By Clara Lou
You may have heard from some Frenchie parents that they love to snuggle up with their dogs throughout the night, while some just hate to do so. You’ve probably also read about the health benefits of letting a French Bulldog sleep with you and on the other hand, you’re skeptical because it could adversely affect the quality of your sleep. So, should you let your Frenchie sleep with you in your bed?
It’s quite common for Frenchie owners to snuggle with their pets, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be the happiest person on the earth by doing so. In this article, we will discuss what it’s like to sleep together with a Frenchie.
If you’re good with those considerations, there’s no reason why you should refrain from letting your Frenchie enter the bed at night. The benefits of sleeping with a Frenchie, or, with any dog breed, are many, but that’s another article for another time.
Can Frenchies Sleep Alone in Their Bed?
If your sleep can easily be disrupted by any of the reasons we are going to discuss, you should not let him/her sleep with you. But this raises another question; can a Frenchie sleep in his bed alone? The short answer is ‘yes’.
Don’t feel guilty at all if you have decided not to let your French bulldog sleep with you, because they don’t require human companionship to sleep comfortably. New puppies will sometimes cry for a few nights when they are first brought into their new homes since they no longer have the companionship of their moms and littermates. However, they will get over the anxiety in fairly short order and they will sense safety and security in their beds in due time. Check out the best affordable dog beds recommended by experts at Doglovesbest.
What It’s Like to Let Your Frenchie Sleep With You
The cons of sleeping together are more or less the same for all dogs. However, the discussion in this section will also consider the breed-specific characteristics of a French Bulldog so that it will be easier for you to make the decision. Also, let’s not forget that each dog is different, even if they’re of the same breed, or even siblings. That being said, not all Frenchies are the same when it comes to their peculiar habits and signature traits.
Your Sleep Cycle is Different Than Your Frenchie’s
This implies to all dogs irrespective of the breed. According to a study done on 18 dogs, a dog has a sleep-wake cycle of 16 minutes asleep and five minutes awake. This is obviously quite different than our sleep-wake cycle of 7-9 hours of sleep and 15-17 hours of wake.
Dogs are opportunists when it comes to sleep. They also are quite alert even if they’re in a deep sleep. Their sleep pattern allows them to wake up easily, for example, to alert their humans of strangers or unfamiliar threatening sounds.
It may be possible that your French Bulldog will wake up frequently during the night and try to burrow on the bed until he/she feels comfortable. If he has access to drinking water at night, he might also want to go drink some water. In a nutshell, dogs have multiple sleep-wake cycles during the night. This can be an uncomfortable situation for some people and, of course, it’s detrimental to their quality of sleep.
French Bulldogs’ Snoring Can Be Impressive
Frenchie parents know how loud some Frenchies can snore when in deep sleep. While it’s perfectly fine for some people and they can sleep through it or even be comforted by it, some people can be easily awaken by loud snoring.
In fact, someone has made a YouTube video of a Frenchie snoring and measured it. The highest snore recorded was 63 dB, which is louder than a dishwasher’s sound or a normal conversation. However, some Frenchies do not snore at all, or snore very lightly, which should not disturb even the the lightest sleeper.
So, before you make a decision, you should check the level of your Frenchie’s snoring and determine whether or not it is likely to be a problem.
Frenchies Can Take More Space on Your Bed Than You Think
French Bulldogs are medium-sized dogs (generally 18 to 28 pounds), but, when they stretch out, they can take more space than you think. If you have a single bed, your comfort will be compromised by a Frenchie sleeping with you if he/she is squirmy or likes to stretch out.
If you want to know how much space your dog will take up, do a little trial and error during the day and see if there is room for everyone. Also, he/she will establish a favorite spot on the bed will want to sleep there most of the time.
Privacy
Frenchies are annoying and cute at the same time. Once they start sleeping with you on the same bed, it will be difficult to ever tell them “no” again. Do you want a dog that pushes his face into you during intimacy with your partner? He won’t respect your privacy at all and, worse yet, bad breath is a turnoff. So yes, if your privacy is very important to you, you had better not let your Frenchie start sleeping with you, because one started it will be very hard to stop.
Their Fart Smells Can Be Overwhelming
All dogs fart but Frenchies are notorious (some are definitely worse than others). The smell of some can wake the dead, so be prepared for this if you decide to make your little buddy your bed partner.
The End Note
We all have heard at some point in our life that sleeping with your dog is beneficial for our mental health and well-being. Not only does it help reduce anxiety, it also gives a sense of safety and security when you’re asleep. Humans have slept together with dogs in some cultures for centuries. In a nutshell, there are pros and cons to this proposition, and there is not a right or a wrong answer.
You should consider the pros and cons and see which side is heavier. I let my Frenchies sleep on my bed and I would have definitely regretted it had I never allowed them to sleep with me. Also, you can let them access your bedroom during the day. The key is to form ground rules and let your doggie know them.
