The Brides were out of town over the Labor Day weekend, so Sugar spent the holiday with us. She’s always a welcome guest at The Compound because I don’t think there’s any dog she doesn’t get along with, no matter what sport–or piece of furniture–they make of her. The photo at left of Pixie sitting on Sugar is from March 2011, but other than a change in sofas, it could as easily have been taken on this most recent visit. She plays hard with Pixie and Penny, treats Margot and Guinness with complete respect, and even when Lynne came over on Saturday evening, she played with Minute and didn’t roll her eyes too much when Paco pretended to be the biggest, baddest dog around.
One thing Sugar does at The Compound that she’s not allowed to do at home except by special invitation is get on the bed. I know there are differing opinions on whether dogs should be allowed to sleep with people, and when I was growing up, it wasn’t permitted in our house. Dopey, for example, was not allowed on the furniture, including beds.
Whenever we’d go somewhere and return home, Dopey would greet us at the door, stretching and wagging his tail as if to say, “Welcome home! Oh, what a good long nap I had. Right here on the floor. The floor that I’m allowed to sleep on. Never moved the whole time you were gone. [yawn yawn]” Then my parents would walk into their bedroom and press their hands against the warm circular indentation in the middle of their bed, wondering what alien being could possibly have been there and returned to its home planet just before we arrived.
The first dogs I had of my own in my own home were allowed on the bed, and I just never thought to change that rule, especially since I mostly had dachshunds who don’t take up much space and who as burrowers always ended up deep under the covers at the foot of the bed where they were barely noticeable. Of course, over the years, the dogs have gotten larger, and there can be more of them when we dogsit or have fosters, but we just make a little more room, do a little shifting, and everybody’s good.
Well, mostly. Rex, who didn’t normally sleep on Tim’s bed, always slept on ours, and as he got older and crankier, if he was in bed before me, I had to be careful about how I got in bed. Apparently he thought I meant everyone harm and would growl menacingly at me, so I made a game of figuring out ways to cut him off at the pass.
As for Sugar, she’s the only dog I know who, once she has found the spot she wants and curls up, weighs two thousand immovable pounds. Like any superhero power, we don’t know how it works, but there ought to be a way she can be used for our national defense.
In spite of the fact that my mother didn’t want dogs and cats on our beds, I actually think she’s at fault for this habit of mine. They say we’re shaped by our first three years.
Trixie our weinie wasn’t allowed on the beds either … except that a certain little girl would pick her up and put her in bed with her , she was also at home under the cover and would lay super still when my Mom came in to wake me up … it was a long time before the powers that be caught on…
Chelsea the wonder beagle was a master she would start off sleeping with me … and then sneak over to Greg’s bed after i fell asleep ( it was softer) and then come back in the morning before I got up … she was a serial sleeper
I got your note today–Dash totally wants his version of a “Brazilian” at his spa day!
Yes, Sugar’s super power is Bed Density. As soon as she’s on the bed, she first lies in the most inconvenient position for you, and then her density increases tenfold rendering her immovable. We are all powerless against it.
As usual, she had a blast at The Compound, and we are so thankful to have great friends who don’t outwardly flinch when we ask if they want to babysit. I don’t think you guys know how much we appreciate the big and the little things you do.
You are always generous in showing your appreciation. Thank YOU.
She and Penny are Sisters of the Laser Pointer.
I have not been a fan of the dogs being in my bed. I move around in my sleep, so I’m afraid of the harm I would do and the dog waking me up by biting me back for territory or revenge.
It was funny that Rex didn’t want me coming to bed, but once I was there, he was plastered to me. He’d even tolerate it if I draped an arm over him or nudged him.
As for our littler ones, the only bad thing that ever happened was when Pete and Stevie, for some reason we don’t know, got into an altercation with each other under the covers one night. When Tom and I lunged to stop it, one of them nipped my arm, but not intentionally! I just got in the way of a snapping mouth. Still hurt, though.
We sleep with Lynne’s tiny chihuahua Paco sometimes, too, and even little dogs seem to have a talent for keeping themselves out of harm’s way.
What Rhonda said.
Love you guys!
Thanks! Back at you. =)
Mlle. Renee only creeps into bed during thunder storms … like this morning’s.
She could be the only one in St. Louis who isn’t saying, “Yay! Rain!”
True, she hates going out and getting her feet muddy because it takes so much time to lick the mud off of four footsies.
You could try some booties! It was good comedy when Tim got some of those for Rex once. It was like he was walking on springs.
Renee refuses to wear clothes … except her pink bandana. But she is awfully fond of my old baseball cap.
Renee is a dog of good sense!
A warm dog curled up next to me is heaven, an essential part of good sleep. Even after waking up all stiff because I couldn’t lay right, I will never chase anyone out of my bed.