Jed, a 16-year-old yellow Labrador with back problems, snuggles up with his owner every night. When his previous owner was deployed overseas three years ago, Laura Bruck rescued him.
"My dogs have slept with me as long as I've had dogs," said Bruck, who has rescued dogs for several organizations over the past 30 years. Bruck currently places rescue dogs for the
South Euclid Humane Society in Ohio.
She admits that her dogs provide her companionship, but she believes that the dogs enjoy being close to her as well.
"Dogs want to be near the person they love and trust," she said. "I consider it an honor and privilege to snuggle with my dogs."
Bruck, 50, has even gone so far as to sleep downstairs in her two-story home so that Jed does not have to climb the steps.
Her open-bed policy has helped Bridgette, a foster dog, learn to be a better pet. Bridgette, a 10-year-old terrier mix, spent most of her life in a cage without much human contact, Bruck said.
"She didn't know what it meant to be petted," she said.
Bruck added that she does not "allow," but "encourages" her dogs to sleep with her.
"Particularly when a dog has a trust issue -- if you are able to show them they are safe and nothing bad is going to happen to them, it's invaluable," Bruck said.
Dominance Theory
Many dog owners don't allow dogs in the bed because owners think it will make the dog think it is dominant.
Dr. Marsha Reich, a Maryland veterinary behaviorist, does not buy into this theory. In fact, she does not believe in the alpha dog theory because she said it is observation based on captive wolves.
She said captive wolves exhibit different types of behavior than wolves in their natural setting. Wolves in their natural setting are more likely to form a pack that is similar to a family unit, such as the breeding pair and offspring. These packs are also unlikely to show any type of aggression, she said.
Reich, who makes house calls, said there is nothing wrong with a dog sleeping in the bed or near their owners at night.
Additionally, Reich said that if an owner faces a situation in which a dog is growling while on the bed, it could be the way a previous matter was handled.
"Do you want to be pulled by your hair?" she asked. "They don't want to be pulled off (the bed) by their collar. A dog assumes that something is going to happen. He may feel cornered or upset and may want to defend himself."
No Pets On Bed
Kristy Burrus, 42, does not allow her two West Highland Terriers to sleep in her bed.
Burrus, a mother of three, said Buddy and Ashley sleep in her basement.
When asked why, she simply says, "Because they are pets."
Surprisingly, Burrus has not always been opposed to a dog sleeping in her bed.
"My dog that I had growing up did sleep with me, but since becoming a parent, dogs have been placed in a different place in my life which is separate from that of a human being."
Alarm Cat
Not only do some dog owners allow their pets in the bed, some cat owners do as well.
Verita Bell, 39, is one of those cat lovers. Her 11-year-old cat, Pierre, has slept with her since he was a kitten.
"Pierre usually sleeps at the foot of the bed on the comforter," she said.
If he sleeps anywhere else on the bed, she said she is always conscientious of where he is on the bed so that she doesn't roll over onto him.
He has only been kicked out of Bell's bed a few times on the weekend.
"Early in the morning on the weekends, he walks back and forth over me," she said. "I guess he thinks I'm over sleeping. I nudge him out of the bed."
Reich said it is important for pet owners to be consistent when making the decision on whether to allow a pet in the bed. She also suggested positive reinforcement, such as a treat or praise, to change behavior.
"This will give you a win-win situation," she said.
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