After a long day at work, you hurriedly flop into bed. Your pup noses open the bedroom door and jumps up beside you. You sleepily pet him while you doze off, and he settles into the corner of the bed. Does this sound familiar? It’s more common than you think. But, should you share your bed with your dog?

Allowing pets to share the bed is commonplace for many pet owners. In fact, statistics show that roughly half of dog owners co-sleep with their dogs. However, just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Here are some of the benefits, and drawbacks, to sharing your bed with your dog:

3 Pros of Sharing Your Bed With Your Dog

Here are some pros to consider for allowing your dog to jump into bed with you at night:

1. Emotional Wellbeing

Co-sleeping with your dog can create a comforting atmosphere and lead to healthier emotional wellbeing. It relieves the primal anxiety that haunts us before falling asleep.

Having that kind of security is especially important when sleeping alone. Plus, when waking up, you have someone to greet you. These little comforts go a long way and are one of the ways dogs can improve our health.

2. Extra Warmth

Of course, there is the added bonus of extra warmth. A pup at the edge of the bed radiates heat better than any electric blanket. When winter sets in and you run out of blankets, your dog can add that extra bit of warmth. Plus, your body heat will help keep them warm too!

3. Closer Bond

Sharing a bed with your dog could result in a closer bond with them. This is not to say that dog owners who do not share a bed don’t have a close bond with their dogs – just that sharing a bed with your dog can be one of the ways to bond closely and strengthen a bond with them.

3 Cons of Sharing Your Bed With Your Dog

If you are wary about co-sleeping with your dog, check out these drawbacks. You might find them tolerable, or you might find your dealbreaker.

1. Health Hazards

Letting your dog hop up into bed at night may exacerbate certain health concerns. Respiratory difficulties, like asthma, can go from mild to severe when exposed to pet dander long-term. Plus, the medication that controls allergies during the day won’t sustain overnight.

2. Disturbed Sleep

Despite getting to sleep faster, your dog can be responsible for waking you up in the middle of the night. Dogs hear all kinds of noises that don’t register to humans and often growl or bark to announce the threat or may snore or make noises as they dream.

Unfortunately, there’s usually nothing to bark about. Dogs also tend to spread out, kick, or otherwise make a ruckus while you’re trying to sleep.

3. Behavioral Concerns

Dogs that sleep in the bed with their owners can become overly dependent on them. Sometimes, this dependence can manifest as Separation Anxiety when the owner isn’t home. This isn’t the case for all dogs, however, so your pup could be perfectly adjusted.

No matter what you choose, as long as you show your pup plenty of love and affection, they will respond well – they might paw your door unless they’re accustomed to their own bed!