Let Sleeping Dogs Lie!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

There are two things I never disturb when they are sleeping...dogs and babies. I would also like to preface this discussion by saying early morning in bed with my DH and my dogs is my favorite part of the day, even if I wake up sometimes feeling like I have just gone three rounds with Mike Tyson. My dogs like to sleep on the floor. Once in a while, if Fudge is cold, she will sleep with us all night. Vern has maybe spent the entire night up in our bed four times in his life. Vern is a dog set in his ways and likes to go potty early in the morning. When we come back from doing his business, I allow both dogs up on the bed with us in the hopes that we can get a couple more hours of sleep and I like the cuddling time. The only one territorial about his bed space is my DH. If he has to get up for any reason, he drives me nuts with his desperate pleas, "Don't let anyone get in my space...guard it for me." I have thought about getting some orange traffic cones to save his place, but I am not sure if the police officer would like to hear that I need them for our bed as I try lifting them from a work site.

Once the dogs and my DH are all in bed, it is every man for himself. Vern, has no concept of his size, and will often plop down right on top of you.  My DH has been known to cry out in agony and announce he is wearing an athletic cup to bed from now on. I have had Vern sprawl across my chest and once or twice, I thought I was in cardiac arrest. Fudge somehow knows that Vern prefers the spot near my DH's feet, so she never fails to get there first and I swear she smirks when she looks at Vern. Well, that leaves the area below my feet available and often times I have my knees up by my chest in a fetal position so that Vern is comfortable and has enough room. I have often thought I could try out for the Cirque du soleil and for my audition tell them I need two large dogs, one man, and a king size bed and my talent is that I can contort my body to any position so that we all fit into one bed.

Don't even get me started on Fudge's quirks. She gets frightened when you sneeze, so sometimes in the early morning, I can be found holding my nose and having a minor head explosion just so no sound escapes my lips and she wants to get down. God help my husband if he sneezes, because he does not get a "God Bless You!", but rather a "Knock it Off...You are making Fudge uncomfortable."

My DH and I can now sleep with parts of our body hanging so far off the bed it is a miracle. We can defy gravity if needed. I have slept a couple of mornings with just a sheet for a cover because I couldn't pull anything else out from under our dogs. The last time my DH and I touched in the morning occurred because we both happened to be rubbing Fudge's tummy at the same time :)  Sometimes, I will look over at my DH and say, "Isn't this the best part of your day?" and the last time he answered something back like, "I guess if I was having a root canal and a colonoscopy, yes, this would be my favorite part of the day."

Thank you for listening. I would like to know if anyone else is willing to sacrifice a little comfort for the sweet feel of your doodles next to you??

 

[Adina P]

I wear the eye shades and ear plugs (he snores).  He wears a headlamp to read.   It probably would look pretty funny!!!

 

I would actually LOVE to have Natalie sleep in bed with me (at least for a nap) when Clark is away, but she's so trained to sleep in her crib that she'd have to be beyond exhausted to sleep in my bed.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Oh Adina, finally someone else who admits to eye shades and ear plugs.  Add to that I wear wrist braces for my carpal tunnel.  My DH always says I look like I am ready to into battle with sleep.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Nina, I bet that is quite a picture...LOL!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

DH wears a CPAP I wear plugs and so does he, both due to his snoring. Before Daisy I use to worry if the house caught on fire cause no one would hear the alarm go off. DH slept through an earthquake when we lived in California. I do hear her barks (I think it's the mom thing as I use to hear our daughters cries)..so now I just sleep without worry.

The situation is not very romantic!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

We have two fans going and I think a plane could land on our roof and no one would hear it...LOL.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I always loved that they liked their cribs...gave me some time alone :)

[Dori & Rua]

Laurie, you are really blessed, aren't you?  And I agree, you should really submit that story to Modern Dog magazine or one of the others.

 

It is all about trade-offs. My tradeoffs recently have been:  Nice bottles of wine on a regular basis or doggie daycare...Doggie daycare wins.  New leather living room furniture or a fenced in backyard to allow Rua to run and not have to go to the dog park...Fence will win.  Covers and room to sleep or having your doodle cuddled up next to you...cuddled up doodle wins!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Dori, What a great way to think about everything!! I agree, cuddling wins :)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

How is it possible that little tiny Rua could even hog all the covers?   lol

[Dori & Rua]

You would be absolutely surprised how long Rua is when she is stretched out.  She will push my DH over so she can be closest to the door (he says she is guarding me).  If she wonders over to my side, she'll lay on top of they covers that I have kicked off...then, when I need them back...I don't dare disturb my little Rua.  She has just starting sleeping with us at night now for the past two weeks.  We have had a critter of some kind - skunk, racoon or cat - roaming around outside the house the past 2 early mornings...4AM.  Rua wakes ups up with a really low growl.  Most annoying, but it is her yard, so I can't complain.

[GBK]

LOL Laurie, yes we have an identical situation in our bed and our life :)  We bought a king sized bed because since one was already used to sleeping with us it sure wouldn't be fair to have the second one not fit.  My biggest problem is getting to the bed first so I can get it and grab my spot and make sure I have covers before the doods claim their spot!  Hubby goes to bed first as he gets up early, so I have to make sure the lights and tv are off and I am in position at the closed door so I can run around to my side of the bed and jump in fast :)  Mornings are also my favorite with Bud and Kona, they are so cuddly and sweet,  I couldn't think of a better way to start each day.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I always try to get in bed first too. It is survival of the fittest or fastest around our house.