People Reveal Whether They Let Their Dog Sleep On Their Bed Or Not
Reddit user Piggythelavasurfer asked: 'Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?'
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap DierenartsenGiphyWhat Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPostGiphyWho Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIFGiphySleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang OfficialGiphyIs That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
Dog and cat owners are constantly amused by their quirky four-legged besties.
And while we are as captivated as dogs chasing their tails and cats determinedly chasing after that evasive laser point, pet owners can witness quite a show when an uninvited animal enters the domestic environment.
So what happens in those unusual circumstances?
Lucky for us, we don't have to wonder, thanks to a subReddit that addressed the very subject confirming we are merely spectators really living in the animal kingdom.
Plenty of interesting anecdotes filled the thread when Redditor 99_Restaurant asked:
"People whose homes have dog/cat doors, have wild animals ever entered your pet doors and what happened when that occurred?"
Things went bananas with these intruders.
Monkey Pause
"Not quite a pet door situation but we lived close to the national park in Nairobi. On several occasions monkeys would come into the house through the windows."
"They'd raid the pantry and make a mess of it. Once my husband was home alone. He heard a noise downstairs and as he went to investigate met a monkey coming back upstairs. They both froze, then he backed up back into the bedroom and the monkey made its way back out through our child's bedroom window."
"It was quite a hoot."
– Amantes09
Knock, Knock–Who's There?
"Also not OP but some years ago I stayed in a wildlife area in Ghana. The lodge warned us not to open the door without checking the peephole first because the baboons had learned to knock on doors and if you opened they would rush inside and tear apart the room looking for food! They really did knock too! If not for the warning I might have opened the door. Pretty freaky."
– ExcellentBurps
You'd think woodland creatures were cute.
What The Cat Missed
"I lived in an apartment that backed up to an open field for a while and had a real raccoon issue. Once they figured out that the cat door was occasionally open after I left it open one night when was out late, they would show up in a gang of 5-7 every night and bang in the slider and try it get in."
"The apartment was a studio with a slightly lofted bedroom and one evening was sitting on the couch working and saw what thought was my cat wander down into the living room and hop up on to the couch next to me. I reached out to give her a scratch and noticed in my periphery that her body language was off. That was when I turned to look at her and realized it was a raccoon. I screamed and lept off the couch. The raccoon made a quick exit back out the cat door. My cat slept through the whole exchange."
– BraveLittleEcho
A Staring Contest
"A squirrel came in through my parents cat flap (they don't have a cat but didn't replace the door when they bought the house). I remember walking into the kitchen and having a staring match with this squirrel until he decided he'd had enough and left the way he'd come in. Not very exciting but still."
– yellowteapots
No Exit Strategy
"Squirrels can be pure madness sometimes, so it might very well have been."
"We had a squirrel get in through a hole in the screen door once. She couldn't figure out how to get back out so she ping ponged around the room for a bit, knocking over a bunch of stuff."
– PlasticElfEars
The Cat's Guests
"Kind of similar, I guess…"
"I once walked into the kitchen and noticed that our horse had gotten inside. He had opened a cupboard in the mud room and was happily munching away on some chaff we had stored there. The pull down handle to the back door was covered in horse slobber, as was the cubboard door handle. Cheeky bugger."
"Also, one of our cats has brought in the odd snake. They are very much alive when she deposits them inside the house. Luckily, she usually chooses to leave them in the bath for some reason."
– hummingbirdpie
Chilly Reception
"I live in the countryside in the UK, and I’ve got a load of marshes behind my house, so we get all sorts, bugs, birds, small mammals (foxes, hedgehogs, etc) and amphibians. One day, my cat was meowing at me, and she led me behind the sofa, and she had brought in a whole adult rabbit that was frozen solid. I was shocked because she had to have brought it over several walls 7 feet high, and through the cat flap, and the rabbit was more than half the size of her. The most concerning thing, however, is that I thought it was a duck until my sister came down and saw it and pointed out it was a rabbit. It was because it was so frozen solid and the ears were covered in ice and stuck together, so it looked like a ducks beak. Yeah idk how I thought it was a duck at first."
– CrazyCalamari86
Indoor Outhouse
"A fox pissed on my couch."
– mekese2000
Winged creatures need shelter too. They just don't understand boundaries unless they're the ones that are spooked.
Permanent Landing
"Came down one morning to find a peacock in the utility room that had got in to eat all the cat food. It stayed on our property for about three years and we called it Wazzock."
– TouchMySwollenFace
Special Delivery
"One morning, there was a noise at my door. I opened it and there was a peacock standing on my stoop like the UPS guy. He squawked and flew into a tree."
“At God is my witness, I thought peacocks couldn’t fly.”
– substantial-freud
"Greedy Bastard"
"Similar. After our cat brought in live mice, small birds, a giant moth and a couple of slow worms, we nixed the cat flap. We do keep the patio door open during summer."
"We have a seagull (European herring gull) that has been cruising in our negbourhood for about ten years now. He knows where the cat food is, so each summer he just wanders in and has a nice serving. Greedy b@stard."
"There was also the one late summer evening when the door was open, and I suddenly heard crunching sounds. I walked over to investigate, and a badger was just sitting there, munching on some bug or other about ten feet from the open door."
– Sticky16
These wild anecdotes sure will make you reconsider getting a cat flap.
From an animal's perspective, the tiny-sized openings of a human home are basically house-warming invitations.
Have you experienced any wild intrusions?
And are you one to welcome such visitors, or are you prone to standing on top of your kitchen chair for safety?
Many people roll their eyes at those who treat their dogs as if they were children.
Arguably, there is something to be said for people who think there's nothing wrong with bringing their dogs with them everywhere, oblivious to other people's allergies or fears.
That being said, dogs still need to be treated with love and respect, with some people surprised by the amount of care and effort even the tiniest dogs require.
Sadly, this doesn't stop them from adopting dogs, bringing them into a home where they will likely be neglected or mistreated.
Making the fact that these dog owners are unworthy of their canine companion's evidently apparent to everyone, except themselves.
Redditor PennedHitchhiker was curious to hear what people considered the tell-tale signs of an unqualified dog owner, leading them to ask:
"What screams 'I’m a bad dog owner?'"
"Friendly" can mean a whole lot of things...
"When they assume that just because their dog is friendly, it's ok for it to run at every dog they see even when the other dog is wearing a muzzle, on a lead or has anxiety or whatever warning notices on."- Thrillhouu
They Deserve A Safe And Comfortable Home
"Dog tied to a tree in an unkempt yard."
"Throw in a weathered doghouse too I guess."- dylan2451
No Roughhousing!
"If they let their kids beat up on their dogs, especially if they're little kids."
"No they're not 'just playing' the dogs are likely terrified and when they snap and attack the children, it's always 'he's never been a violent dog, I have no idea what's gotten into him suddenly!'"
"self-preservation, Susan."
"Even humans have that drive."- afinnegan2000
They Don't Bark For The Sake Of Barking!
"Leaving them outside and letting them bark for HOURS."
"Especially at night."- shebabbleslikeaidiot
Yes, Even The Cutest Puppies Misbehave
"When they make no effort to correct their dog's misbehavior."- InsomniacPHD
They Need Stability
"Asking you to watch their dog for 3 weeks then leaving you to watch them for 3 months."
"Still bitter about that towards my friend."- nouseforaspacebar
It's For Their Safety, As Much As Anyone Else's
"Letting your dog run around off lead around others when you have no ability to recall it."- Deskpoperator
"Letting them run loose."
"Repeatedly."
"I get it that some dogs are escape artists."
"I used to have one."
"I called my back yard Little Alcatraz."
"It was still rare that he got out."
"But damn, on the lost pets Facebook page, there are so many dogs out running, and people reply where the dog lives and it runs all the time."- cooper8828
Just Plain Rude!
"Leaving your dog’s sh*t on my front lawn!"
"F8ck you Linda!"- crumblingconscious
"Never picking up after their dog."- sunshinerose32
Know What You're Getting In For!
"Getting a dog simply because you want company, but not putting the effort on taking the responsibilities of a dog owner."- phantonyte
Neglect Is Hard To Hide
"Bad fur, watery eyes, poor muscle tone, cringes when approached."- Old-Dom42
What Is Wrong With Some People?!?!
"My mother’s neighbor bought an Australian Shepherd for her two sons who are in high school."
"Beautiful dog."
"Mind you, they live in an apartment complex with a fairly small backyard."
"From the day they got the dog, my mother has heard non-stop barking, complaints from the parent’s explaining how the kids don't feed or walk the dog."
'They obviously haven’t trained him either."
"We live in Chicago also."
'This dog does not belong in some apartment backyard.'
'Dogs in general NEED ample space to play and some training."
"Shortly after that, they got a kitten."
'They told my mother that they only want a kitten to get rid of the rats in the neighborhood."
'They made a 'bed' in the garage for him and gave him a water bowl."
'Now with it being winter, they still DO NOT let the kitten inside because guess what, the dog that they have doesn’t get along with him."
"Thankfully my mother has two lovely cats and she took him under her wing, feeds and houses him."
"SICK PEOPLE I SWEAR."- GravyOnEverythingg
"A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas."
Just as some people aren't meant to be parents, some people just aren't meant to be dog owners.
So before being overcome with their cute faces and affectionate demeanors, truly ask yourself if you have what it takes to give them the love and care they deserve before you bring them home.
People Who Were Forced To Choose Between Their Pet And Their Partner Explain What Happened
Our pets are part of the family.
Any person who doesn't get that is not someone I can know.
They are there through it all.
They help with the good, the bad and the ugly.
So when it comes to choosing between a pet and a person... the answer can make things awkward.
Redditor sugar-soad wanted to know how everyone would choose between a lover and a fur baby, so they asked:
"People who were made to choose between your pet or your partner, how did your ex react when you chose your pet?"
One of my exes wanted me to return my dog to the pound.
Notice I said... EX?
The love
cat dog GIFGiphy"It really baffles me how some people don't understand how much a pet can mean to someone, I remember one of my dogs dying overnight before a school day at secondary school and my teacher mouthed off to the class about me taking a day off for a pet's death."
ff-at-15
The Kicker
"This was a long time ago but I just started dating this person and I was told they hated my dog, it was a bit of a shock but I was like no biggie just get to know my dog and you will fall in love with him."
"So the next time, we had a doggie date and HE TRIED TO KICK MY DOG. I literally grabbed my dog and turned around and walked away. And that was that!!!"
clarkyto
Screw This
"This is my favorite story from when I worked in a shelter. A guy came in to surrender his cat, with the reason that his girlfriend didn't like her. He starts filling out the paperwork, but partway through he just stops and says, 'Screw this. I'm just going to break up with her instead.' He picks up the cat and walks out the door, presumably to leave his GF. I hope he stuck to it and he and his cat got a happy ending."
hoomphree
Happy Ending
"Not directly relevant, but we once took in a dog, whose human was asked to make this choice. Beautiful weimaraner. The guy brought the dog out to our house (on a hill in the woods with acres to roam - dogs absolutely love it out here - and we spent some time walking around letting the dog get used to the place and meet our other furry residents."
"We could tell it was really hard on both of them when he left."
"The next day he kicked the woman out, and came back for the dog. Happy ending all around, I'd say."
Wildcatb
Momentos
Dog What GIF by Best Friends Animal SocietyGiphy"Not my story but my friend. His GF forced him to choose between her or dog but that dog was remaining memento from his deceased mother and of course he instantly dumped his GF. His GF went from facefull with expectations to beet red full of shame and anger and smashed his house windows when she left his house."
Manfroo1
Never asked for someone to make choice between a person and a pet.
Living Longer
Cats Reaction GIF by TikTok MENAGiphy"I remember him saying my diabetic cat needed to go so he could get a dog. We weren't even living together. I looked him dead in the eyes and said. 'My cat will outlive this relationship' considering she was really sick at the time he said it was unlikely and stormed off. We broke up 6 years ago and my cat is still going strong."
buffalosansbuffalo
The Elderly
"I have an elderly rat (going on four years, which is quite the feat for a rat). I’ve raised him since he was a baby with his brother, who passed away two winters ago. When we moved in with my in-laws over the summer, they didn’t want me to bring my rat. I straight up told my partner that I’ll live somewhere else for awhile (we’d been living together for almost three years at that point) because my rat is my responsibility."
"He’s very old, and that I was going to see him through to the end. They were a little upset and accused me of choosing the rat over them, but I explained that he’s an animal that relies on us. It worked out, I convinced my in-laws to let me bring him, and we’re all still kickin. He’s on his last days and I’m glad I’m here with him. He’ll be buried with his brother when it’s time."
queerqunari
Meow First
"She acted like she'd never even considered I'd choose the cat over her. I don't think that thought had ever entered her mind. Then she went into a big spiel about how I'm a loser, I'm missing out, there's only one of her, etc etc. Yeah, I knew all that when I put my foot down over her idiotic jealousy of the cat liking me more than her."
"The cat is now 16 and still with me, happy in her senior years. There's been other women since her, ones that treated me a lot better than she did. It was a total win for both the cat and myself."
Fancy_Cassowary
“Dirty fleabag”
"Not me but my sister choose our cat over her boyfriend of 4 months. He was furious when she dumped him and called her an idiot for picking a 'dirty fleabag' over him. Cat was not a dirty fleabag, he just hated pets and wanted to try to control my sister. I was relieved when she dumped him. I never got good vibes from him."
Aurora_Jones
BYE
White Dog GIFGiphy"My ex asked me if she thought my dog liked me or her more and I said me. She got genuinely mad and told me I am supposed to just lie to her, didn't last long."
wumbology34
Pets will always win.
Have you ever had to make a similar choice? Let us know in the comments below.
It takes people no time at all to realize how much their life changes when adopting a pet.
First and foremost, of course, is the joy they bring, be it snuggling on the sofa, or going for a walk in the park.
Overtime, however, we might begin to notice how our own day to day routine might have changed since bringing home our puppy, kitten or guppy.
Indeed, sharing your home with a pet might result in you making changes to your diet, exercise regime or cleaning habits without even realizing it.
"What has your pet accidentally conditioned you to do?"
They Know When Their Water Isn't Fresh
"Change the water in her bowl."
"It can be all the way to the top and she’ll stand there staring at it until I take the bowl, dump it, and refill it with fresh water."- bippityboppityhyeem
No More Chance Of The Mailbox Getting Full.
"Check the mail every day."
"He's so excited to walk to the mailbox with me it reminds me to actually do it."- cap_blueberry
Can' t Squash Them!
"Sleep with my legs a cat-length apart."
"She likes to sleep in between them."- zool714
cat sleeps GIFGiphyAlways Leave Some For A Doggy Bag
"Before I run in the morning I usually scarf down a banana."
"Ever since we got my sweet dog, I scarf down about two thirds of my banana and he gets the last part."
"It’s become our little thing, an unspoken agreement."- oksandwiches
Just Can't Get Them Out Of Their Heads...
"Weaving his name into any song I can for no reason whatsoever."- jasonwilczak
No Need For An Alarm Clock
"To press on my bladder to wake me up early so they could eat early."
"Living lots of food by night didn't solve it."- IseultDarcy
Wake Up Cat GIFGiphyNewfound Expectaions
"Two things."
"My dog Rusty always puts his front paws on me and I always hugged him so now when he’s anxious he’ll give me a hug and I’ll hug him back."
"The other one is when I get ice he always begs for one so now without thinking I always toss him an ice cube."- Kenivider
Always There For You
"Calm down when I start to lose my temper or get frustrated."
"Whenever he hears me sigh or swear, he runs to me, rests his chin on my arm or leg and looks up at me with concern."
"This has made me so aware of how my energy can impact those around me and I have really gotten my anger under control since he started doing this."
"He's one of the goodest boys and I am grateful for him every day."- The_Atlas_Moth
Go Deep!
"I have a cat that plays fetch, very insistently."
"She brings me her toy mouse, and if I don't throw it for her, she sits on my laptop keyboard."
"Of course this all started when I would throw the mouse to keep her from sitting on my laptop."- Mortambulist
fetch guru studio GIF by True and the Rainbow KingdomGiphyUnplanned Eating Schedule
"My mother's dog tells her when it's time for her evening meal."
"As in my mother's evening meal."
"The dog knows she eats after my mother, so when she starts to get peckish she goes and bugs her to start cooking."
"When I go back to visit, we'll be sitting chatting and the dog will sidle in and become a presence in the room for maybe 30 seconds until my mother casually looks at her watch and says 'I suppose we better think about eating'."
"She's completely unaware of what triggers her decision."- prolixia
The benefits of owning a pet are too many to name.
As you might find your diet, fitness and cleanliness drastically improve without any real effort on your part.
And the evening cuddles don't hurt either.