Ffion Jarvis
All pet owners are guilty of letting their beloved dogs onto their bed every once in a while, and although it feels so right, maybe it is more wrong than you thought.
Whether you decide to allow your dog to sleep on your bed or not, it all factors into health issues for you and your dog and, like anything, it has its pros and cons with VCA Animal Hospital and JYSK revealing the grim truth that lingers on your bedsheets.
Now, some four-legged friends find the task of jumping onto the bed easier than others.
As dogs get older, they may sadly develop mobility issues and need extra assistance to sleep on your bed. But do not fear, there are simple solutions to keep you and your dog happy at night.
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Devices such as small ramps or steps can solve the issue of worsening your dog's mobility issues caused by heavy impact jumping.
It is not just the dogs which all of this impacts, it is the owners too.
The benefits of your pet accompanied slumber, according to furniture experts, JYSK, include:
However, there are negatives to your dog sleeping in your bed, and the grim facts behind it will shock you.
As much as we all love to be pushed to the edge of the bed by our dogs' paws, it is one of the reasons why you might be having a disrupted sleep.
Furniture experts at JYSK comment: "Dogs have different sleeping patterns to humans, therefore this can disturb your sleep, when your dog rolls over, especially if you're a light sleeper."
Despite this, it can also be argued that a dog's presence is actually beneficial for humans.
There are dog training techniques that you can use to encourage your furry friend to sleep at the bottom of your feet. This way you can enjoy a full, uninterrupted night's sleep.
So, it is ultimately your decision.
The disgusting fact which will make you sleep with the door shut is that, VCA says, with a dog sleeping in your bed, you risk more than just fur under the covers.
The experts note: "Dogs and other pets can bring fleas, ticks and in rare cases pathogenic bacteria to bed, such as ringworm, tapeworms Campylobacter, parasites and bacteria from urine and faeces in their fur.
"Sleeping with a dog increases these chances of human exposure to these parasite and vector-borne diseases. Very young, very old people and immune-compromised people are at particular risk of infection."
However there are precautions which you can put in place to put your mind at ease during your beauty sleep.
You can ask your vet for an all-year-round prescription for parasite control, which will protect both you and your pet from many parasite diseases.
Now you have to ask yourself the question of whether you still want to let your dog on your precious bed - despite some of the gross details that you can not see under the covers.