Pet expert reveals VITAL safety tips to sharing a bed with your pooch

Expert shares 5 tips on bed care for your dog

Key Findings:

• Labradors take up a third (30%) of the average double sized bed, the biggest space invaders

• Cats only need 4.3% of the bed

• Pomeranians take up the least (2.23%) room out of the UK’s top breeds

• Pet Behaviour Specialist, Mustafa Tshash, and sleep expert, James Wilson, provide their top tips on managing your pet at bedtime

With over 36 million pets in the UK, over half (56%) of owners admit to letting their furry friends sleep in their bedrooms. But is this safe?

Intrigued to find out more, the experts at Mattress Online partnered with sleep expert James Wilson, and Pet Behaviour Specialist Mustafa Tshash, to reveal their top tips on allowing pets to sleep in your bed. They have also investigated which popular UK breeds take up the most space at bedtime.

James Wilson, sleep expert commented: “Fundamentally to sleep well, we need to feel physically and emotionally secure – we need to feel safe. However, there are quite a few reasons why sleeping with a pet can be a problem.

“They snore, dream, move, make noises, and not forgetting they have fur which makes things a lot hotter in the bed. Not to mention lots of us sleep in relatively small beds. 65% of us sleep in a double bed – if you share that with a partner you only have 68.5cm each to sleep in, and if you add a golden retriever into the middle of that, everyone is squashed.”

Five tips on bedtime preparation for your pooch:

1. Hygiene Matters

One of the most important factors of sharing a bed with a pet is maintaining a healthy sleeping space. Not only should you be regularly grooming, bathing and brushing your pooch but also using washable covers and blankets that can avoid fur and dirt build up. Your bedding should be cleaned at least once a week, alongside vacuuming the mattress and surrounding area to preserve the life of your bed and keep you both healthy.

If the idea of sharing blankets puts you off, try using a designated blanket for your pet. This can help keep your bed cleaner by preventing the main bedding from becoming covered in fur. It will also provide familiarity and security, easing anxiety and creating a safe sleeping zone, which will also help train your pet to sleep in the same area every night.

2. Ensure the Bedroom is Safe

Before allowing pets to share your bed, ensure there are no hazardous or sharp objects available in the sleeping area. Things such as cords or small objects should always be put out of reach to prevent an accident.

Another way to keep them safe is by making sure the bed is accessible, especially if you have a little one like a chihuahua. If it is a bit too high opt for using pet steps or building a ramp to prevent injuries. Ensure that your bed frame is stable and sturdy as there will be extra movement and weight now joining you.

3. Training is Key

Although you might adore your pet, they need to understand boundaries to ensure a sense of personal space, and to prevent entitled behaviours such as barking, scratching or even aggression. Use simple commands like “stay” or “down” when in close contact with your pet, to help create consistency – your pooch will then know when it is time to join you on the bed.

Sticking to a bedtime routine can help your pet gain an understanding of where and how to sleep through patience and repetition, whilst creating a long-lasting bond. Using positive reinforcement can encourage good bedtime behaviour and make the experience more pleasant for both of you.

4. Choose the Right Bedding Material

Investing in high-quality, pet friendly bedding for both of you is key. Having your pet by your side can actually improve sleep due to the serene presence and rhythmic breathing from your pooch, but it is important to make sure that the materials used are safe.

Most dogs can be rough, so try using tough, durable fabrics that are easy to clean. And if you’re thinking of upgrading your mattress, make sure it can withstand pets’ nails, movement and activity.

5. Prioritise Pet Health

Be alert to any signs of discomfort or allergic reactions such as itching, sneezing or out of the ordinary behaviour. If you spot your furry friend having trouble settling down, maybe try using hypoallergenic materials instead.

However, there could be bigger issues as pets can catch ticks, parasites and fleas very easily, it is important that you have regular vet visits and use prevention treatments consistently to ensure there is no transfer into the mattress.

Pet Behavior Specialist, Mustafa Tshash, commented on how to cope with sharing the bed with a pet: “For many, having their four-legged friend snoozing beside them can be a source of comfort and bonding. Pets provide warmth and a sense of security, making bedtime even cosier. However, it’s important to ensure that it’s not affecting your sleep quality or disrupting your pet’s routine.

“If your sleep is getting disturbed or if your pet shows signs of stress or territorial behaviour, it might be best to set some boundaries. Untrained pets might feel entitled to claim the bed and disrupt your sleep with unwanted behaviours like barking, scratching, or even aggression. Ultimately, you have to find what works best for both of you, ensuring a healthy balance.”

Mattress Online shared how much space the nation’s favourite pooches are actually taking up in the bedroom.

How much room do the UK’s most popular dog breeds take up?

Labrador’s take the top spot being the biggest space invaders as on average these friendly faces will take up a third (30%) of a double bed, and even if you upgraded to a kingside, over a quarter (26%) of the sleeping space will still be given to this breed!

Whilst both the French Bulldog and Dachshund take up the smallest amount of  space in the bedroom, with only a 1% difference in upsizing your mattress.

Methodology:

1. Mattress Online wanted to share the positives and negatives of sharing a bed with your pet.

2. For each of the UK’s most popular dog breeds in 2023, they calculated the average surface area of the dog, based on the breed’s average length and height. The average was then worked out as a percentage of the space that would be taken up in both a king size and double bed, based on their surface area.

3. Further information on which breeds can take up the most mattress space can be found on: ‘Britain’s Favourite Dog Breed Takes Up A Third Of The Bed’.

4. All data was collected May 2024, and is accurate as of then.

 

Feature Photo by Fermin Rodriguez Penelas on Unsplash