'I let my dog sleep in bed – but I'm having second thoughts after bathing her'

The woman was grossed out (Stock Image) (Image: Getty)

Dogs are super loyal, and sometimes, means they end up following you up to the bedroom when they’re a tiny pup, then a lifetime habit has been created - they now sleep in your bed.

And while some animal lovers might not even think twice about this, after one woman bathed her beloved pooch, she was left having second thoughts as to whether she wanted the mutt to be sleeping where she was.

The woman admitted she hadn’t bathed her dog in “well over a year” but was forced to, as when they were out for a walk, she “rolled in poop”.

The woman asked whether she was being unreasonable to have her dog in bed with her, writing on Mumsnet: “I bathed her this morning for the first time in well over a year as she rolled in poop. This was the result… she sleeps under the duvet with us every night… how am I not ill?”

She then attached a photo of the state of her bath, which was full of fur, dirt, and would likely take a while for the woman to completely clean up.

In the comments, opinions were mixed. One wrote: “On the bed would be OK, I wouldn't like a pet in the bed personally because it just seems dirty. Maybe it makes your immune system stronger having more bacteria around you, who knows!”

Someone else said their dog was only allowed on the bed “on sheet change day”, but admitted it was a “struggle” as he “loves being under the duvet”.

“Surely you must just smell like dog all day long”, a harsh commenter said, and the original poster claimed her dog had been “seven years on the bed”, so she didn’t really intend to change that.

A Dachshund lover penned: "Where would I be without a sausage shaped foot warmer in the winter months?”

A Mumsnet user said: “Ours sleep ON the bed (supposedly at our feet but I have woken up to his face on the pillow next to me instead of my husband!) but never under the covers.” 

According to an expert at PetMD, it’s important to ensure your pet is “fully trained” before you let your dog on your bed with you - even though allowing them to sleep on your bed can “strengthen the bond” between you.

On the one hand, allowing your dog to sleep with you is an amazing bonding experience – there’s nothing like waking up to their happy tail wag and an eager look on your dog’s face each morning.

However, because dogs are hyper-aware of their surroundings, even when sleeping, it can mean your night’s sleep isn’t as peaceful as you’d want it to be.

“This may mean they will wake up quickly, easily, and often, and in the process wake you up too”, which can be annoying.

Other reasons you may want to not let your dog sleep with you are allergies, back problems, or health problems you or your dog may have, and “there are some illnesses that can be spread between dogs and people” - and although they’re rare, can be off-putting.