Tags
bedtime, Dog, dog sitting, dogs, dogsitting, sleep, sleeping
During the meet and greets with my future doggie guests and their human parents we meet in the backyard and, once everyone has sniffed each other, head inside the house for a quick tour. In the bedroom the conversation usually goes like this:
Me: Where does (fill in dog name) like to sleep?
Owner: Well. Ummm. He will sleep anywhere. I guess we could bring his bed.
Me: Does he sleep with you?
Owner: Yes.
This happens 90% of the time. Dog owners who send their dogs on vacations while they are out-of-town are the kind of dog owners who let their precious babies sleep with them. We all know we aren’t suppose to. Yet we all do it.
Lights out at my house is very interesting. Those dogs that have been with me for a while know the drill and when I say “let’s go to bed” there is a mad dash for the bedroom to secure their sleeping positions. Things normally work out but sometimes there are arguments.
Because I love him the most I always give Riggins special treatment. If he wants to be on the bed his spot is always up on one of the pillows. If there is another dog there he/she has to move. It just so happens that Bongo (vizsla), who has been here for just over a week, thinks that is his spot. When he doesn’t get it he will stand by the bed and cry until I convince him it is just as good on another part of the bed. He is not an easy sell.
Dragon (schnauzer), a regular guest, skips all the drama and heads straight for the foot of the bed. He hangs out there until I get in and then he gets as close as he can to my feet/legs … when I say “close” I mean “on”.
Baby (Alaskan husky mix) who is here until she finds her forever home, is cool as a cucumber. She will go wherever but is always there first. She is first on the bed and plops down right in the middle. Then she gets pushed and shoved around until everyone else is settled. That is a-ok with her.
If you are counting that is four dogs and one human on a tiny little full size bed. Usually the dogs all need to be up there when we first lay down while I’m ready a book, and right before it is time to get up. In between there is a shifting of what dogs are up and which are down (except for Dragon … he isn’t moving).
This morning the crew got up early to pee and eat. Since I have been sick and pooped I headed back to bed for a few more zzzzzs. I was the last in the bed and it was just too much trouble to move everyone so I plopped down right in the middle laying sideways. Riggins and Bongo were butt to butt up on the pillows comfy as can be. Dragon and Baby were curled up at the foot of the bed snoring. I was groggy and the path of less resistance seemed like a good idea.
Tonight Dragon goes home and Asscher (golden retriever) shows up. Let’s see how that changes things!