paws on the sheet. Under no circumstances should you give in to your pet’s sadness and whining and let him jump on the sofa for at least one night. Unless the owner wants it to continue to sleep there for the rest of its life.
The result of permission to sometimes lie on the owner's bed
The owner's heart, alas, is not stone. Driving a small bald dog onto the floor when the room is not very warm is not entirely humane. Pity sometimes takes precedence over common sense...
And here is the result: this tiny creature one evening growls menacingly at its owner and bares its teeth, noticing his attempts to go to bed.
And there’s no need to talk about large males (and sometimes females). They very quickly begin to feel their strength and then warn the former leader of the pack with a menacing roar: I have grown, I am strong, now I will become the main one or we will fight for power to the death.
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Methods for breaking an established habit
It also happens that the favorable moment in developing correct behavior is lost, and the dog is already accustomed to sleeping with its owners. The following tips from animal psychologists will help you figure out how to wean your dog from jumping on upholstered furniture:
- Lay newspapers or film on the sofa. When jumping, your pet will create unpleasant sounds that will soon irritate him. Even if this doesn't work, the dog owner can keep the surface of the bed free of dirt and fur.
- Scat mat. An excellent tool for those owners who love innovation. A special mat will generate minor discharges of electricity, which will quickly wean the animal from unwanted behavior.
- A closed door is also an effective remedy against unwanted intrusions on sofas. Although this practice only relieves the symptoms, it does not eliminate the causes. All you have to do is not close the door, and the dog will happily climb onto the bed.
- An alternative solution may be to use furniture covers. They will protect sofas and beds from the pet’s claws and ubiquitous hair, while at the same time he will be able to sleep peacefully in his favorite place.
- For a timid dog that has just begun to practice jumping on the bed, sometimes a loud, stern shout or a light slap on the “butt” is enough to make it stop trying to lie down where its owners sleep.
How to stop a dog from sleeping on its owner
The best advice that can be given to new dog owners is that the dog does not need to be trained to climb onto the owner's bed at all. If the moment is missed, then you should be patient. It is difficult to wean an adult dog from “handling” without harming it.
To do this, first of all, arrange a comfortable bed for her and practice the “place” command. Next, you will need to persistently, but gently send the pet there every time it tries to get to the owner. If the command is executed, you need to come up and praise the dog so that he does not feel expelled.
It is better to close the bedroom at night. Of course, the dog will be sad and perhaps whine at the door. In this case, you need to gently but persistently send her back to her place. In a few days she will have to accept this rule.
According to statistics, most dog breeders allow their pets to sleep in close proximity, believing that this makes the pet feel better. There is some truth in this. But sleeping separately will not cause much harm if you approach this issue wisely. So the choice is up to the owner.
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Between masters
It happens that as soon as two lovers fall asleep, a four-legged miracle immediately emerges between them. The main reason for this is most often jealousy. If you previously lived only with a dog, and now you have a dear friend, most likely, the pet simply does not want to share you with anyone and shows the new person that here, first of all, they love him. If you have been together for a long time and got a dog, being already a couple, then this may simply be a sign that the dog adores both of you and does not want anyone to be offended that he lay down not next to him, but next to another the owner.
Why does a dog come to sleep with its owner?
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Dogs are great individualists. Some of them like to fall asleep exclusively in their own place, some prefer armchairs and sofas, and some prefer the master's bed. What guides our pets when choosing a place to sleep?
An important factor is the size of the animal and its coat. Of course, many large fluffy dogs also don’t mind lounging in their master’s bed, but they do it, rather, out of love for the person and the desire to be closer to him.
Dogs of decorative breeds, especially if they do not have thick hair, often freeze. Firstly, they have an accelerated metabolism, which means they need a lot of energy to warm up. Secondly, due to their short stature, they are forced to spend most of their time on the floor, and it is colder there than in the “middle tier”, because, as we know from a school physics course, warm air always rises to the top.
Small dogs do not like drafts and are more susceptible to colds than large ones, so many of them try to climb higher even in the warm season, not to mention the cold. By the way, the size of the pet and its coat must be taken into account when choosing a bed. For example, for smooth-haired dogs it is better to buy beds with high sides and soft, warm pillows.
Another reason for the craving for the owner's bed lies in the lack of attention for the animal.
Our pets want to be near us 24 hours a day. And if the owner leaves his four-legged friend alone for a long time or devotes little time to him, the dog tries to compensate for this by being close to the owner, at least at night.
It is worth paying close attention to unexpected changes in the dog’s behavior: before, she preferred to sleep alone and suddenly began asking to go to her master’s bed. If this happens, there is a high probability that something is wrong with the animal. Perhaps your friend is very worried about something or even sick. And the master’s bed is not only warm, but also safe.
Think about what has changed recently. Your pet may be frightened by certain sounds or feel vulnerable in the presence of other animals or children. If you cannot find the reason for the dog’s changed behavior, you should visit a veterinarian and undergo a medical examination.
There is another reason why an animal tends to climb onto a person’s bed. This way the dog can try to measure his strength against him. This behavior is more typical of representatives of service and hunting breeds than decorative ones. However, if the rest of the time the pet does not show the habits of a leader, you should not accuse him of dominance.
The desire to oust a person from his territory is usually accompanied by other “symptoms”. Having occupied the owner's bed, the dominant dog will guard it and closely monitor everyone who approaches it.
In all other cases, you can be sure: by coming to sleep next to you, your pet is showing you the highest degree of affection and trust, because canines living in nature fall asleep next to only those they consider their family.
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