naturalpet
Staying in close contact makes it easier to pick up fl eas, ticks or skin mites a pet may carry, and can worsen allergies.
~ Roger Valentine, holistic veterinarian
“I originally thought letting my dog sleep in my bed was a good idea,” says DeAngelis, a communications director at Westminster College. “But I realized that they can keep you up when they rustle around, wake you up if they have to go out and sometimes go to the bathroom in the bed if you don’t wake up.”
Pet Bed-Buddies Is Sleeping Together Healthy? by Erik J. Martin
T
here was a time when Eliska, a three-pound Prague ratter, would curl up and sleep next to owner Krista DeAngelis, and most of the time, she and the dog enjoyed a peaceful night’s slumber. Then DeAngelis married, and her husband banned the dog from the bed for fear of unintentionally squashing
Eliska in his sleep. After enduring a few sleepless nights of canine whining and barking, the Salt Lake City couple successfully curbed their pet’s protests by simply spraying Eliska with a misting bottle every time she acted up. After two nights of this routine, the pocket- sized pooch was fully trained to sleep by herself in another room.
Make a Good Choice “Having your pet sleep in the bed with you is a personal choice,” says holistic Veterinarian Patrick Mahaney, of California Pet Acupuncture & Wellness, in West Hollywood. By discouraging this behavior, “Your pet will be less likely to confuse your bed with theirs, and therefore prevent potential territory-related problems.” By failing to discourage it, “You not only face the possibility of behavioral problems, you could also face adverse effects to your own sleep and health,” he notes. According to results published in a
survey of 300 sleep disorder patients conducted by Dr. John Shepard, then
32 Central Florida natural awakenings
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