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medical director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, in Rochester, Minnesota, nearly 60 percent of the pet owners in the study slept with their pets inside the bedroom. Twenty-two percent of the patients were likely to have pets sleeping on the bed with them. Plus, 53 percent said their sleep was disrupted to some extent every night. Twenty-one percent and 7 percent of their dogs and cats, respectively, snored. Yet, a British study of 420 UK cat


owners, conducted by the nonprofi t Cats Protection, revealed that 44 percent of respondents (including 51 percent of women polled) said they enjoyed a better night’s sleep with a cat in bed with them than with a human companion. Benefi ts listed included an absence of snoring, more space on the bed and soothing purrs. “The advantages of letting your pet share your bed include companionship, warmth and a sense of security,” advises Mahaney. Among the drawbacks, he notes lack of space for people to sleep, interruption of normal sleep patterns and the pet’s confusion about its expected place to sleep.


A pet’s companionship can reduce levels of stress


hormones while enabling people to deal with their emotions and stressful situations.


~ American Heart Association journal, Hypertension


Nip Problems in the Bud To break a pet of a bed-sleeping habit, Ma- haney recommends applying persistence, consistency and the following tips:


Establish a separate area or bed for the pet to sleep. A cat or dog bed can be as simple as a clean, soft blanket placed nearby.


Use positive reinforcement techniques. Offer a tiny training treat, “good-dog” clicker noise or praise when the animal is comfortably resting in its own bed, to reinforce this desirable behavior.


Immediately address any territorial aggression when co-sleeping with a pet, such as growling or nipping. First, authoritatively say, “No!” Then put the


pet on the fl oor or into its own bed and give the command to sit and stay.


If problematic behavior persists, seek consultation with a veterinary behavior specialist.


Let Sleeping Dogs Lie If a family member decides to share a bed with a pet, Mahaney offers the following recommendations:


Let it sleep on top of the covers, instead of under them.


Be aware of the need to remove environmental debris, including fecal material, on its coat before bedtime.


Give the dog an opportunity to void itself within a reasonable timeframe before going to sleep. A typical healthy dog should not have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate or defecate.


Allow a cat the opportunity to exit the bedroom throughout the night to play, eat, drink and use the litter box. Cats are nocturnal animals and are more likely to be active during lights out.


Erik J. Martin regularly contributes to We- bVet.com, from which this was adapted.


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