I used to let my dog sleep with me, before I had a husband and a kid. He just wouldn't fit anymore. Dog takes up 80% of a queen bed lol

Not to mention now that hes no longer a puppy he spends most his day outside you don't want that sort of dirt in your bed.

I used to find it perfectly okay, when I had my super lovable SMALL dogs in the past, when they slept in between my husband and me.

And when he passed away, it was really wonderful to have that comforting and warm living presence curled up right next to me to keep me company.

A pet gives us unconditional love, and we certainly need that in times of stress as well as most of the time with the way things are nowadays.

I have read many articles that say that the elderly stay much better health-wise if they have a pet to care for and love. It keeps them physically and mentally more alert and happy.

I've always allowed my pets to sleep with me and I find a sort of primal comfort in the habit. It harkens back to being a Cavewoman with an early semi-domesticated wild dog who dared to overcome its fear of humans to bond with them. Something quite deep in that bond persists.

Of course, I also mutter about the cat hair on the comforter and the way the stubborn cat won't move when I need to pull back the covers, but owning a pet is bound to come with mixed feeling of love and annoyance, like any relationship.

Not often. I have a ferret, and typically when i go to bed I put her in her cage so she doesn't get into trouble. I like to sleep with my door closed so I don't want her to be trapped in my room (small and boring) or in the rest of the apartment (dangerous and I can't hear if anything happens). The rest of the time she gets the run of the house (or apartment, rather). My schedule is very random because of school right now, so I haven't slept a full night for a few weeks - I just take a couple hour naps. When I sleep in my room, I leave the door open a crack. Often if just for an hour, Farrah will get bored and curl up in a drawer or a hamper. But if it were a whole night, she'd wake up and want to play. She CAN get on my bed, but she often doesn't.
Sometimes I nap in my living room on the floor because I like to fall asleep while watching TV and I don't own a couch. In those cases, Farrah is always running around and I often wake up to her sniffing my feet or licking my face.
Occasionally i visit my parents for the weekend, and Farrah comes with me. Since they have a dog, she stays in my room with me, and I don't like to bring a cage for her as there is nothing she can get into trouble for in my room. In those cases, she often gets up on the bed with me and I wake up to her curled up beside me or on my chest. I do like it, but I'm also a little scared I'll roll onto her since she's so tiny (under 2lbs). Sometimes she rolls over and right off the bed - I'd rather she sleep on the floor but i know she's much more comfy in my bed.

So in short, at my home, no, she doesn't. When I'm in for the night, she's in her cage. When I'm napping, she has the option but she'd rather sleep in a drawer or something. At my parent's house, she often does sleep in my bed, but she has the option to sleep wherever she wants since she's so tiny.

Asleep in my drawer (her favorite place)
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6220_131832719720_507604720_2219226_4819091_n.jpg

Sleeping on me (pretty rare occurrence)
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6220_131832744720_507604720_2219230_226856_n.jpg

All the time, but my pets are cats, it's their choice, and I keep them de-flead, so it's not a problem.

You bet. I have three cats and one pug dog, and all of them have the option to sleep in bed with us.

We usually have the dog and 1-2 cats with us. The dog takes my side of the bed, plus the covers. One cat takes my pillow. The other cat takes my husband's feet.

To me it's completely worth the extra fur and the missing blanket and the absent foot space.

There's nothing like a snoring pug to help you sleep at night. Every night, like a baby.

I used to let my cat sleep with me. It helps me sleep, in a way, and it helps me feel closer to her.

But ever since my parents got a dog, the dog and the cat spend all their time fighting, and my cat will no longer come into my room. We moved, too, since then, and my cat rarely goes upstairs. It's sad. Her life has gotten so miserable ever since my parents brought that dog into the house.