Half of Pet Owners Ban Dogs From the Bed — Here’s Why I Never Will

On Memorial Day, I went upstairs to my master bedroom, climbed into the bed, snuggled up with my dogs, and took an 'in-the-bed' nap. It was exactly 12:45pm and I slept for an hour and a half. It was perfection.

When I woke up, I sent my friend and radio cohost Mary-Katherine a message that said, "Just woke up from an in-the-bed nap that was amazing! 12:45 to 2:15. I love Memorial Day!"

She immediately sent me this photo!

She replied, "About to take one myself!"

In our estimation, there's nothing better than cuddling up with the dogs. When we got to back to work Tuesday, MKat and I were talking about how much we love napping with our pets. That made us wonder if there are people who actually forbid their dogs/pets from sleeping in the bed with them.

To get the answer to that question and my questions about the benefits and potential issues of sharing beds with pets (particularly dogs), I decided to consult the experts. I discovered that the folks at the American Kennel Club tackled this very issue just a couple of months ago.

They published a story called "Should I Let My Dogs Sleep With Me?" I was shocked to see the stat that slightly less than half of all pet owners allow their pets to share their bed with them. What??  I have had pets my entire life and they have ALWAYS slept in bed with me. I personally find it really comforting. In fact, my dogs- Yogi and Simon- like snuggling too because they both plop down right next to me. Simon, in particular, has to press right up against me.

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The AKC story cited a recent study and the findings about it that were published in Human Nature. As expected, there are some potential negative implications of sharing a bed with your pet. Dogs can interrupt your sleep cycle. Uh,duh! Lord knows Yogi does. He's a very fluffy Bichon Frise. When he gets hot and thirsty at night, he wakes me up so I can get him some water. Yes, there's a bowl of water on the floor, but he doesn't like to jump off the platform bed. So, I get up and bring the bowl to him.

Okay, I'll confess it. He's spoiled rotten and that likely sounds ridiculous to some of you. This will likely make it even worse. I feel like I should also take a moment to add another key detail- that my dogs have their own staircase up to my bed. Yogi has figured out how to walk UP the stairs to the platform bed. He just hasn't figured out how to climb DOWN it.

Another potential disadvantage? Dogs and their dander can cause some people allergy issues. A similar story shared by the AARP- 6 Reasons Your Pet Shouldn't Sleep in Your Bed- and 5 Reasons They Should- suggests that dogs can even carry parasites into your bed. It specifically mentions ringworm. Ooh! Yuck! That's gross.

And, look! This is no surprise. In fact, my precious little Cairn Terrier is prone to this particular personality flaw. Some dogs can be territorial and just completely take over the sleeping space. Simon will occasionally growl at me if he feels like I am invading his space. I quickly have to remind that I'm the one who paid for the Sleep Number bed.

However, despite those potential hazards, the researchers and other pet behavior experts suggest the benefits outweigh those potential disadvantages. Quite simply, dogs provide an extra sense of security for their humans. They certainly do for me. I mean, going to bed at my house is like escaping to the pages of Marley & Me.

A prime example? Dogs will warm up the bed for you. My Simon is like a heating pad with paws. In the winter, that dog's better than a set of flannel sheets.

And, the AARP story cited this as a benefit. Dogs are really good for maintaining a morning routine. That claim is not wrong.

When my alarm goes off, my day begins in the same exact manner each day. Simon immediately wakes up too and sprawls out across my chest. It's his way of making sure I am getting up and at it. Yogi is less enthusiastic. He will grumble and stretch. As Simon's running down the doggy staircase that Yogi can't master, I will pick Yogi up and gently place him down on the floor. Then, the two barrel down the stairs to the sliding door. Opening that door to let them outside is my first must-accomplish task of the day. It's that moment- when my dogs run outside to go potty- that I know my day has officially begun and all is right with my world.