The dog sleeps across the bed – and you on the edge

Let's admit it, we've all tried. The dog (or the cat) moves in, and you announce, in your firmest voice, that one rule: "The bed is off limits." And who still sticks to it?

Exactly, because for most of us it goes something like this. First he's only allowed in the bedroom. Then at the foot of the bed, but only on the blanket. And one day you wake up on twenty centimetres of mattress while a golden retriever snores across your pillow as if he'd signed the lease.

Should pets be allowed in bed?

It depends who you ask. For many people, a warm, breathing bundle of fur is the best sleeping pill there is. It's calming, it's cosy, it feels safe. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic actually looked into it, with a not entirely surprising result: a dog in the bedroom hardly disturbs sleep, a dog in the bed slightly more.

Animals keep their own hours, after all. Cats like to open the hunting season at four in the morning (preferred prey: your toes). Dogs dream, twitch, bark softly in their sleep and seem to turn a full circle every twenty minutes. And anyone who's tried to shift a sleeping Labrador knows it's no longer an animal, it's a sandbag with fur.

If you're going to share, have a plan

A place of their own works wonders. A blanket or a basket at the foot of the bed, and your pet has its territory while you get your half back. In theory, at least.

Then there's cleanliness. Fur, dust and whatever came home from the evening walk all end up in the bed. So the bed linen goes in the wash more often than usual, and a washable cover on the mattress will save you a few sighs later on.

And if you sneeze, scratch or struggle to breathe, the bedroom should become a pet-free zone, however heartbreaking the face at the door.

In the end it's about space, cleanliness and a good night for everyone involved. If you all sleep well, cuddle away. If you spend every night balancing on the edge, it may be time to negotiate.

Although we all know who wins that negotiation.