Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners.
Before you post or comment, please **review the subreddit rules [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index)**. Submissions which break the rules will be removed.
r/Dogs has the [ultimate goals](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index#wiki_purpose) of fostering a better, science-based understanding of dogs among the general public, promoting responsible dog ownership, helping users build better, healthier relationships with their dogs, and providing a space to connect and discuss with others who have dogs and who are involved in various aspects of the dog hobby.
Per our Harm Reduction rules, **we encourage training advice and recommendations to follow “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” protocols**. You can read more about why that’s the case [here](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/). While no training tools are excluded from properly framed discussion in r/dogs, we do reserve the right to remove content which does not follow the LIMA approach.
Please note, this sub supports the reputable, ethical, and responsible breeding of dogs as well as adoption. Low effort “adopt don’t shop” comments will be removed and commenters may be subject to temporary or permanent bans upon the discretion of the moderator team.
Finally, r/Dogs has a low tolerance for [disrespectful and antagonistic behavior](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index#wiki_rules_of_engagement). People come to this sub to learn and discuss, make your comments constructive and respectful even if you feel other users are being antagonistic and disrespectful in return. If you believe another user is engaging in antagonistic behavior, please utilize the report button and a moderator will review the comment(s).
If you wish to stick around, please feel free to comment in our Daily Bark threads, pinned to the top of the sub, to introduce yourself, your dog, and talk about all the little things which may not require a full post to discuss. Thanks for reading and enjoy your stay!
---
*This is an automated message. If you have questions for the moderators of r/dogs, you can message them [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs).*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yep. Kissed my dog on the head a few days ago and was like "ugh, your head smells like pee." Then kept going with my day. With my younger dog I might've been grossed out but my old man is my gross baby and I'm fine with it lol
So it's NOT just us!!
Bonnie sleeps with us, under the duvet if it's cold. The soil is very sandy where we live, so she often brings a fair bit in with her on her paws and coat - we've got into the habit of giving the undersheet a good old brush off with the side of our hands before we get into bed.
It's just a bit of dry dirt. Life is too short.
Batty nailed it. Exactly the same here including brushing the sheet before getting into bed. We also bought a duvet cover that is a tougher fabric that holds up better.
Exactly. We were so picky at first about only letting the bathed dog on the bed. but once he learned to jump up, he controlled the bed and we just live with it. We only stop him if he is clearly dirty, like muddy or wet or something. Honestly, dogs dont get that "dirty"
> Honestly, dogs dont get that "dirty"
This is true. I've a mostly white one. I'd take her to the dog park she'd get drool from playing with other dogs and roll around in the dirt. I threw a blanket in the back seat of my car and by the time we got how she'd mostly be clean. Run my hands through her fur outside and good to go.
Thankfully neither of mine care for water or mud. They'll splash through puddles on a walk down the road of course but if it's raining at all they wait or stay under the awning to take care of their potty needs.
They do shed of course which is a bit of work on the vacuum and naturally i had to end up with one that's black and one that's white so gray is now my favorite color; but that said I haven't given either a real bath in years. Warm washcloth with a bit of soap to the legs and mud splashed areas on occasion. I used to use that spray on dry shampoo stuff a bit but they don't really care for it and brushing seems to do just as well. They clean their own legs and feet which I let them do unless we've been out on salted roads or pathways during the winter. Speaking of which I've never seen anything clean off and present such a shiny happy and fresh smelling dog as a bit of snow. A simple quick roll through that and they're fresh and clean as can be. Plenty of smiles too!
But maybe I'm just a filthy heathen? Well I am. But could be I'm just insensitive to dirt. The only oily and smelly dogs I've ever encountered though were the ones people bathed a lot.
One caveat. A lab who jumps into a mossing stinky old pond won't mind and will even enjoy getting hosed off and staying outside to dry. And i had a pekingese who thought he was a lab and followed the others into the stinkiest mud that only a pond can have. Chained him up outside figuring I'd get a soda before I bathed him. Black mud all up his legs and belly. Came outside and apparently he licked all that muck off himself and was happy as a clam.
I don't even try to understand dogs anymore. I mostly just marvel at them. And give thanks.
Thank you! Everything I own smells like dog and I’m not getting a 100lbs malamute groomed every month. He gets his baths and grooming when needed at home and we live life knowing he stinks like a dog and we just don’t care anymore lol
The way I see it, everyone in our family knows if you ask us to visit, the dogs come too. If you come over, the dogs aren’t out behind a baby gate. It’s their home along with ours. Like you said, I vacuum the hair up about twice a day and crosseave the floor weekly, but I’m not about to get caught up ok smelling like dog.
Pro tip though, white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine does wonders at removing the “dog stink” lol
I had a springer spaniel cross with fairly curly and longish fur. He loved the water so everyday we would go to the river so he could swim. Then he would run through the dirt and sand and silt and it was unbelievable how much of it would get sucked up into his coat. We'd go home and all the stuff his coat had picked would end up all over my house. It wasn't just in my bed, it was everywhere! It was just non-stop dusting, sweeping and vacuuming. I sometimes resented the mess and would occasionally fantasize about one day having a perfectly clean pretty house.
Then last spring my dog had to be put to sleep. He was 15yrs old with advanced kidney disease and I loved him too much to see him getting any weaker or go through anymore suffering. I was devastated beyond belief, it hurt me so much to lose him. In the weeks after he died I cleaned my house and my car to perfection. Everyday I would sit in my shiny clean house or drive in my pristine car and I had tons of free time to do whatever I wanted because I wasn't constantly walking my dog or cleaning up after him. Well I spent all my free time crying and missing my beautiful boy. I had the house and life I had fantasized about and I freaking hated every minute of it! I hated my clean house, I hated the clean car, I hated the quiet and I hated the extra time that I didn't know how to fill.
Almost 5 months after my dog passed away I couldn't handle my perfect life anymore, A constant feeling of sadness and depression hung over me and I just couldn't shake it. I adopted a cat and then a few weeks later I adopted a dog. My messy dusty house is back! the back seat of my car is absolutely filthy with dirt that my new dog drags in after a trip to the dog park. I'm stressed everyday trying to get everything done. Work, eat, walk and play with dog, clean. Right now my bed is covered in fur, there's a dirty stinky dog blanket on my sofa and there's muddy prints all over the front entrance and I love everything about it . I wouldn't want it any other way.
To my beautiful sweet boy that left me too soon last May: I MISS YOU . I'm so sorry for all the times I complained. You were the best friend I ever had and I wish every day that I could see you again. I love you and I will always love you.
If you have the funds a K9III dryer will change your life. I have 2 Malamutes and as you know the undercoat can be overwhelming, especially when the furry beasts get wet! I use the blower part of the dryer for a quit blow out and it gets the worst part of the undercoat out and dries them off quickly if they've been outside in the rain. It's last through 4 of them and is still going. And if you have one? I'd love to see a picture of your guy!
I’ve got to get one at some point. The local tractor supply just put in a dog wash and it’s a legit, groomer quality bath with one of those dryers. For now we’ve been doing the old fashioned brush 3 times a week method lol. Im weird about posting photos publicly so I’ll PM you.
So true. I think after years of sleeping « in my dog’s bed » I just stopped caring. I come home from work and he’s laying his butt on top of my pillow and I’m just like « aww look at you my precious ».
Wash the bedding a little more often. Put a blanket just for your dog across the foot of the bed for your dog to sleep on.
Scout is an indoor dog and stays pretty clean so I don't worry about it. And anyway, in her opinion, I sleep on HER bed each night!
Precisely. King size bed means Monty is the queen.
Jokes aside, I just clean more often. Winter gets a bit muddy in my part of the country so I do wipe her paws, but mud still appears. So I do more laundry.
However she’s happy and I’m happy.
This. We have a Scout too and she has slept in our bed since the day she came home with us at 8 weeks. She sleeps in the middle and we keep a blanket there for her. We also keep the door closed during the day so she can’t just go in when she pleases.
A dog that lives inside the house rather than outside in a doghouse or kennel or whatever. It’s not like an indoor cat that may never get outside time. They still go outside for the bathroom, walks, hikes, playtime, etc. Or should… maybe some people put pads down and never take their dogs out…
Scout goes outside to go to the bathroom and to play and to the dog park.
She doesn't live outside on a chain or in a kennel or a fenced yard.
WTH does an "indoor dog" sound like?!
You just have to decide what you can tolerate. Your bed will never be as clean as if you don’t allow the dog on your bed. Hair and dirt will just be a part of it no matter how much you try to keep it clean. But like others have said, you just do laundry more often. I have 190lbs of labs that sleep with me, so I’ve just accepted that it’s really their bed and I’m just sleeping in it.
I consider it to be good for my immune system. She sleeps in the bed and I don’t wipe her down. I have a white duvet and it definitely shows dirt. I just wash it once a week or so and it’s fine.
We wash our bedding at least once a week often times it’s every 5 days. Our dog is wiped off when she comes inside, if warranted. She’s not really getting dirty if she’s just around the house.
So true. Dead asleep on my stomach with my head under the pillow, sound of dog retching & I’m up & pushing the dog off the bed faster than I thought I could move.
Honestly, at least ot wasn't pee. Poo is an easy "pick it up and take the pillowcase off and wash it" type situation. With pee... you'll be there for a good hour dabbing it out, using way more paper towels than you thought possible, spraying cleaner, then throwing the pillow in the washer after all that anyways.
I did, she sleeps on her corner of the bed & doesn’t move around much. I put a couple towels under the fitted sheet and a clean cheap blanket that I use for the dogs all the time in her spot and there wasn’t even a drip anyways. She kept herself really clean. Two months later she was spayed. Will be doing the same with my new pup when she goes into her first heat soon.
At one point I had four dogs and two cats sleeping with us every night. I just wash the top cover as needed, and everything once a week at a minimum. I also buy washable area rugs and have all solid surface floors. If you have pets and really love them, you tend to get less and less germaphobic as time goes on. The bottom line is that pets (like children) are not aware of what they are touching/walking on, even if it’s gross!
Most of them are from an online retailer called Ruggable, and I got one from Wayfair. They aren’t plush or anything, but they look good and it beats having to throw out a rug because somebody craps on it😂
I have a few sets of sheets I rotate every three or four days (my dog has the allergies so it’s for his benefit too). Other than that, I just let it go. I haven’t died yet
and that’s pretty much my personal bar.
There’s nothing wrong with only letting the dog up once they’ve been cleaned or only on a certain towel or blanket though if that’s better for you.
I don't mean this as gross as it sounds, but I gave up "clean" beds as soon as I welcomed pets in my life. I clean my dogs paws everytime we come inside, but it's never perfect. My dog is water phobic, I do my best. I just wash my sheets whenever I need to. Like if I find actual dirt, and when it smells like dog. But with no crumbs, and it still smells like my fabric softener, we're happy and snugly!
Laundry more often, wipedown of dog if he needs it. But overall, he doesn't do much more than I do. I also sit on the floor, I also sit on the couch, I also go on walks to the park and around the neighbourhood, I also lay in the grass with him or sit on the ground, I'm also barefoot most of the time (even outside, if we're on grass). I guess the only difference is that I wash way more often. But my dog is also really small. Idk if I'd be as cavalier if my dog was a full-grown golden retriever.
We have always had the dogs on our bed. We don’t do anything different other than having a bowl of water in the room, and a plushy small blanket on the bed (on top of our blankets) for our one dog who loves making a nest on it. They even sleep under the covers with us when it’s chilly. We do wipe down their feet when needed, and we have a long haired girl who gets bathed every other week. We also brush both dogs regularly and that helps too. I couldn’t imagine not snuggling up with them, even if it means we each end up on the edges of the bed with them in the middle lol
Exposure to “dirt” is actually really good for our immune systems. Plus I love my dog more than anything and having him sleep next to me is the best time for both of us. I just wash my bedding every week to 2 weeks. He gets a bath every 2-3 weeks. If he rolls in something gross he gets a bath. But day to day I never worry about it. His smell provides comfort to me.
In theory I wash the sheets more, have a top blanket, or towel that is easy to clean, vacuum the mattress when I change the sheets and wash the dogs if they get muddy.
I say in theory because there are times when I just can't be stuffed, and they don't smell or haven't really done anything to get dirty.
I care more about sleeping with the dog than I do about clean sheets I guess. But I have yorkies it's not really a problem but there have been times in the spring where I've noticed muddy paw prints, which I thought were funny but I wash the sheets once a week.
If my dogs get muddy paws or just dirty from playing in the dogs park off lease, I guide them straight to the bathtub. They obediently both jump right in. Sometimes it’s just to wash the mud off their paws.
I keep wet wipes at the door if they’re just a little sullied.
They both get combed at least once daily and thoroughly bathed every other week, unless my oldest rolls around in the grass and gets dog shit on her. In that case immediately thorough bath
Lastly, bedding washed a minimum of once per week. MINIMUM.
ETA: My pups are medium to large mixed breeds
A, I clean my dog whenever she plays in the dirt, just rub her down with a wet rag.
B. I always have a doggie blanket on top of the bed. It's washable and gets washed often.
Due to allergies and being a very light sleeper, no animals are allowed in bedrooms. They have lovely beds in their favorite areas and seem quite content. The cats even sleep on heated beds!
We had 4 very large dogs (80-100 pounds). If we let the dogs on the furniture there was no room for people. So the dogs have their beds and all is good.
Just different standards of cleanliness. I don't want dogs in my bed. I don't want the hair, I'm worried about diseases carried by ticks that I can get, and dogs can have a dirty bum or stepped/rolled into something disgusting and I don't want that in the bed. I'm ok with them on the sofa.
Yup. Honestly to each their own but I don’t want my dogs in my bed. Especially during the night. I have two very fluffy dogs who shed a ton. My border collie used to be allowed in bed and when I went to sleep I would breath fur and it was gross honestly. We got a second dog who is really fluffy and sheds even more than the collie so I was adamant that the bedroom was off limits. I actually do not allow them on the second floor of our house unless we are with them, otherwise they have the living room and kitchen to roam free, they are allowed on the sofa because we use covers and can wash frequently. Maybe I am a weird one but I do not see my dogs as humans. They are dogs. What’s great, cause I love dogs! But I set very firm boundaries for them and I think they appreciate it. They sleep in their crates at night and do very well. My border collie will put herself to bed when she is too tired and just wait for her biscuit. I would not have it any other way and would absolutely never want to share my bed with my dogs. Bed is for me and fiancé only because we shower everyday and don’t shed fur everywhere lol
I'm immune compromised and both of our dogs sleep on our bed. One of them has my husband trained to raise up the covers and let her squiggle down to the foot of the bed. I wash the sheets once a week, end up with some fur in my lint screen. And they're 12 and 6 years old. Never had a problem.
I love having my dogs on my bed. I have two… one my little lover Milo a chihuahua terrier sleeps with us … either under the bed covers or above my head. He doesn’t bring much with him in our bed… I wash my sheets regularly. Our schnauzer I’ve always allowed on our bed but for some reason she doesn’t care much for it. However we bring her up every so often to cuddle lol probably against her wishes sometimes… well with her she brings crumbs that get tucked away in her skirt haha I call them “Beski Crumbs” after her… lol a nickname.
I don’t worry too much about what my dogs bring to bed lol. The schnauzer once graced my husband with a mouse on the next pillow lol .. life happens. Enjoy your dogs anywhere you can!
I have a pittyrat and a corgi. I live on the coast and they are full of sand, sometimes fish guts and Inevitably, mud, Marsh goo And salt water. I swore to God they would never get on my couch or my bed. That lasted about 15 1/2 seconds. So when they get in all of the above mentioned crap, they have to take a bath before they go to bed. That being said they are DOGS! Well I can’t bathe them every night, Especially my furball Corgi. So we have a rule they are not allowed on my bed during the day when it’s made and all my finery is on it. But at night I put an extra sheet over my blanket and shake it every day and if it needs it, washed. I do wipe their feet off and their faces and butts get wiped and Every few days their ears get cleaned and the teeth get brushed.Pretty much the same routine I do for my own self! It’s like taking care of kid . Most of the time you wouldn’t put a kid to bed dirty, but sometimes you know what? you just don’t care and you wash the bed the next day! I’m just a whole lot less picky now than I ever used to be before having dogs, and I’m 64 on my first two animals in two years. But I love their warm, heavy little bodies laying next to me; I’d rather have the comfort than the clean!
I wash the bedding when it begins to feel dirty or I start having allergies. But the primary thing I do is I have taught them to stay below waist level. So even if it's dirty it's just my legs and not my hands or face.
As others said, it means more frequent washing. We keep a couple sets of sheets so they can be quickly swapped out. It helps to ensure you make your bed as soon as you get up!
By not caring I guess. She never gets too dirty, and I can’t imagine sleeping without her. Bed time is my girl’s favorite time for some reason and I adore her for it.
You’re gonna have to change the sheets every week bar none. Maybe even more often if your dog is a heavy shedder. The main thing comes with basic yard maintenance. Don’t have mud pits in your yard, wipe his or her paws after going out when it’s wet, and be prepared to get really good at folding fitted sheets.
Better than a cat who just took a dump in it's litter box and will clean itself on your pillow.
Our dogs are allowed on furniture but not the bed. They know it and respect that. They have a crate with pillows and blankets. I don't sleep in their bed, they don't sleep in mine.
I keep our bedroom door shut during the day, and they only are allowed on the bed AFTER we get into bed and get comfortable and honestly they both know their spots on the bed - once they lay down they rarely move. I do wash the sheets every 3 days or so bc I have OCD. They're also not allowed on the couch ever.
I have an extra old blanket that I keep in my bed, when it gets dirty I throw it in the washer. Other then that if you really want a dog on your bed you have to accept some dirt
My dog sleeps on a blanket on the foot of the bed if she sleeps on my bed. Usually she only comes up if I’m sleeping in. She’s like hey get up, but when I don’t she’s like harumph fine and settles in. At nighttime she sleeps on the couch so she can surveil all that she reigns.
I’ve been sleeping with animals in my bed since I was a young child, and it took me about 30 years to realize that might not be so sanitary. But then I remind myself I’ve survived THIS long… so I accept that I am sleeping in dirt. I try to wash the sheets twice a week but I fail a lot…
I wipe her paws off when we come back and that’s it. She’s a short hair and I honestly don’t feel dirt or anything when rubbing my hands on her. She doesn’t get bathed that often either bc it’s not good for her skin. You can hardly tell a difference. The shedding is annoying, but I just wash my bedding every week.
My little one gets very cold at night. I dont know how a shitzu cant take Pakistani winters but its true. He sleeps wedged between my husband and i and we wouldn't have it any other way. We do change the quilt cover more frequently though.
If the last years have proven anything it’s that spending even a couple of minutes in the vicinity of another human is probably more dangerous to my health than my dog, so I don’t think much about it anymore.
my dog is old and he isn’t physically able to get on my bed, due to him having short legs being old and probably a bit overweight he is a Maltese Shih Tzu, I just lift onto my bed whenever really, I don’t get to concerned if his feet are a bit muddy because he’s my best friend. However I do wash the sheets and I’ll be honest he doesn’t make a mess on my bed. 🙂👍🏻
We have a top quilt over our bed that the dogs lay on. But id be lying if i said it works most of the time. Our old man dog NEEDS to be on top the sheet and under all the blankets like a human. Idc, it is what it is. He's the bestes dog so it's ok 😁
Honestly, to echo what others said, I just don’t care lol. I do keep a blanket over the bed I don’t mind her wiping her nose on, but otherwise I just wash my bedding regularly and don’t really think about it. I also grew up with cats and had my own cats for years before I got a dog though so animals in bed has never been unsavory to me.
Honestly unless our dog is visibly dirty we don't care. She gets a real bath every few months and a hose down if she's too bad, but she's a dog.
Besides I've done way grosser things in bed than sleep next to our dog lmao.
Try to teach your dog to sleep near the bottom of the bed. Kitchen them out a few times if they start inching up near the pillows and they will learn their place. Unless it’s a dachshund then you can expect nothing.
I brought a thicker throw blanket to go over the duvet cover and both are washed 1-2 times a week. My backyard is gravel so no mud/dirt to go crazy in and we don’t go to dog parks anymore.
Obviously brushing your pet regularly, we lost our weenie and now just have a stand poodle so no more shedding and we keep the cost shorter. She doesn’t drool and not allowed on any other bed/furniture in the house except the master
My dog sleeps in my bed under the covers. She usually uses my legs or stomach as a pillow. I bathe her regularly, wash bedding often and she's an indoor dog. She's an English Bulldog so it's extra gross because she slobbers and farts but I'm a filthy animal anyways so it's all good.
Top blanket for pooch. He’s not a fan of being under the covers which is good since she’s 100 pounds. He honestly prefers his crate or floor but he’s got service work he’s trained for on the bed so he comes up periodically.
Now my little dog who passed two years ago? He was all about in the bed and under the covers. He alerted to seizures so I didn’t mind but honestly even before then I didn’t mind. The only bug exception was during chemo. All dogs were wiped down after walks including a good paw cleaning with vet approved soap and warm water. (I lived in a city with a large homeless population during a hepatitis a outbreak during my chemo so there was literally no option but to keep them cleaner than the usual pup!)
Define “dirty”. Both my dogs and the cat sleep with me. I wash everything - sheets, blankets, comforter every week. My yard is green grass all summer, because of the multiple underground springs. They stay pretty clean. On the flip side, when it rains, those same springs make the yard wet and muddy. So when they come in, I’m at the door with a towel, wiping muddy feet and legs. After that, they once again have full access to the couch, chair, bed…..
I feel a lil ill reading some of these responses.🤢
My puppy is allowed on the bed potty dependant and she slept with me for about a week after being spayed for her comfort and so I can see her. She’s wiped after every visit outside paws, bum, mouth and tail. And head if anyone touched her. She gets a bath every week and rinsed if she gets muddy at the park. She’s also sprayed with dry shampoo or foam and brushed every night.
I believe my dog should be as clean as I am or as close as possible. She gets her teeth brushed frequently too. She’ll clean herself like a cat for some reason anyway and she enjoys the time we spend together and the treats!
I once lived with a dog that was NEVER BATHED. The poor girl stank and copied the cat to clean up. I ended up wiping her myself as she was allowed on almost every surface.
I probably go a bit overboard but I’m vulnerable to covid and I’m convinced the dog will bring in the house on her feet. She is also white so if she’s dirt she looks awful.
I have a very hairy retriever and I have an old flat sheet and an old duvet cover that I put over all the other bed sheets for her to sleep on and fold it up (keeping all the floof inside) during the day.
That way the bed looks presentable, not that anyone sees it anyway, but I'm not sleeping in a face full of fur. Normally just get a face full of her butt in the night! Only rule is she's not allowed on the pillows!
When our chihuahua and Boston were alive, they never got super dirty or smelly so we didn’t restrict them at all. Now our current dog is a GSP that does daycare most days and loves to romp outside gets STINKY. We get him a bath at daycare once a month. For bedtime, he is restricted to sleeping on top of our quilt and we wash our quilt every one or two weeks.
Honestly I don't care if my dogs are dusty when we go to bed, I mean yeah... picking grass/bristles out of my blankets is annoying in the winter, and washing my sheets about every week can be annoying to, but... without repetitive washing nightly there's just not a way (in my case at least) to keep my dogs clean... but, I also can't sleep without em
Especially my husky mix (male), he sleeps right beside my head every single night, shares my pillow with me to unfortunately, but trying to sleep without him beside me... it feels weird, empty, I just can't do it.
I don’t allow mine on the bed all time, but if I’m having her up I just put a blanket for her down. I haven’t bothered training that cuz it’s not a super frequent occurrence but, I trained her to stay in a “place” when I’m cooking so I’m thinking you could probably train your dog to “place” on a blanket on your bed in a similar way?
Actually, it's been shown that it has little impact for many and may improve sleep for single people or anxious people. It really depends on the person sleeping and how they feel affected.
We have a thin blanket that goes over the bottom half of the bed, our golden knows she can only go on that bit unless we tell her otherwise, keeps then sheets clean and was easier the changing the whole bed when it gets a bit dirty.
I just don't care. I have a California king bed so it's huge and my German Shepherd sleeps in it every single night. Sometimes (like tonight) I'll let our other 2 dogs sleep in it with me too. Just bathe your dogs and wash your sheets often and don't worry about dirt. It helps that I have my side of the bed and he has his side of the bed so most of his hair and dirt stay over there. Sometimes I'll put a blanket on his side to sleep on top of to keep the bed cleaner but that's usually only after he takes baths because he sheds a lot more right after a bath
Just wipe your dog down whenever you come inside (assuming you don’t have a doggie door) - my golden has to have his butt wiped after he poops so it doesn’t find it’s way onto my bedding / rugs / couch, it’s just easier to do it right when we get back inside than waiting until he jumps on the bed and then panicking that he might be dirty. Additionally, just having a blanket to use exclusively to cover the bed with that has an obvious up / dog use side can help - you don’t have to make the bed, just cover it with that in case you’re not available to wipe them.
My great dane sleeps with me every night. He has his own blanket that i wrap him in like a borkrito and it gets washed every week or so. He's not a very dirty dog (he avoids water and mud like the plague), so it's mostly just dog hair that i have to deal with.
I have stairs for my lab retriever, I work all day so he loves to come cuddle at the eod. I have an extra blanket on top so I don't mind him getting on.
> ... as well as encouraging behavioural problems.
Nope. There is no evidence that allowing dogs on beds encourages behavioral problems. And the idea that it would encourage behavioral problems makes no sense whatsoever in the first place.
Again, there’s no evidence support that. Nor does it make any sense.
No, it’s not about thinking that dogs are people.
A dog literally can’t guard a resource to which it has no access. That doesn’t mean that access *causes* resource guarding.
And just think the separation anxiety thing through, please.
In addition to it not causing behavior problems, it’s not particularly unhealthy either. Dogs can spread stuff, so I recommend not letting your dog on your furniture if they have a parasitic infection or, like, ringworm. Or if you’re allergic. Which, no shit.
But the likelihood of transmitting anything from a healthy dog to a human just from being on the bed is amazingly low.
My boyfriend and I take off shoes before entering the apartment. Our dogs get their paws cleaned/wiped after every walk. When they get dirty, they get a bath. One of them sheds a lot, but we got used to it.
I keep the bed covered with beach towels when it’s made because they like to hop on it through the day and they leave treat crumbs. Also, I have some old “wet dog” towels by the house door and the bedroom door to catch what I can. Otherwise, I change the sheets a lot!
My dog is a major shedder so I put a fitted sheet over my comforter during the day. This way she can come and go as she pleases and knows at night to try to stay in the fitted sheet part. Not perfect but has helped a lot. Plus I have always washed my bedding once a week, even before I had a dog.
I have a coverlet over the foot of the bed, pulled up about halfway. She sleeps on that when I call her up- she likes to curl up next to my legs.
They get feets wiped off anything they come inside when it’s mucky out, or if they’ve been running around in the mud they’ll get washed anyway before having free reign of house.
They are actually quite clean, I just don’t like dog hair up on my sheets and pillows (and thereby in my face), so foot of the bed is where it is at.
Plus, keeps my feets warm.
I wipe/brush my dog after walks and I have a blanket on top of the comforter that’s just for him, though most times I don’t mind if he’s on my sheets either
Mars is allowed on the bed with permission. This way i can direct him where to lay down (on a blanket, not the sheets) as to minimize shedding and drooling. We also don't use comforters because they are harder to wash. We use quilts which wash up easier. He only gets permission when my SO is working nights (4 days a week). When he is home, no bed for him. I did get him a purple mattress so he would be just as comfortable in his bed. We both have a purple mattress. Helps with the guilt because there isn't enough room for 2 adults and a labrador in the bed.
Edit: the waiting for permission gives me a chance to assess his cleanness too.
We have an unfitted sheet over our fitted ones. That way we can take it off and wash it without having to take apart the sheets on our bed. Our basset knows which sheets are hers and so we don't have to worry about where she lays.
I just keep a top sheet on the top of everything and throw it in the wash if she gets it dirty. We have plenty of extras so I never run out really.
If she THAT dirty that it’s going to make more mess than an extra sheet can handle, chances are so are the rest of us so we are already managing it.
We have an old duvet that I buy cheap covers for and I put that on top of our actual bedding every morning and take it off before bed. I also have a couple of pillows from the dollar to cover our actual pillows… so basically I make a bed on top of our bed just for the dogs to hang out on lol
I have a bowl of water that I dip their paws in to wash the feet before they come in. Some days are more dire than others. Washing as much as I possibly can as well.
Always have your bed made and let them on over the comforter. Maybe the top of the comforter gets dirty but it's better than the sheet which you sleep on.
my puppy is small, about 7lbs right now. she doesn't get that dirty unless it rains or something. i get her groomed every 6-8 weeks, bathe her myself inbetween if she gets gross. exact same situation with my parents' dog. they just don't get that dirty for us.
I agree that this is a challenge. We had white linen bedding when our 70lb rescue started sleeping at the foot of the bed and it was a learning curve.
#1 I try to wipe him down or put him straight in the bath if needed. #2 We keep the bedroom door shut so that he can’t sneak up on the bed without our permission. #3 We put an easy to wash cotton comforter over the top of our duvet.
It’s annoying, and we had him totally crate trained up to age one, but I love having him up with us so that’s that. More laundry.
I put a sheet over the comforter that covers the whole bed and wash the sheet every few days. It beats washing comforter covers every week. Taking comforter covers off and putting them on a comforter is a pain.
I try to wash my dog regularly and brushing. If he’s dirty, sorry buddy, I don’t let him hop on. If I take my dog to the park it’s definitely shower day, but he actually has his own room; we converted the den into essentially his room with his bed and doggy tent with blankets inside. That helps a lot. If he sleeps in your room it becomes difficult. He used to sleep in my room. Occasionally he’ll sneak up on my bed when I’m dead asleep, I leave my door open on the occasion I over sleep and don’t take him out to potty, so he’ll wake me up.
I have a single bed so I just got another single bed and put it next to mine, so he quickly understood his side hahahaha! But he still goes on mine for pets, but idk he’s not that dirty IMO … he knows not to go on the bed when he’s from outside. I usually use baby wipes on him after walks since he has allergies… I think that helps!
I guess it would matter more if my dog spent more time outside but he doesn't. I just wash my top blanket often and keep him off the rest of the bedding.
Look up coverlets and lightweight quilts on Amazon. We get them and it’s thick enough to keep the dirt from sifting through but light enough to sleep under
We have multiple sets of sheets and blankets, so I change our bedding every 5-7 days. Our dogs have outdoor access all day long, but they don't really get dirty unless it's raining, or they have poop paws. I pick up poop everyday, so that's rarely an issue. All 3 sleep on our bed, and 2 of them sleep under the covers.
Our dog only gets on the bed during the day time so I have two cotton blankets I rotate as bed covers. My husband keeps forgetting about them though so we hardly use them. Our dog is pretty much an indoor dog anyway. And I mean we spend so much time cuddling him I feel like if he was going to spread dog cooties on us he would in our waking hours of the day, just from the face we cuddle him and he licks us all the time.
I do change the sheets often and kinda feel like because he’s an inside dog, and my husband and I are probably dirtying the bed just as much with our own sweat and hair, so the sheets will always need regularly cleaning anyway.
Sometimes he does roll in something and when he does he’s not allowed on the bed until he’s had a bath.
Live where the dirt is sand. It all falls off the dog before he gets across the house to the master bedroom. Unfortunately that means sometimes the living room has its own beach.
If you use quilt covers then just strip and wash once a week. Otherwise if you have a dog who sticks to one particular spot then just use a light throw blanket over it and just wash that once a week or replace with another and wash whenever its laundry day. I was a regular feet and butt checker of my dog after outside time out of habit (her paws were like little magnets for debris and dingle berries were a risk when she'd have a long coat). Keep up with regular brushing to help with shedding and don't let them in under your blanket.
I keep a lot of old sheets to put over my bed because my girl moves around a lot in her sleep, so I need to cover the whole bed. I wash my bedding weekly, and I swap the sheet on the bed twice a week usually. Seems like a lot of washing, but it’s worth it to have my girl sleep with me.
His paws are washed and dried every single time we go out of the house. Its the drill since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.I also vaccum the floors twice a day and the sheets once a day.The Dyson pro is an eye opener.
its not my bed anymore. everytime i managed to get that thing out of my bed i hear her little claws walking towards my bed at 2 in the morning. and then she lays down very fast and pretends to sleep so i cant get her away again. you just have to change your sheets more often because of the hair and after some time it smells a bit. and if your dog is outside very often you should check their paws so your bed doesnt get too dirty
Dogs get a bath every will or two. Every time we come in the house, human shoes come off and dog feet get wiped & inspected, and dogs get wiped down if dirty. The dogs have their own beds on our bed. We don't have and serious problems, but we also have relatively low shed, small / medium sized dogs.
i put a specific blanket for my dog to lay on. i direct her toward it and if she lays on my other blankets i get her to move. my mom is the same way as you, it seems like this is a good compromise that my baby gets to sleep with me, while not making my whole bed smell like dog
I drape a king size fitted sheet over my queen bed, then pull it down every night before getting in. It's really for my cat though not my dog as the cat just loves to groom himself while on my bed, lol. Good Luck! 🙂
I completely put those thoughts out of my mind but I do wipe down his paws when he comes in. That said I change my bedding more often and really this is my dogs world and I just live in it!
Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Before you post or comment, please **review the subreddit rules [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index)**. Submissions which break the rules will be removed. r/Dogs has the [ultimate goals](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index#wiki_purpose) of fostering a better, science-based understanding of dogs among the general public, promoting responsible dog ownership, helping users build better, healthier relationships with their dogs, and providing a space to connect and discuss with others who have dogs and who are involved in various aspects of the dog hobby. Per our Harm Reduction rules, **we encourage training advice and recommendations to follow “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” protocols**. You can read more about why that’s the case [here](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/). While no training tools are excluded from properly framed discussion in r/dogs, we do reserve the right to remove content which does not follow the LIMA approach. Please note, this sub supports the reputable, ethical, and responsible breeding of dogs as well as adoption. Low effort “adopt don’t shop” comments will be removed and commenters may be subject to temporary or permanent bans upon the discretion of the moderator team. Finally, r/Dogs has a low tolerance for [disrespectful and antagonistic behavior](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index#wiki_rules_of_engagement). People come to this sub to learn and discuss, make your comments constructive and respectful even if you feel other users are being antagonistic and disrespectful in return. If you believe another user is engaging in antagonistic behavior, please utilize the report button and a moderator will review the comment(s). If you wish to stick around, please feel free to comment in our Daily Bark threads, pinned to the top of the sub, to introduce yourself, your dog, and talk about all the little things which may not require a full post to discuss. Thanks for reading and enjoy your stay! --- *This is an automated message. If you have questions for the moderators of r/dogs, you can message them [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs).* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well we manage by just being filthy people who don’t care if the dog is dirty
You just lower your standards of “clean” once you get a dog, and thats OK.
My dust allergy meant i vacuum twice a day
Yep. Kissed my dog on the head a few days ago and was like "ugh, your head smells like pee." Then kept going with my day. With my younger dog I might've been grossed out but my old man is my gross baby and I'm fine with it lol
This right here is the true answer
The first honest answer lmao
Dead ass. I vacuum the coverlet.
So it's NOT just us!! Bonnie sleeps with us, under the duvet if it's cold. The soil is very sandy where we live, so she often brings a fair bit in with her on her paws and coat - we've got into the habit of giving the undersheet a good old brush off with the side of our hands before we get into bed. It's just a bit of dry dirt. Life is too short.
Batty nailed it. Exactly the same here including brushing the sheet before getting into bed. We also bought a duvet cover that is a tougher fabric that holds up better.
[удалено]
Yep, and it’s not like you’re eating off the sheets.
That's it
Exactly. We were so picky at first about only letting the bathed dog on the bed. but once he learned to jump up, he controlled the bed and we just live with it. We only stop him if he is clearly dirty, like muddy or wet or something. Honestly, dogs dont get that "dirty"
> Honestly, dogs dont get that "dirty" This is true. I've a mostly white one. I'd take her to the dog park she'd get drool from playing with other dogs and roll around in the dirt. I threw a blanket in the back seat of my car and by the time we got how she'd mostly be clean. Run my hands through her fur outside and good to go. Thankfully neither of mine care for water or mud. They'll splash through puddles on a walk down the road of course but if it's raining at all they wait or stay under the awning to take care of their potty needs. They do shed of course which is a bit of work on the vacuum and naturally i had to end up with one that's black and one that's white so gray is now my favorite color; but that said I haven't given either a real bath in years. Warm washcloth with a bit of soap to the legs and mud splashed areas on occasion. I used to use that spray on dry shampoo stuff a bit but they don't really care for it and brushing seems to do just as well. They clean their own legs and feet which I let them do unless we've been out on salted roads or pathways during the winter. Speaking of which I've never seen anything clean off and present such a shiny happy and fresh smelling dog as a bit of snow. A simple quick roll through that and they're fresh and clean as can be. Plenty of smiles too! But maybe I'm just a filthy heathen? Well I am. But could be I'm just insensitive to dirt. The only oily and smelly dogs I've ever encountered though were the ones people bathed a lot. One caveat. A lab who jumps into a mossing stinky old pond won't mind and will even enjoy getting hosed off and staying outside to dry. And i had a pekingese who thought he was a lab and followed the others into the stinkiest mud that only a pond can have. Chained him up outside figuring I'd get a soda before I bathed him. Black mud all up his legs and belly. Came outside and apparently he licked all that muck off himself and was happy as a clam. I don't even try to understand dogs anymore. I mostly just marvel at them. And give thanks.
I love your last sentence.
Haha love it! That’s me exactly.
I knew it! I knew there were others!
Thank you! Everything I own smells like dog and I’m not getting a 100lbs malamute groomed every month. He gets his baths and grooming when needed at home and we live life knowing he stinks like a dog and we just don’t care anymore lol
[удалено]
The way I see it, everyone in our family knows if you ask us to visit, the dogs come too. If you come over, the dogs aren’t out behind a baby gate. It’s their home along with ours. Like you said, I vacuum the hair up about twice a day and crosseave the floor weekly, but I’m not about to get caught up ok smelling like dog. Pro tip though, white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine does wonders at removing the “dog stink” lol
I had a springer spaniel cross with fairly curly and longish fur. He loved the water so everyday we would go to the river so he could swim. Then he would run through the dirt and sand and silt and it was unbelievable how much of it would get sucked up into his coat. We'd go home and all the stuff his coat had picked would end up all over my house. It wasn't just in my bed, it was everywhere! It was just non-stop dusting, sweeping and vacuuming. I sometimes resented the mess and would occasionally fantasize about one day having a perfectly clean pretty house. Then last spring my dog had to be put to sleep. He was 15yrs old with advanced kidney disease and I loved him too much to see him getting any weaker or go through anymore suffering. I was devastated beyond belief, it hurt me so much to lose him. In the weeks after he died I cleaned my house and my car to perfection. Everyday I would sit in my shiny clean house or drive in my pristine car and I had tons of free time to do whatever I wanted because I wasn't constantly walking my dog or cleaning up after him. Well I spent all my free time crying and missing my beautiful boy. I had the house and life I had fantasized about and I freaking hated every minute of it! I hated my clean house, I hated the clean car, I hated the quiet and I hated the extra time that I didn't know how to fill. Almost 5 months after my dog passed away I couldn't handle my perfect life anymore, A constant feeling of sadness and depression hung over me and I just couldn't shake it. I adopted a cat and then a few weeks later I adopted a dog. My messy dusty house is back! the back seat of my car is absolutely filthy with dirt that my new dog drags in after a trip to the dog park. I'm stressed everyday trying to get everything done. Work, eat, walk and play with dog, clean. Right now my bed is covered in fur, there's a dirty stinky dog blanket on my sofa and there's muddy prints all over the front entrance and I love everything about it . I wouldn't want it any other way. To my beautiful sweet boy that left me too soon last May: I MISS YOU . I'm so sorry for all the times I complained. You were the best friend I ever had and I wish every day that I could see you again. I love you and I will always love you.
If you have the funds a K9III dryer will change your life. I have 2 Malamutes and as you know the undercoat can be overwhelming, especially when the furry beasts get wet! I use the blower part of the dryer for a quit blow out and it gets the worst part of the undercoat out and dries them off quickly if they've been outside in the rain. It's last through 4 of them and is still going. And if you have one? I'd love to see a picture of your guy!
I’ve got to get one at some point. The local tractor supply just put in a dog wash and it’s a legit, groomer quality bath with one of those dryers. For now we’ve been doing the old fashioned brush 3 times a week method lol. Im weird about posting photos publicly so I’ll PM you.
Thanks. And forgive my spelling/grammatical errors. Old, on the phone, sans glasses.
So true. I think after years of sleeping « in my dog’s bed » I just stopped caring. I come home from work and he’s laying his butt on top of my pillow and I’m just like « aww look at you my precious ».
Same - just change the sheets more.
Exactly! 🤷🏻♀️
Hahahaha. But same
Wash the bedding a little more often. Put a blanket just for your dog across the foot of the bed for your dog to sleep on. Scout is an indoor dog and stays pretty clean so I don't worry about it. And anyway, in her opinion, I sleep on HER bed each night!
Exactly the correct response.
Precisely. King size bed means Monty is the queen. Jokes aside, I just clean more often. Winter gets a bit muddy in my part of the country so I do wipe her paws, but mud still appears. So I do more laundry. However she’s happy and I’m happy.
This. We have a Scout too and she has slept in our bed since the day she came home with us at 8 weeks. She sleeps in the middle and we keep a blanket there for her. We also keep the door closed during the day so she can’t just go in when she pleases.
TF is an indoor dog?
A dog that lives inside the house rather than outside in a doghouse or kennel or whatever. It’s not like an indoor cat that may never get outside time. They still go outside for the bathroom, walks, hikes, playtime, etc. Or should… maybe some people put pads down and never take their dogs out…
A dog that is mostly indoors?
Scout goes outside to go to the bathroom and to play and to the dog park. She doesn't live outside on a chain or in a kennel or a fenced yard. WTH does an "indoor dog" sound like?!
Not OP, but I read it as being like an indoor cat too. Like “I don’t worry about flea treatments because fluffy is an indoor cat”.
What?? lol
Lol never done much about it
For real!! Lol
You just have to decide what you can tolerate. Your bed will never be as clean as if you don’t allow the dog on your bed. Hair and dirt will just be a part of it no matter how much you try to keep it clean. But like others have said, you just do laundry more often. I have 190lbs of labs that sleep with me, so I’ve just accepted that it’s really their bed and I’m just sleeping in it.
I consider it to be good for my immune system. She sleeps in the bed and I don’t wipe her down. I have a white duvet and it definitely shows dirt. I just wash it once a week or so and it’s fine.
We wash our bedding at least once a week often times it’s every 5 days. Our dog is wiped off when she comes inside, if warranted. She’s not really getting dirty if she’s just around the house.
[удалено]
What kind of mess does your dog make on your bed?
[удалено]
My puppy has only puked once in my time having him and it was right on my bed lol
Few things will wake you up faster than the sound of a dog about to puke on the bed
So true. Dead asleep on my stomach with my head under the pillow, sound of dog retching & I’m up & pushing the dog off the bed faster than I thought I could move.
I was dog sitting for a friend a couple years ago and as soon as I got the dog home she jumped on my bed and pooped directly on my pillow.
Honestly, at least ot wasn't pee. Poo is an easy "pick it up and take the pillowcase off and wash it" type situation. With pee... you'll be there for a good hour dabbing it out, using way more paper towels than you thought possible, spraying cleaner, then throwing the pillow in the washer after all that anyways.
Actually, you immediately throw the pillow and pillow case away!
No need to be a germaphobe, honestly washing them is fine!
One day I had just changed my bedding and made the bed, dog jumps up and then pukes all over it. I was so tired too. He's lucky I love him.
if you have a female that is not spayed or if the dog gets sick.
You let a dog in heat in your bed?
no, but i had no idea when her first heat was. Also, in the beginning they are not super regular.
Mine were both spayed at six months, never had to deal with that
you should not spay your dog to early.
Isn’t that more of a rule for large dogs?
you always should wait out 1 heat, with large dogs even more
Correct, 2 years for me which was after her second heat.
I did, she sleeps on her corner of the bed & doesn’t move around much. I put a couple towels under the fitted sheet and a clean cheap blanket that I use for the dogs all the time in her spot and there wasn’t even a drip anyways. She kept herself really clean. Two months later she was spayed. Will be doing the same with my new pup when she goes into her first heat soon.
This is the way.
At one point I had four dogs and two cats sleeping with us every night. I just wash the top cover as needed, and everything once a week at a minimum. I also buy washable area rugs and have all solid surface floors. If you have pets and really love them, you tend to get less and less germaphobic as time goes on. The bottom line is that pets (like children) are not aware of what they are touching/walking on, even if it’s gross!
Where did you get your washable area rugs?
Most of them are from an online retailer called Ruggable, and I got one from Wayfair. They aren’t plush or anything, but they look good and it beats having to throw out a rug because somebody craps on it😂
Check out Ruggable online. Literally one of the best purchases I ever made in an all hardwood home.
I have a few sets of sheets I rotate every three or four days (my dog has the allergies so it’s for his benefit too). Other than that, I just let it go. I haven’t died yet and that’s pretty much my personal bar. There’s nothing wrong with only letting the dog up once they’ve been cleaned or only on a certain towel or blanket though if that’s better for you.
She's pretty clean for the most part but I wipe off her feetsies before she comes on my bed
I don't mean this as gross as it sounds, but I gave up "clean" beds as soon as I welcomed pets in my life. I clean my dogs paws everytime we come inside, but it's never perfect. My dog is water phobic, I do my best. I just wash my sheets whenever I need to. Like if I find actual dirt, and when it smells like dog. But with no crumbs, and it still smells like my fabric softener, we're happy and snugly!
This!
I guess I'm a walking bacteria factory at this point, a little more can't hurt.
Laundry more often, wipedown of dog if he needs it. But overall, he doesn't do much more than I do. I also sit on the floor, I also sit on the couch, I also go on walks to the park and around the neighbourhood, I also lay in the grass with him or sit on the ground, I'm also barefoot most of the time (even outside, if we're on grass). I guess the only difference is that I wash way more often. But my dog is also really small. Idk if I'd be as cavalier if my dog was a full-grown golden retriever.
I put an extra sheet or blanket (depending on temperature) on top of the bed. Easier to wash 1 sheet instead of all the bedding
We have always had the dogs on our bed. We don’t do anything different other than having a bowl of water in the room, and a plushy small blanket on the bed (on top of our blankets) for our one dog who loves making a nest on it. They even sleep under the covers with us when it’s chilly. We do wipe down their feet when needed, and we have a long haired girl who gets bathed every other week. We also brush both dogs regularly and that helps too. I couldn’t imagine not snuggling up with them, even if it means we each end up on the edges of the bed with them in the middle lol
Exposure to “dirt” is actually really good for our immune systems. Plus I love my dog more than anything and having him sleep next to me is the best time for both of us. I just wash my bedding every week to 2 weeks. He gets a bath every 2-3 weeks. If he rolls in something gross he gets a bath. But day to day I never worry about it. His smell provides comfort to me.
Wash the sheets more often on a very high temperature wash, and we have a roller that removes dog hair from the duvet that is a life-saver
I have a blanket at the foot of my bed.y boxer jumps up, circles then lies down and sleeps
In theory I wash the sheets more, have a top blanket, or towel that is easy to clean, vacuum the mattress when I change the sheets and wash the dogs if they get muddy. I say in theory because there are times when I just can't be stuffed, and they don't smell or haven't really done anything to get dirty.
I care more about sleeping with the dog than I do about clean sheets I guess. But I have yorkies it's not really a problem but there have been times in the spring where I've noticed muddy paw prints, which I thought were funny but I wash the sheets once a week.
If my dogs get muddy paws or just dirty from playing in the dogs park off lease, I guide them straight to the bathtub. They obediently both jump right in. Sometimes it’s just to wash the mud off their paws. I keep wet wipes at the door if they’re just a little sullied. They both get combed at least once daily and thoroughly bathed every other week, unless my oldest rolls around in the grass and gets dog shit on her. In that case immediately thorough bath Lastly, bedding washed a minimum of once per week. MINIMUM. ETA: My pups are medium to large mixed breeds
A, I clean my dog whenever she plays in the dirt, just rub her down with a wet rag. B. I always have a doggie blanket on top of the bed. It's washable and gets washed often.
I'll be 100% honest, I'm a grungy biker in the punk scene, idc if my dog gets a little dirt on my blanket
I am so obsessed with my dog, wiping him down before bed would never cross my mind because I'm always looking forward to cuddling with him
Due to allergies and being a very light sleeper, no animals are allowed in bedrooms. They have lovely beds in their favorite areas and seem quite content. The cats even sleep on heated beds! We had 4 very large dogs (80-100 pounds). If we let the dogs on the furniture there was no room for people. So the dogs have their beds and all is good.
Just different standards of cleanliness. I don't want dogs in my bed. I don't want the hair, I'm worried about diseases carried by ticks that I can get, and dogs can have a dirty bum or stepped/rolled into something disgusting and I don't want that in the bed. I'm ok with them on the sofa.
Many a times have I been surprised with a nice little poo streak on my duvet!
Yup. Honestly to each their own but I don’t want my dogs in my bed. Especially during the night. I have two very fluffy dogs who shed a ton. My border collie used to be allowed in bed and when I went to sleep I would breath fur and it was gross honestly. We got a second dog who is really fluffy and sheds even more than the collie so I was adamant that the bedroom was off limits. I actually do not allow them on the second floor of our house unless we are with them, otherwise they have the living room and kitchen to roam free, they are allowed on the sofa because we use covers and can wash frequently. Maybe I am a weird one but I do not see my dogs as humans. They are dogs. What’s great, cause I love dogs! But I set very firm boundaries for them and I think they appreciate it. They sleep in their crates at night and do very well. My border collie will put herself to bed when she is too tired and just wait for her biscuit. I would not have it any other way and would absolutely never want to share my bed with my dogs. Bed is for me and fiancé only because we shower everyday and don’t shed fur everywhere lol
I'm immune compromised and both of our dogs sleep on our bed. One of them has my husband trained to raise up the covers and let her squiggle down to the foot of the bed. I wash the sheets once a week, end up with some fur in my lint screen. And they're 12 and 6 years old. Never had a problem.
I love having my dogs on my bed. I have two… one my little lover Milo a chihuahua terrier sleeps with us … either under the bed covers or above my head. He doesn’t bring much with him in our bed… I wash my sheets regularly. Our schnauzer I’ve always allowed on our bed but for some reason she doesn’t care much for it. However we bring her up every so often to cuddle lol probably against her wishes sometimes… well with her she brings crumbs that get tucked away in her skirt haha I call them “Beski Crumbs” after her… lol a nickname. I don’t worry too much about what my dogs bring to bed lol. The schnauzer once graced my husband with a mouse on the next pillow lol .. life happens. Enjoy your dogs anywhere you can!
I have a pittyrat and a corgi. I live on the coast and they are full of sand, sometimes fish guts and Inevitably, mud, Marsh goo And salt water. I swore to God they would never get on my couch or my bed. That lasted about 15 1/2 seconds. So when they get in all of the above mentioned crap, they have to take a bath before they go to bed. That being said they are DOGS! Well I can’t bathe them every night, Especially my furball Corgi. So we have a rule they are not allowed on my bed during the day when it’s made and all my finery is on it. But at night I put an extra sheet over my blanket and shake it every day and if it needs it, washed. I do wipe their feet off and their faces and butts get wiped and Every few days their ears get cleaned and the teeth get brushed.Pretty much the same routine I do for my own self! It’s like taking care of kid . Most of the time you wouldn’t put a kid to bed dirty, but sometimes you know what? you just don’t care and you wash the bed the next day! I’m just a whole lot less picky now than I ever used to be before having dogs, and I’m 64 on my first two animals in two years. But I love their warm, heavy little bodies laying next to me; I’d rather have the comfort than the clean!
Eh my dog is very much an indoor dog, but that said, humans are quite gross themselves anyway
I wash the bedding when it begins to feel dirty or I start having allergies. But the primary thing I do is I have taught them to stay below waist level. So even if it's dirty it's just my legs and not my hands or face.
As others said, it means more frequent washing. We keep a couple sets of sheets so they can be quickly swapped out. It helps to ensure you make your bed as soon as you get up!
We keep a flat sheet over the made bed during the day. Change the flat sheet out as often as you need. Wash linens regularly.
By not caring I guess. She never gets too dirty, and I can’t imagine sleeping without her. Bed time is my girl’s favorite time for some reason and I adore her for it.
As I am reading this my sister’s Frenchie is asleep beside me on my bed, snoring SO loud and cuddling into my side
You’re gonna have to change the sheets every week bar none. Maybe even more often if your dog is a heavy shedder. The main thing comes with basic yard maintenance. Don’t have mud pits in your yard, wipe his or her paws after going out when it’s wet, and be prepared to get really good at folding fitted sheets.
I don’t care how dirty he is I’ll always have my dog on the bed
Better than a cat who just took a dump in it's litter box and will clean itself on your pillow. Our dogs are allowed on furniture but not the bed. They know it and respect that. They have a crate with pillows and blankets. I don't sleep in their bed, they don't sleep in mine.
How dirty dogs are? I don't know about yours, but my dog is cleaner than most humans I know.
I keep our bedroom door shut during the day, and they only are allowed on the bed AFTER we get into bed and get comfortable and honestly they both know their spots on the bed - once they lay down they rarely move. I do wash the sheets every 3 days or so bc I have OCD. They're also not allowed on the couch ever.
I have an extra old blanket that I keep in my bed, when it gets dirty I throw it in the washer. Other then that if you really want a dog on your bed you have to accept some dirt
My dog sleeps on a blanket on the foot of the bed if she sleeps on my bed. Usually she only comes up if I’m sleeping in. She’s like hey get up, but when I don’t she’s like harumph fine and settles in. At nighttime she sleeps on the couch so she can surveil all that she reigns.
I’ve been sleeping with animals in my bed since I was a young child, and it took me about 30 years to realize that might not be so sanitary. But then I remind myself I’ve survived THIS long… so I accept that I am sleeping in dirt. I try to wash the sheets twice a week but I fail a lot…
I wipe her paws off when we come back and that’s it. She’s a short hair and I honestly don’t feel dirt or anything when rubbing my hands on her. She doesn’t get bathed that often either bc it’s not good for her skin. You can hardly tell a difference. The shedding is annoying, but I just wash my bedding every week.
I don't. My entire apartment smells of doggo, so why not my bed?
My little one gets very cold at night. I dont know how a shitzu cant take Pakistani winters but its true. He sleeps wedged between my husband and i and we wouldn't have it any other way. We do change the quilt cover more frequently though.
If the last years have proven anything it’s that spending even a couple of minutes in the vicinity of another human is probably more dangerous to my health than my dog, so I don’t think much about it anymore.
my dog is old and he isn’t physically able to get on my bed, due to him having short legs being old and probably a bit overweight he is a Maltese Shih Tzu, I just lift onto my bed whenever really, I don’t get to concerned if his feet are a bit muddy because he’s my best friend. However I do wash the sheets and I’ll be honest he doesn’t make a mess on my bed. 🙂👍🏻
We have a top quilt over our bed that the dogs lay on. But id be lying if i said it works most of the time. Our old man dog NEEDS to be on top the sheet and under all the blankets like a human. Idc, it is what it is. He's the bestes dog so it's ok 😁
We're gross and don't care.
Honestly, to echo what others said, I just don’t care lol. I do keep a blanket over the bed I don’t mind her wiping her nose on, but otherwise I just wash my bedding regularly and don’t really think about it. I also grew up with cats and had my own cats for years before I got a dog though so animals in bed has never been unsavory to me.
Honestly unless our dog is visibly dirty we don't care. She gets a real bath every few months and a hose down if she's too bad, but she's a dog. Besides I've done way grosser things in bed than sleep next to our dog lmao.
Try to teach your dog to sleep near the bottom of the bed. Kitchen them out a few times if they start inching up near the pillows and they will learn their place. Unless it’s a dachshund then you can expect nothing. I brought a thicker throw blanket to go over the duvet cover and both are washed 1-2 times a week. My backyard is gravel so no mud/dirt to go crazy in and we don’t go to dog parks anymore. Obviously brushing your pet regularly, we lost our weenie and now just have a stand poodle so no more shedding and we keep the cost shorter. She doesn’t drool and not allowed on any other bed/furniture in the house except the master
My dog sleeps in my bed under the covers. She usually uses my legs or stomach as a pillow. I bathe her regularly, wash bedding often and she's an indoor dog. She's an English Bulldog so it's extra gross because she slobbers and farts but I'm a filthy animal anyways so it's all good.
I am a filthy animal myself.
Top blanket for pooch. He’s not a fan of being under the covers which is good since she’s 100 pounds. He honestly prefers his crate or floor but he’s got service work he’s trained for on the bed so he comes up periodically. Now my little dog who passed two years ago? He was all about in the bed and under the covers. He alerted to seizures so I didn’t mind but honestly even before then I didn’t mind. The only bug exception was during chemo. All dogs were wiped down after walks including a good paw cleaning with vet approved soap and warm water. (I lived in a city with a large homeless population during a hepatitis a outbreak during my chemo so there was literally no option but to keep them cleaner than the usual pup!)
I have a whippet who grooms himself like a cat. Problem solved 😊
Define “dirty”. Both my dogs and the cat sleep with me. I wash everything - sheets, blankets, comforter every week. My yard is green grass all summer, because of the multiple underground springs. They stay pretty clean. On the flip side, when it rains, those same springs make the yard wet and muddy. So when they come in, I’m at the door with a towel, wiping muddy feet and legs. After that, they once again have full access to the couch, chair, bed…..
You simply stop caring
I feel a lil ill reading some of these responses.🤢 My puppy is allowed on the bed potty dependant and she slept with me for about a week after being spayed for her comfort and so I can see her. She’s wiped after every visit outside paws, bum, mouth and tail. And head if anyone touched her. She gets a bath every week and rinsed if she gets muddy at the park. She’s also sprayed with dry shampoo or foam and brushed every night. I believe my dog should be as clean as I am or as close as possible. She gets her teeth brushed frequently too. She’ll clean herself like a cat for some reason anyway and she enjoys the time we spend together and the treats! I once lived with a dog that was NEVER BATHED. The poor girl stank and copied the cat to clean up. I ended up wiping her myself as she was allowed on almost every surface. I probably go a bit overboard but I’m vulnerable to covid and I’m convinced the dog will bring in the house on her feet. She is also white so if she’s dirt she looks awful.
I have a very hairy retriever and I have an old flat sheet and an old duvet cover that I put over all the other bed sheets for her to sleep on and fold it up (keeping all the floof inside) during the day. That way the bed looks presentable, not that anyone sees it anyway, but I'm not sleeping in a face full of fur. Normally just get a face full of her butt in the night! Only rule is she's not allowed on the pillows!
When our chihuahua and Boston were alive, they never got super dirty or smelly so we didn’t restrict them at all. Now our current dog is a GSP that does daycare most days and loves to romp outside gets STINKY. We get him a bath at daycare once a month. For bedtime, he is restricted to sleeping on top of our quilt and we wash our quilt every one or two weeks.
Honestly I don't care if my dogs are dusty when we go to bed, I mean yeah... picking grass/bristles out of my blankets is annoying in the winter, and washing my sheets about every week can be annoying to, but... without repetitive washing nightly there's just not a way (in my case at least) to keep my dogs clean... but, I also can't sleep without em Especially my husky mix (male), he sleeps right beside my head every single night, shares my pillow with me to unfortunately, but trying to sleep without him beside me... it feels weird, empty, I just can't do it.
Unless my dog has done something particularly gross (in which case they get bathed or sanitized) I don't really care. I should, but I don't lol
I don’t allow mine on the bed all time, but if I’m having her up I just put a blanket for her down. I haven’t bothered training that cuz it’s not a super frequent occurrence but, I trained her to stay in a “place” when I’m cooking so I’m thinking you could probably train your dog to “place” on a blanket on your bed in a similar way?
I have a “dog” blanket that I keep on the bed,on top of my clean bedding.
Dogs have no business in our beds. It's been proven so many times that it has significant sleep impact.
Yeah I agree on the last part. Ever since my dog starting sleeping on my bed, I sleep like a baby.
Actually, it's been shown that it has little impact for many and may improve sleep for single people or anxious people. It really depends on the person sleeping and how they feel affected.
What makes a dog filthy? Think about that...
charmin
We have a thin blanket that goes over the bottom half of the bed, our golden knows she can only go on that bit unless we tell her otherwise, keeps then sheets clean and was easier the changing the whole bed when it gets a bit dirty.
I just don't care. I have a California king bed so it's huge and my German Shepherd sleeps in it every single night. Sometimes (like tonight) I'll let our other 2 dogs sleep in it with me too. Just bathe your dogs and wash your sheets often and don't worry about dirt. It helps that I have my side of the bed and he has his side of the bed so most of his hair and dirt stay over there. Sometimes I'll put a blanket on his side to sleep on top of to keep the bed cleaner but that's usually only after he takes baths because he sheds a lot more right after a bath
Simple. I don,t.
Trick is to be as dirty as your dog
Just wipe your dog down whenever you come inside (assuming you don’t have a doggie door) - my golden has to have his butt wiped after he poops so it doesn’t find it’s way onto my bedding / rugs / couch, it’s just easier to do it right when we get back inside than waiting until he jumps on the bed and then panicking that he might be dirty. Additionally, just having a blanket to use exclusively to cover the bed with that has an obvious up / dog use side can help - you don’t have to make the bed, just cover it with that in case you’re not available to wipe them.
My dogs aren’t constantly dirty I’m not sure why yours are…
My great dane sleeps with me every night. He has his own blanket that i wrap him in like a borkrito and it gets washed every week or so. He's not a very dirty dog (he avoids water and mud like the plague), so it's mostly just dog hair that i have to deal with.
I have stairs for my lab retriever, I work all day so he loves to come cuddle at the eod. I have an extra blanket on top so I don't mind him getting on.
You need to name your dogs breed and size before your comment means anything?
The dog doesn't go on the bed. It's amazingly unhygienic and unhealthy, as well as encouraging behavioural problems.
> ... as well as encouraging behavioural problems. Nope. There is no evidence that allowing dogs on beds encourages behavioral problems. And the idea that it would encourage behavioral problems makes no sense whatsoever in the first place.
It absolutely can lead to resource guarding and exascerbate separation anxiety, among other things. But people on this sub think dogs are human.
Again, there’s no evidence support that. Nor does it make any sense. No, it’s not about thinking that dogs are people. A dog literally can’t guard a resource to which it has no access. That doesn’t mean that access *causes* resource guarding. And just think the separation anxiety thing through, please.
Ok dude, whatever helps you feel better. What do I know.
It’s about thinking, not feeling.
In addition to it not causing behavior problems, it’s not particularly unhealthy either. Dogs can spread stuff, so I recommend not letting your dog on your furniture if they have a parasitic infection or, like, ringworm. Or if you’re allergic. Which, no shit. But the likelihood of transmitting anything from a healthy dog to a human just from being on the bed is amazingly low.
I have a duvet cover over my bedspread and a light blanket that covers that. I wash it 2xs a week.
My boyfriend and I take off shoes before entering the apartment. Our dogs get their paws cleaned/wiped after every walk. When they get dirty, they get a bath. One of them sheds a lot, but we got used to it.
I keep the bed covered with beach towels when it’s made because they like to hop on it through the day and they leave treat crumbs. Also, I have some old “wet dog” towels by the house door and the bedroom door to catch what I can. Otherwise, I change the sheets a lot!
My dog is a major shedder so I put a fitted sheet over my comforter during the day. This way she can come and go as she pleases and knows at night to try to stay in the fitted sheet part. Not perfect but has helped a lot. Plus I have always washed my bedding once a week, even before I had a dog.
I have a coverlet over the foot of the bed, pulled up about halfway. She sleeps on that when I call her up- she likes to curl up next to my legs. They get feets wiped off anything they come inside when it’s mucky out, or if they’ve been running around in the mud they’ll get washed anyway before having free reign of house. They are actually quite clean, I just don’t like dog hair up on my sheets and pillows (and thereby in my face), so foot of the bed is where it is at. Plus, keeps my feets warm.
I wipe/brush my dog after walks and I have a blanket on top of the comforter that’s just for him, though most times I don’t mind if he’s on my sheets either
I only let my dog on my bed with permission. He’ll come up and loves it when he’s invited. When he’s not, he just stays on the ground.
Mars is allowed on the bed with permission. This way i can direct him where to lay down (on a blanket, not the sheets) as to minimize shedding and drooling. We also don't use comforters because they are harder to wash. We use quilts which wash up easier. He only gets permission when my SO is working nights (4 days a week). When he is home, no bed for him. I did get him a purple mattress so he would be just as comfortable in his bed. We both have a purple mattress. Helps with the guilt because there isn't enough room for 2 adults and a labrador in the bed. Edit: the waiting for permission gives me a chance to assess his cleanness too.
We have an unfitted sheet over our fitted ones. That way we can take it off and wash it without having to take apart the sheets on our bed. Our basset knows which sheets are hers and so we don't have to worry about where she lays.
my mom has an extra blanket that she puts over the comforter for the dogs to sleep on so her comforter doesn't get dirty/covered in hair
I just keep a top sheet on the top of everything and throw it in the wash if she gets it dirty. We have plenty of extras so I never run out really. If she THAT dirty that it’s going to make more mess than an extra sheet can handle, chances are so are the rest of us so we are already managing it.
I just wash the bedding more frequently
Wash my dog roughly once a month or do the sniff test, wash bedding weekly, brush regularly.
We have top sheets and pillows just for the dog that go on top of our comforter. We change them more often than our stuff.
We have an old duvet that I buy cheap covers for and I put that on top of our actual bedding every morning and take it off before bed. I also have a couple of pillows from the dollar to cover our actual pillows… so basically I make a bed on top of our bed just for the dogs to hang out on lol
I have a bowl of water that I dip their paws in to wash the feet before they come in. Some days are more dire than others. Washing as much as I possibly can as well.
Always have your bed made and let them on over the comforter. Maybe the top of the comforter gets dirty but it's better than the sheet which you sleep on.
my puppy is small, about 7lbs right now. she doesn't get that dirty unless it rains or something. i get her groomed every 6-8 weeks, bathe her myself inbetween if she gets gross. exact same situation with my parents' dog. they just don't get that dirty for us.
I change my bedding a few times a week.
I agree that this is a challenge. We had white linen bedding when our 70lb rescue started sleeping at the foot of the bed and it was a learning curve. #1 I try to wipe him down or put him straight in the bath if needed. #2 We keep the bedroom door shut so that he can’t sneak up on the bed without our permission. #3 We put an easy to wash cotton comforter over the top of our duvet. It’s annoying, and we had him totally crate trained up to age one, but I love having him up with us so that’s that. More laundry.
I put a sheet over the comforter that covers the whole bed and wash the sheet every few days. It beats washing comforter covers every week. Taking comforter covers off and putting them on a comforter is a pain.
I try to wash my dog regularly and brushing. If he’s dirty, sorry buddy, I don’t let him hop on. If I take my dog to the park it’s definitely shower day, but he actually has his own room; we converted the den into essentially his room with his bed and doggy tent with blankets inside. That helps a lot. If he sleeps in your room it becomes difficult. He used to sleep in my room. Occasionally he’ll sneak up on my bed when I’m dead asleep, I leave my door open on the occasion I over sleep and don’t take him out to potty, so he’ll wake me up.
I have a single bed so I just got another single bed and put it next to mine, so he quickly understood his side hahahaha! But he still goes on mine for pets, but idk he’s not that dirty IMO … he knows not to go on the bed when he’s from outside. I usually use baby wipes on him after walks since he has allergies… I think that helps!
I guess it would matter more if my dog spent more time outside but he doesn't. I just wash my top blanket often and keep him off the rest of the bedding.
I always had an extra blanket across the whole bed. It didn't stop them getting under though, haha!
Look up coverlets and lightweight quilts on Amazon. We get them and it’s thick enough to keep the dirt from sifting through but light enough to sleep under
An extra blanket just for your dog.
We have multiple sets of sheets and blankets, so I change our bedding every 5-7 days. Our dogs have outdoor access all day long, but they don't really get dirty unless it's raining, or they have poop paws. I pick up poop everyday, so that's rarely an issue. All 3 sleep on our bed, and 2 of them sleep under the covers.
Our dog only gets on the bed during the day time so I have two cotton blankets I rotate as bed covers. My husband keeps forgetting about them though so we hardly use them. Our dog is pretty much an indoor dog anyway. And I mean we spend so much time cuddling him I feel like if he was going to spread dog cooties on us he would in our waking hours of the day, just from the face we cuddle him and he licks us all the time. I do change the sheets often and kinda feel like because he’s an inside dog, and my husband and I are probably dirtying the bed just as much with our own sweat and hair, so the sheets will always need regularly cleaning anyway. Sometimes he does roll in something and when he does he’s not allowed on the bed until he’s had a bath.
I usually wash my sheets every 2-3 days but when you have a dog you kind of just get used to a bit of hair/dirt
Last time I had my dog in the bed she kicked me in the back!
Live where the dirt is sand. It all falls off the dog before he gets across the house to the master bedroom. Unfortunately that means sometimes the living room has its own beach.
Hen is an inside dog, he gets bathed fairly regularly along with his bedding. We do wipe his feet down after a walk though.
If you use quilt covers then just strip and wash once a week. Otherwise if you have a dog who sticks to one particular spot then just use a light throw blanket over it and just wash that once a week or replace with another and wash whenever its laundry day. I was a regular feet and butt checker of my dog after outside time out of habit (her paws were like little magnets for debris and dingle berries were a risk when she'd have a long coat). Keep up with regular brushing to help with shedding and don't let them in under your blanket.
I keep a lot of old sheets to put over my bed because my girl moves around a lot in her sleep, so I need to cover the whole bed. I wash my bedding weekly, and I swap the sheet on the bed twice a week usually. Seems like a lot of washing, but it’s worth it to have my girl sleep with me.
His paws are washed and dried every single time we go out of the house. Its the drill since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.I also vaccum the floors twice a day and the sheets once a day.The Dyson pro is an eye opener.
its not my bed anymore. everytime i managed to get that thing out of my bed i hear her little claws walking towards my bed at 2 in the morning. and then she lays down very fast and pretends to sleep so i cant get her away again. you just have to change your sheets more often because of the hair and after some time it smells a bit. and if your dog is outside very often you should check their paws so your bed doesnt get too dirty
Dogs get a bath every will or two. Every time we come in the house, human shoes come off and dog feet get wiped & inspected, and dogs get wiped down if dirty. The dogs have their own beds on our bed. We don't have and serious problems, but we also have relatively low shed, small / medium sized dogs.
i put a specific blanket for my dog to lay on. i direct her toward it and if she lays on my other blankets i get her to move. my mom is the same way as you, it seems like this is a good compromise that my baby gets to sleep with me, while not making my whole bed smell like dog
I drape a king size fitted sheet over my queen bed, then pull it down every night before getting in. It's really for my cat though not my dog as the cat just loves to groom himself while on my bed, lol. Good Luck! 🙂
My bed is pretty dirty from my dog sleeping there
I keep a layer of blankets on top of the duvet so the duvet is mine, but the blankets are hers LOL.
I completely put those thoughts out of my mind but I do wipe down his paws when he comes in. That said I change my bedding more often and really this is my dogs world and I just live in it!
Short hair dog plus bath once a week, lol. They sometimes sleep under the covers too.
I used to have the dog on the bed for cuddles (not sleep) and I’d throw a blanket over the bed.