Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com All About Your Favorite Breed. Information and resources featuring sections on Australian Shepherd history, health, genetics, temperament, training and agility with directories of rescue organizations and breeders.
In the darkest hours of Bruce Sallan’s divorce when he didn’t want to get out of bed, his two dogs were there jumping on the mattress and licking his face. And when his worries kept him awake at night, the big black German Shepherd mix and the Pointer mix with brown and white spots were there then too, lying beside him on top of the covers.
“Petting one of my dogs was almost like a way I’d calm myself down and fall asleep,” says Sallan, a writer and radio host in California. But then he met and married Debbie, who had a dog of her own but suffered from allergies and liked her furniture free of dirt and hair. She was adamant: “No dogs in bed.”
“He would have his dog on the bed and there would be dog hair on my pillow and I’d be sneezing,” Debbie tells Paw Nation. The solution? She spent several hundred dollars on plush beds for all three dogs and ultimately, everyone was happy.
The Stats
Some pet owners may be sheepish to admit it, but Sallan is far from alone. A 2007 survey of more than 2,500 pet owners by the American Pet Products Association found 43 percent of dogs slept in a person’s bed at night, a steady increase from 34 percent a decade ago.
So is there anything wrong with pets in the bed? Like Bruce and Debbie, vets and animal trainers have strong opinions on the subject.
The Pros
Sleeping in the same bed has strong emotional benefits for you and your pooch.
1. It’s comforting to both the owners and the animals. The company of pets have been proven to lower blood pressure, stress and reduce feelings of loneliness. According to veterinarian Ira Roth, director of the Community Practice Clinic at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, having them close to you at night only magnifies those benefits, whether the animal is at the foot of the bed or under the covers.
Illinois dog owner Jamie Hand agrees with that assessment. “Rocky likes to cuddle, and he always has to be right next to me,” Hand tells Paw Nation, referring to her Jack Russell Terrier mix who is very content sleeping in his owner’s bed. “If I roll away from him, he scoots over so he’s right next to my torso again. This doesn’t disrupt my sleep at all. In fact, it’s quite comforting to feel him snuggling up against me.”
2. It can deepen the bond between dog and owner. New York City dog trainer Sarah Westcott, owner of Doggie Academy, always gave her dogs their own beds. But then she adopted Hank, a lab who kept to himself.
“Out of the blue one day, I put him in bed and he curled up next to me,” Westcott says. Everything changed after that. “Whatever he’s doing, even when he’s a hyper maniac, if I invite him in bed he settles right down.”
3. It can give nervous dogs more confidence. Sherry Bedard, an animal trainer and behaviorist in Montreal and author of “Sherry’s Secret Dictionary, A Guide to your Dog” believes that the assurance boost of sharing the bed with their owners can “help the dog cope with everyday functions such as going out for a walk in public or meeting strangers.”
The Cons
From health reasons to relationships concerns, there are strong arguments against sharing the bed.
1. It can intensify allergies. Your airways are more susceptible to irritants at night, partly because when you’re lying down, you’re closer to the ground, where particles settle. Multiply that by plus or minus 8 hours and that’s a lot of exposure, says Frank S. Virant, MD, an allergy and asthma specialist in Seattle. Plus, pet dander and fur stays on the pillow long after the animal has left the room. If you find yourself sniffling or wheezing, the pet should leave the bedroom, Virant tells Paw Nation.
2. It can amp up human/canine power struggles. Orlando dog trainer Todd Langston, owner of Pack Life K-9 Behavior Solutions believes that giving the dog the highest, most comfortable spot in the house sends the message that he is the leader of the pack. “Many of these dogs will even growl at their owners if they wake them in the middle of the night or snap at them if they try to get them off the bed,” says Langston.
They are really excited about adoptions at the Nevada Humane Society.
According to Paul Ciampanelli a blogger for Pawnation.com, ”last week the Nevada Humane Society rocketed to YouTube fame with their pet-themed take on the JK Wedding video, with their ‘Adoption Entrance Dance.’ So excited are the NHS’s employees when a new pet finds a home, they can’t contain their happy feet.”
Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals hosts the Jersey Shore’s first “fur” ball for people and their pups–supports the work of New Jersey’s neediest animal rescue groups.
Saturday, October 9th, 6-10pm
Ocean Place Resort, Long Branch, NJ
Long Branch (August 30, 2010) – Join the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals this fall at the Blue Moon Bark Ball, the Jersey Shore’s first black-tie optional gala for people AND their pooches! Hosted by Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, NJ, the “Fur Ball” fundraiser will take place on Saturday, October 9th, from 6-10pm, with proceeds supporting New Jersey’s neediest animal rescue organizations. Enjoy signature “Blue Muttini” cocktails and open bar, surf and turf dinner, dancing with music by East Coast favorite, the Eddie Bruce Band, auctions of unique and luxurious prizes for you and your pet and a King and Queen of the Ball Awards.
Tickets are $200 per person and canine companions are free. Table reservations, journal advertisements, and sponsorships are available. Visit http://www.purrnpoochfoundation.org to purchase tickets online as reservations are limited. Journal advertisements are due by September 17. Contact Event Co-Chair Jean Hager at 732-693-3080 for more information. “The Blue Moon Bark Ball is sure to be a stellar event! Dogs will feast on specially prepared cuisine and dance the two-step with their family and four-legged friends, while raising important funds to help less fortunate animals in desperate need of sanctuary, protection, care, and love,” Jean Hager, Co-Chair, Blue Moon Bark Ball & Treasurer, Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals.
The very “pupular” Eddie Bruce Band features concert quality vocalists and masterful musicians who drive guests to the dance floor. Lead performer Bruce will also showcase his newest cd, “Bruce on Bennett”, a loving vocal tribute to Tony Bennett featuring a jazz influenced singer and piano, bass, drums and guitar. Event Honorary Chairs are Dick and Mary Palazzo of Monmouth Beach and the Bark of the Ball and Honoree is Grace, a German Shepherd recently rescued and rehabilitated by Dick Palazzo and foster owner Chris O’Rourke of Red Bank.
Dick Palazzo, a widely regarded trainer and behaviorist, asked a New Jersey shelter to give a German Shepherd deemed aggressive and marked for death “thirty days of grace” to stay alive so he may restore her trust and confidence in people. He worked hand-in-paw with the rescue, who he later named Grace. This story of hope inspired daughters Koren and Betsy to establish the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals on the special occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Purr’n Pooch, their father’s luxury boarding and daycare business. To this day, Grace has been wonderful and although happy endings for needy animals are far too uncommon, her story has given the Foundation the same thing Dick gave Grace – hope. “Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone. Without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own.” Rogers & Hart, 1934, “The lyrics from this nostalgic love song depict the first meeting of our father and a two-year old German Shepherd marked for death at an animal shelter. The emaciated, yet still beautiful dog had been branded as “aggressive”, but when our father looked into her soft brown eyes, he knew that she was simply misunderstood. This is one of the many stories that have inspired us to found the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals,” said Koren Spaddavechia and Betsy Palazzo, Trustees, Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals.
The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals is dedicated to providing financial support and educational resources to non-profit, no-kill animal rescue groups and organizations. The Purr’n Pooch Foundation supports all species of animals, including but not limited to companion pets, farming animals and wildlife. The Board of Trustees include: President Betsy Palazzo, Vice President Koren Spadavecchia, Treasurer Jean Hager, Secretary Maryann Small and Trustee Shannon Gance. The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Visit http://www.purrnpoochfoundation.org for more information or to make a donation to support the worthy efforts of New Jersey based non-profit, no-kill animal rescue groups and organizations.
