SacPaws.com

    My favorite image on this web site is the time-lapse video of three gordon setters sleeping with their owners.  Hey - who owns this bed anway?  And how could these people possibly be getting any rest?

    I only know that a night without my dogs on the bed is a lonely night, indeed, but I'm talking about smaller creatures here.

    Most reputable dog training books advise pet owners not to allow their pets to sleep with them on the bed.  It's too empowering for the dogs.  It leads them to believe they're actually in charge of the household.  It can create other behavioral issues.  It may not be utterly hygienic.

    But what loving owner cares about any of that? 

    I keep my bed covered with a flannel sheet that can be washed, well, anytime I happen to remember to do so.  I lay a special fuzzy blanket up the middle of the bed, so the pets can spread out in between my husband and myself.

    At least, that's where we start.  But in the night they do have a tendency to migrate.  Spur likes to get under the covers, next to me, as soon as possible.  Axel curls up next to Don, or sometimes on my right - never my left - side.

    Petra likes to force Spur further down into the bed so she can sleep on my left - never my right - side.

    For a while I thought I was developing bursitis in my shoulders.  Then I realized it was caused by hours of sleeping on my back, each arm curled into a big "C" shape, with a dog cuddled on each side.  I fixed that by learning to sleep with my arms straight.  The dogs can rest their heads on my shoulders if they wish.

    This sounds as if I am spoiling them so terribly.  But I am the one who is spoiled.

    Life is full of stress.  I'm an entrepreneur dealing with a challenging economic environment.  I provide services to clients and I am anxious about the quality of the results I achieve.  I'm in the midst of wearying business negotiations.  I'm constantly looking for more time to train, to golf, to enjoy time with my husband.  I'm usually on a diet.

    There are times when these and other matters weigh on me significantly.  In the night, even small issues loom large and tension keeps me awake.

    In those moments, there is a perfect solution - reach for a schnauzer.  Cuddle up and pet.  Listen to them gently snoring.  There is no more soothing sound.

    Life can be either grand or challenging, but there is always something to worry about.  My three dog nights are a soothing solution indeed.