A leading dog trainer has urged owners to resist treating their pet like a child, saying they should not allow dogs to sleep under the duvet. Enrique Molina, a canine behaviour expert with more than 30 years' experience, says one of the biggest mistakes owners make is "humanising" their pets.
Why sleeping with dogs is discouraged
He believes letting dogs sleep in the owner's bed, taking them everywhere and treating them like a child can leave the animal insecure rather than happy. "We shouldn't sleep with our dogs," he said during an interview on the Morir de Éxito podcast. "It's a matter of hygiene and also because the dog invades the owner's very personal space. I consider it important for the dog to have its own place, especially at the beginning."
Mr Molina runs the UCEM Dog Training Group in the Calatayud/Alto Jalón area of Spain, where he teaches obedience, tracking, protection and general pet dog training. He has worked training police and working dogs, including dogs for explosives detection, narcotics detection and search-and-rescue.
Establishing boundaries early
He argues that owners should establish clear boundaries from the moment a puppy arrives home, rather than allowing habits that can later prove difficult to break. "Training begins the moment the dog arrives home," he said. "If clear guidelines are established from the start, the dog is less likely to develop separation anxiety or problem behaviours, such as barking or destroying things, when the owner leaves."
He added: "The big mistake is humanising the dog. Many people treat it as if it were a person or a small child, and that can lead to anxiety, insecurity and behavioural problems in the animal."
Among the warning signs, he said, are letting a dog sleep in the bed, feeding it from the table and allowing it to follow its owner everywhere. In another interview, Mr Molina, who is based in Spain, claimed many dogs are effectively "running the household" because owners fail to provide calm, consistent leadership. "When we think of a dog as a person, we fill it with insecurities," he said, adding that many behavioural issues stem from confusing affection with a lack of boundaries.
Mixed views from experts
The advice is likely to strike a chord with Britain's dog-loving households. There are an estimated 13 million pet dogs in the UK, with many owners admitting they share the bed with their pet every night. However, animal welfare experts say there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some veterinary sleep specialists have suggested sleeping alongside a calm, healthy dog can provide comfort and companionship for some people. But charities and behaviour experts also warn owners to think carefully about hygiene, allergies and whether the arrangement is affecting either the dog's behaviour or the owner's quality of sleep.
Dogs can bring mud, pollen, parasites and bacteria into the bed after walks if owners are not diligent about grooming and parasite treatments. Their movements during the night can also interrupt deep sleep, leaving owners feeling less rested. Behaviour specialists also say it is important that every dog has its own safe place to retreat to rather than feeling it must be constantly beside its owner.
Advice from charities
The Dogs Trust advises owners to recognise and address separation anxiety and other behaviour issues through consistent training and routines rather than allowing dependence to develop. Meanwhile, the Blue Cross says dogs should always have a comfortable place to rest and stresses the importance of understanding normal canine behaviour and respecting a dog's need for its own space.
For owners determined to let their dog share the bedroom, experts suggest a compromise may be to place the dog's own bed beside yours rather than on the mattress itself. That way owners can still enjoy their pet's company while helping establish healthy routines and giving both human and hound a better chance of an uninterrupted night's sleep.
