When Poppy the Lhasa Apso first came into our lives, we tried to make her as comfortable as possible in her new home. After all, she was only a few months old and needed kindness and reassurance to enable her to settle in properly. At night she slept in her crate which we filled with her toys to make her feel really at home. Of course, the crate door was left open so that she could wander around the kitchen or take a drink whenever she wanted. However, as Poppy became more accustomed to us she began to play up when it was time for bed. Lhasa Apso dogs are very independent and they like to do their own thing.
After about six weeks we decided to let her sleep upstairs with us in her own little bed. At that time, Poppy wasn’t able to jump up onto the bed so it seemed a suitable alternative to the crate. Poppy seemed fairly happy about being in our bedroom with us at night rather than being alone. As she developed the ability to climb the stairs on her own it wasn’t long before she was leaping on and off the furniture which included our bed. When all these new skills were combined the whole house was open to Poppy night and day.
We soon discovered that wherever in the house she decided to sleep during the night, she was always sprawled out on the bed come morning. In fact, it became pretty clear to us that she absolutely loved being there and only got off the bed when she decided to get up. Now, after doing a bit of research, I believe that most dog owners feel the same and seem quite happy to let their dogs sleep on the furniture. Recent surveys showed over half of dog owners allow their dogs on the bed with them.
At night, our dogs promote a feeling of security and wellbeing which helps us to relax and makes us feel safe. Lhasa Apsos are very good watchdogs and there is always the chance of being woken in the night when poppy perceives some sort of threat. This could be our neighbour parking his car or a random stranger walking past our gate on the way home. Dogs also have the ability to relax humans just by being nearby. When dogs are around us, the levels of our oxytocin increases, which is a hormone responsible for happiness. Dogs provide great companionship and having them close to us when we are sleeping is very comforting to both you and your dog. They are pack animals after all, so they love being close to members of their pack.
To summarise, we are firm believers in the wisdom of letting our dog sleep with us in the bed. However, not everyone will share this view. It may be that you strongly disagree or perhaps your dog is just too big to fit comfortably on your bed. Whatever the reason, please give us your feedback. We would really like to hear from you in the comments below.
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