RAVING is Barking about: sleeping with your pets and how it destroys relationships

How many of you out there can put your hands up and say:" I do not sleep with my pet at night?" 


I can't. 


Have you ever wondered what are the effects it will have on you and your partner? You health? Your well being? - This week, we will be exploring all the various problems sleeping with your dog can cause you. 


Surely, as a pet lover / owner, you have heard of, or read reports and articles on the topic. Couples sleeping with your dog - Good or bad for you? 


I sleep with Trevor most of the time. But admittedly, I started to wonder if this is the best solution for my partner and I. 


Trevor is small so he does not really take up too much space on the bed, but he loves to sleep on the covers which turns out to be quite the problem for us. My partner and I often quarrel over who is taking more space on the bed and how that is affecting our sleep at night, who is taking most of the covers at night, complaining of backaches when we wake up because we had a bad night sleeping with the dog between us; neither of us wanting to admit it is the dog that's causing all this trouble. 

Not to mention the issues of intimacy, which could be an issue for some couples if the dog is in the room, let alone on the BED! I'm sorry, it just weird to have sex knowing you are being watched. Dog or not. 

All you have to do is just a simple google search and you will find a million and one articles and forum comments on couples who are sleeping with their dogs. The good the bad and the ugly. 

For some people, it can really help to cement the bond between couples- its as if its your child, naturally you would like it to be with you all the time. At the same time, just like children should learn to be independent of their parents, dogs also need their own space to grow and not be too dependent on their owners. When do you draw the line and say enough is enough? Heard of Separation Anxiety in Dogs? Do you think your choice to sleep with him on the bed is breeding his behavior? 

For others, one owner could have more love and involvement in the dog's day to day that its relationship could be better with one owner than the other. Perfect breeding grounds for this emotion, which is a reputable relationship killer - Jealousy. If you have been in a relationship before, you would know what the effects are. Imagine you are in that situation. And to add fuel to the fire, you invite your dog to the bed that you share in matrimony with your partner. Brilliant recipe for disaster.  

I guess, does the dog want to sleep with you, or do you want to sleep with your dog beside you. Are you dependent on your dog? For comfort? For company? Or is your dog dependent on you? 

The conclusion is from most marriage consultants and professionals is, DON'T sleep with your dog on your bed. 

Even till today, Trevor still sleeps with us on the bed, but not too frequently any more. 
He's grown up and we need our sleep too.