Yeah, there are more than I'd like... that's for sure! But for whom else am I going to reserve the 'slot'? I use the term 'slot' loosely... it's more like I have a slot, and Hugo has the Doberman share of the bed.

He has no trouble sleeping. If I'm in his way, he just straightens his legs and gives ME a shove. Granted, I don't move unless it benefits ME, so he re-settles with a deep sigh (usually threading his neck over mine) and puffs gently with contentment.

This has been one of the perks of being divorced. Down through the years, I've shared my sleeping quarters with a variety of cats and dogs - and I wouldn't have it any other way:)

Best solution: Take power naps during the day whenever possible!

Until my divorce, both Labs shared the marital bed. So when I moved, I got a king-sized bed. But now their arthritis keeps them from jumping up (despite the bed-steps I bought-they won't use 'em). So now there are 2 orthopedic dog-beds, one on either side of the bed, so the loud snoring is in stereo. But there are always at least 4 cats on the bed---Sabrina on my pillow, as tight to my head as possible, Lucy in the bend of my knees, Rocky sprawled across my feet, and Bandit on my right arm/shoulder. (And Bailey the rag-doll furball usually on the other pillow--he gets to warm with all that fur for snuggling). Would I banish them? No way; they are my best buds--besides, every time I've tried, the scratching and whining at the door kept me up!!

Gosh, do I miss those times. With a multiple household there was no way to fit all of them, nor would I take the chance of squabbles in the dark.

But our dear tiny Pocket was carried up the stairs faithfully every night (unless temps too warm w/o AC), and she enjoyed having us to herself as we enjoyed her one on one time.

If I woke up early enough, I might catch her standing 4 square on boyfriend's chest staring down at his face intently while he did his snore type exhale. It might be minutes long, and finally she would wake him with her cold nose on his.

Most of the time he didn't even wake up, just stop the snore. And then she would turn around , walk down his body to a spot to resume sleeping.

I loved it, she loved it!

Sharing bed space with an 85 lb greyhound is sometimes not fun but would I have it any other way? NOT!

Oh my yes! I have found that regardless of whether I'm in bed or fall asleep in my chair, I'm covered in "real fur". Apparently I've gotten used to it because I can fall asleep with one group os cats on my lap/legs and wake up with an entirely different set of critters keeping me warm.

I just love this article. I sleep with my two girls, a 12 yr old pit bull and a 6 yr old lab. Some nights they are a bit annoying but it's worth it. When I go out of town and sleep alone, I miss them so much! I've been going through a very rough time lately and I honestly think my girls have saved me. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone in my choice of sleeping partners. Some people are appalled but I wouldn't have it any other way. BTW...We have a kins bed and almost every inch of it is taken up when sprawl out.

OMG, I could have wrote this blog this morning! I have 9 dogs and all but one sleep with me. She is banned from the bed because of her aggressivness but has a nice little heated bed on the floor right beside the bed. I have often thought of banning them all to their little beds in the kitchen just for one perfect night's sleep but I just can't do it. Besides, they are all tiny, the smallest being 3 lbs. and the biggest being 8 1/2 lbs. so there's plenty of room! Wouldn't have it any other way!

I love sleeping with whichever cats win the contest for bed spots; until last night, that is. The meanest house cat (meaning he gets the coveted spot by my head) tangled with a skunk last night. About midnight I was awakened by the most horrible smell imaginable... How do you get skunk off a cat? He isn't one that could be bathed by less than about 10 people.

My two corgis get too warm and jump down after an hour. The cat sleeps next to my head, purring loud enough to vibrate the pillow! One of my friends has taught her dog the 'I'm cold' command, where she'll jump up and keep her warm!

wirehairs make the best pillows

rotts are eager door watchers

rat terriers keep the hands warm

the high strung greyound like mutt is a gentle foot warmer

Thank God I am not the only one.Not many will admitt to this weekness, to look into those eyes and say hey I have spend a lot of money on those beds. Now go to sleep now. So easy to send our Kids to their beds.Not so easy to do this with the Pet Kids......yep we are a little nuts......lol....A good friend ask me, why are we like this? my answer was.....In the began God told Adam to care for the animals.............since so many hearts have gone cool......we the ones who listen to the Lord....have gone over-board.....yep this is my story I am sticking to it...You all have a Bless day.

My husband and I have a California King. We just rescued Chester, a 65 pound Lab/hound mix who immediately thought we should include him on the bed. It was too much to deal with! He snored loudly and squished us. He now has a heated orthopedic bed next to ours due to his bad hip. He's content there and we're not fighting over blankets and space. My husband also likes this arrangement.
Harpo, our little boy Boston cannot settle down in the bed. It's like having a monkey jumping on the bed. He won't settle down in a crate in the bedroom either, so he sleeps in his playpen in the living room. He's happier this way and much better when it comes to bedtime and the focus is not on him. We put him to bed and go upstairs to ours.
We do have a furry bed companion, however. We have Tess, our 5 year old Boston Terrier who has never slept a day out of our bed since we got her. She settles down and gets under the covers and we share. The bad part of her in the bed is that she likes the bed temperature to be like a heat sauna and it draws us to crack the window even in the dead of winter. She likes it HOT. We love her, so we deal with it. All in all, it is a happy arrangement.

Wouldn't have it any other way. Queen size bed but very little room left for me. It's getting cold so terrier and cocker snuggle up next to me as close as can be. Sometimes cats visit but usually stay for just a short time. Really understand now what is meant by "3 dog night."

I have four dogs and only two of them sleep with me; I wish they all did but the big dogs like to sleep on their dog beds. There is nothing more soothing than lying in bed reading or napping with dogs. I don't even care that they snore. I think they belong there, I feel sorry for dogs who are banished to the kitchen or someplace, especially if they are a one dog pack. I prefer sleeping with my dogs to sleeping with my boyfriend. Thank God he does not read this blog.

I love my husband dearly and we have an excellent marriage, however, he doesn't want any pets sleeping in bed with us. But lucky for me, he has a bad back and does better sleeping alone, so we have seperate beds (I sleep in the "spare" room). It's the perfect set up for my Rat Terrier, Smeagle, and our two cats. They all gravitate into the bed with me and I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's special bonding time for us - and fortunately they are all VERY well behaved bed companions!

Smeagol is the nickname I often use for Slumdog. He just looks like a gollum. ;-)

We have 4 dogs and share our King sized bed with 2. Our Toy Poodle was much too fidgety, so she sleeps in the arm chair beside the bed. Our new pound puppy still sleeps in her crate until she is reliably potty trained and calms down a bit.

My Yorkie bounds across the bed when he senses I'm awake and proceeds to lick my face as if to say "get up mommy!" My Yorkie Poo stays put as long as he can!

Dogs are awesome!!!

My wife always has the best spot and I sleep on the wet spot.
No not that wet spot: the slobber wet spot. I am the resident dog servant so when it comes to getting everyone in bed I usually the last one. My wife of course is always first in bed, then Rock and then Molly.

Why do the dogs come before me? Because Rock weighs 175 lbs and Molly weighs 125 lbs. It is simply not safe to ask them into the bed once I am in it, they always seem to find that one place we men have to step on. OUCH!

I may be a Chauvinist but it always seems like my female dogs are more pushy and vocal when it comes to bed and attention. So Molly wakes me up when she is not in a spot that makes her happy and voices her opinion.

Rock is getting older so 3 AM trips to the bathroom is the usual fare.

Both are bullmastiffs so snoring, farting, slobbering and paw punches from dreams are common.

My back hurts, I lack sleep and I do not know what it is like to actually stretch out in bed.

I would not have it any other way.

My herd of three cats are always welcome to sleep on the bed. When I pry them off me when I finally get up from the couch and head to bed, I call them. They don't all come right away but soon, usually as I am almost but not quite asleep, there's that soft thud and -- I'm awake again. I don't mind. When I can't sleep I ask my big red orange tabby boy Pumpkin to flop down close to my head and purr me to sleep. Never fails. Then I get comfortable on my side upon which Lacey decides to sleep behind my knees so I can't move my legs. At least until I fall asleep. Yes, sleeping with cats is an adventure but I love it.

My wife and I share the bed with our Boxer Lil Bit (who ain't that little) and our Chihuahua Oso.

I end up with about a six inch sliver of bed on the edge. It is a good thing I can sleep on pretty much anything or I would get no sleep. I would sleep on the floor to know my wife and pooches are cozy though.

I must really throw off the BTU's because they surround me.

Oh, so true. I wouldn't change it but doubtless we would get better sleep without the furry residents. Except on really cold nights, they really come in handy. Our house is old and drafty as the dickens, and both of us sleep better in a cool room than a hot room, so we keep the thermostat on a lower setting by default. But on those nights when it gets a bit too chilly, my bedwarmers are invaluable.

Yep - I wouldn't have it any other way either: two 60+lb lab/pit mix girls who stand in the bedroom doorway until mom is settled, then bound across the room and do leapies onto the bed. It's kissies and hugs and curling up into doggie donuts. Once the lights are out, then the cats start coming in to claim their share. The upside? I don't have to have the heat on in my room!

KC

Even a 2 pound ferret can keep you immobilized at night--I can't even say how many times I've woken up in the middle of the night wanting to roll over, but I can't because there's a ferret asleep on my feet :-) Like so many others, I wouldn't have it any other way!

My current bed mate is a snoring, snorting, farting, restless 8 month old french bulldog. Its not always the easiest night sleep, but its is nirvana to open my eyes to see him just inches away above me, gazing deeply into my glassy unfocused eyes- as if he honestly believes he can just sort of psych me into wakefulness. The truth is I think he may be some ancient wizard reincarnate, because it works! Wouldn't change a thing, even the numb legs from being afraid to move because *he* looks so darn comfortable...

I love my pets and we'll snuggle on the couch, but I can't sleep with them. I'm an extremely light sleeper, they would keep me up all night. I can't afford to lose sleep, because it causes my blood pressure to go through the roof.

The other issue I have with sleeping with the pets is parasites. We live on 5.5 acres, and despite using Frontline Plus on them they still carry in ticks sometimes. We've found them on our upholstered furniture, carpets, even crawling on the wood floors. Frequent cleaning and the use of natural preventatives (food grade diatomaceous earth) still isn't enough to keep the ticks at bay 100% of the time. With Lyme and other tick-borne diseases a problem, I just can't see sleeping with the pets and risking being a host for ticks.

I think it's wonderful that so many people are comfortable sleeping with their pets, but it's not something I can do.

What's a tick or twelve among friends? I brave the ticks and more. But I recognize that most people cannot handle the concept of tickedness. For me it's a daily risk I've become psychologically immune to. Still, I can easily understand your reservations.

I would happily trade the fur-free bed and extra room to have my beloved husky curled up against me for even one more night! Other than the prolific shedding, he was a good partner. Did not snore, rarely got up at night other than to jump off the bed if too hot, stayed pretty much on one side, and had mastered the art of moving imperceptably to snuggle in. Although he would give me the "husky huff" if I was a little too aggressive in MY relocations:)

I cannot imagine not sleeping with the dog and the cat. The dog moves imperceptibly during the night. The cat manages to stay glued to my side no matter how I turn and shift. Not sure how she does it, but she does.
I would give anything to still have my poodle on the other side making it impossible to turn over. He and I would settle in and both of us would give a big sign and then close our eyes. It was the best moment of every day.

But is there ANYTHING that will wake you up faster than the sound of a dog/cat puking on the bed? I really think that they should make an alarm clock with that noise. It's guaranteed to send you flying out of bed as fast you can in an effort to hold the puking pet over something you don't care about - much.

annsilvernale: Isn't that the truth! I have a flame-point siamese named Kaos (don't ask) who likes to hack in the middle of the night - and if I don't wake up, he's sure to leave it where I'll roll right on it.....lol

My other favorite with my furry kids is what we call "cat stacking". That's when I curl up on the couch to watch tv propped up between the two dogs. One cat will lay on my knees, and then one after another they will pile on each other until the last one is under my chin - it looks like a living fur blanket - talk about the ability to mellow a person right out :)
We call our cats "paralytic" because as soon as one sits on you, you lose the ability to move out from under them (lol)

KC

On a cold winters night there is nothing better than a beagle curled up under the covers by your feet. Hey we call it BTUs (beagle thermal units)

The absolute most perfect moment of the day is when I put the book down, switch off the light and snuggle in with the pack -- all seven that share the bed off and on during the night. Biggest problem is figuring out where a new foster will sleep when one arrives. If I'm really lucky one of the cats joins me on the pillow and then I reach out, touch each and every one with a goodnight thought and then thank my lucky stars I am so blessed. One has neuro-muscular damage that keeps him from having bladder and bowel control so he has his special pj's and pads as I could never leave him out of the pile.

Wish there were a way to "like" the picture of Laz. :-)

There is nothing so comforting as having the pack curled up with me in bed. My old kitty has earned the place of honor - her own pillow right beside my head (it was the only way to keep her butt out of my face). We go to sleep with my arm reached out and her chin resting on my wrist. One of the dogs is lying next to me on the same side - all she wants is full body contact from the tip of her tail to the tip of her nose. The other cat and dog are on the other side and I am locked in position until it's time to get up. Wouldn't have it any other way!

I just wish I could video tape the sleepy-time antics of me and my 2 pit bulls as we vie for position on the king-size bed!! The boy slams himself down, back to back with me . . . he's a warm sandbag which feels great! The girl sleeps at my feet but she'd really like to have the coveted "near Mama's head" position of the boy. I turn over, boy runs around to the other side - - I turn over, boy runs back. Over and over, all night long.

Sometimes, girl gets the prime position which makes boy pick a "fight" until he gets where he wants to be. It's all a plan. I go to sleep when the battle is finally won and we all rest peacefully.
I wouldn't have it any other way!!

If I get a new man in my life, he'll have to understand: "love me, love my dogs!"

Neither DH nor I had pets on the bed while growing up. To tell the truth, that would have discomfited me. Pupper never wanted to share the bed; even when she comes on the couch she wants her own corner unless you're scratching her butt. Mr. Kitty wisely mounted a stealth takeover: first he slept next the bed; in acouple of months he came up on DH's nightstand and stared at him. Then Mr. K. took tentative steps onto the bed. Now he is a fixture on top of the covers and we miss him if he misses a night. In the summer he prefers to stay at the foot of the bed, but now that it's getting chilly, he is nestling between us.

I must admit that my animals are pretty considerate. My cats only rarely sleep in the bed with me, usually when I bring them to bed and make them stay with me! My lab mix, Emma, sleeps on the empty side in her bed. My corgi mix is the only problem because he likes to sleep ON my feet! And he gets grumpy when I make him move to my side. He actually growls at me! So I explain to him that mommy pays the bills and is therefore the queen of the house and will be taking her royal place on the bed!
Although, about a week ago the temp dropped overnight and I woke up with two dogs and two cats all curled up next to me. I was contorted like a pretzel, but we were all warm as toast! I'd rather have my animals in my bed than a man any day! Don't tell my boyfriend!

I guess my name says it all.My husband and I share our bed with three big dogs.It started with my now 14 year old shepherd mix when I was single.I also had a snuggly cat at the time.I met my now husband and he knew he had to get used to it,because it was not going to change.Then the now 75 pound American Bulldog mix foster flunkie came on the scene.He came up on the bed at about 12 weeks(with our help since he was so little)and he has been lying beside me ever since.Our last foster flunkie was a 110 pound Rottie who is snuggly,but thankfully gets too hot in the summer and sleeps on the floor most of the night.The only disagreements occur when the Rottie,Guinness,stomps on his elderly brother in the middle of the night.We did finally buy a king bed and it has saved us from clinging to the side of the mattress.

The old broad: so glad you liked the Laz pic. It was a late entry to the post so I was hoping someone would catch it. This in one very special kitty. Can you tell?

Sandy C - the blessings go both ways. Your animals are all blessed to have found a home with you!

We used to have this problem. My husband and I share our double bed with three cattle dog mixes. Yeah, the picture in your head is about right.

It took us a few years to get it down but eventually my hubby was so sleep deprived we had to change things around a bit. Our playful pup (who just turned one) is back in the crate until she settles a bit more. It's not that she's a problem, but rather that she riles the other dogs up. Funny, she only does it when her dad is around. When it's just me, they're perfect.

My dogs are very well trained and because in the past I trained animals for acting gigs it's just natural for me to train them marks. Now when one of us is uncomfortable, all the dogs are bumped off the bed with a simple "everyone off". They sleepily slink off the bed yawning, knowing it's just a matter of time before they get their comfort back. If it's for a bathroom break, they have to stay and wait. If it's just for an adjustment, we get comfortable and then place each dog where we know she likes to sleep. Fable likes to be closer to me and higher up, Lexus likes to be closer to her dad and near the bottom (she gets hot and frequently gets off the bed this way she doesn't rouse anyone).

We do have an issue with bathroom breaks. Funny thing is, when it's just me and them we're alone from 8-8. They go out at 7 when their dad leaves, and I take them out between 4-5 when I go downstairs to get my pills. Other than that, they lounge. Then dad comes home and all hell breaks loose. Then all night, every three hours or so (at 12:30, 3:30 and 5:30) they ask to go out. I have NO IDEA why. If we refuse, Fable will eat something. A book, a shoe, a piece of clothing, a remote - last time a lighter! She doesn't eat things. So, she goes out every three times and we try to plan our bathroom breaks around these times. Now the other dogs are on a schedule.

And yes, I'm a dog trainer. 12 years experience. But I'm stumped.

I absolutely LOVE sleeping with my pack. Not all can fit on the bed (I have 6 dogs) but often times I share my queenie with two labs, one lab/bassett mix, and one corgi/bassett mix. The bassetts always play the game of "I get the best spot" and when I let them out at night (yes, nightly due to the 13.5 yo lab) the other lab keeps my spot warm for me. I consider cuddling with them one of the great joys in my life and definitely worth any lost sleep (or covers!)

My wife has been out of the apartment for about two weeks and isn't coming back. She died on Monday, and SmartCat and PrettyCat have been of great importance in keeping me grounded in reality and responsibilty when the grief becomes overwhelming.

They're clearly upset about her not being around; they're offering and demanding much more attention from me than they usually did.

The last few nights they've both started sleeping with me instead of on their usual window perch (PrettyCat) and the warm cable box (SmartCat). I have no idea what they're sensing but they clearly are picking up on something gone wrong.

So. They can sleep wherever they wish. I'm thankful my wife pushed the pet issue and we picked these two, I'm thankful for them, and a host of other people, animals, and events in my life. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

--Will

Will, I am so very sorry for your loss. Pets are such a comfort when we lose a loved one whether it be a person or another pet. Just knowing how much those cats meant to your wife and how much I'm sure she loved them, you still have a part of her with you now. Yes, they do sense things like the loss of someone in their lives and grieve just like we do but in a different way...I'm convinced of that. God Bless you all and so sorry again for your loss. I'm sure it's especially hard now with the holidays.
---Steph

Wow, Will, thank you for your essay. My heartfelt condolences on your loss. I know firsthand how hard, yet cathartic it is to write to others about your feelings. I lost my husband 18 months ago and I don't know what I'd have done without my pets to come home to. Our pit bull pup dearly loved my husband but immediately devoted himself to me.

I was very concerned about him because he saw all the life-saving attempts and saw his dad taken out of our home. You won't believe it, but an "intuitive" (psychic) told me the dog was fine and actually helped hubby on his way that day. I know it sounds crazy but I take comfort in this information.

Will,

I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. Critters can be a great comfort. They not only feel the loss, too, but they sense your grief and are doing their best to comfort you.

The kitties will help to fill the hole in your heart which hopefully will eventually be filled with warm and happy memories.

You're so right about them keeping you grounded. On those days when you feel that getting out of bed is an insurmountable task, the kitties will demand that you feed them and scoop boxes. They'll help get you through this, not only because they love you, but because they were important to your wife.

My sincerest condolences.

for the condolences. I guess the point I was trying to make is that people and cats often sleep intermingled 'cause it's comforting to both species, and not just a matter of warmth.

I'm quite willing to put up with some lost minutes of sleep to hear and feel the purring.

--Will

Please let me offer my sincere condolences for your loss. I truly know how you feel as I lost my husband 18 months ago. Your pain is fresh and very real and I wish you peace. I don't know what I'd have done without my dogs to come home to.

If you'd like to converse, I'd like to hear from you.

Critterlover, my email address is perlisw connected by the usual at sign with gmail dot com (Yes, that's annoying but it does cut down on the spam).

Or kitty, or both! I'm sure I get as much from sharing my/our bed with the critters as they do from us. There is something so warm and comforting (in spite of the sometimes restlessness) about sharing sleepy time with a furkid. Best therapy around for whatever ails ya!

I thought there would be some scientific, or psychological explanation! My cat takes over my pillow at night and its annoying. I'm going to try an experiment by changing the head of the bed.

My boyfriend & I sleep in a queen sized bed. We have 2 dogs of our own & sometimes watch his mom's dog. I am the "lucky" one who gets to me smothered, I mean snuggled, by our pup. Boot, our 30# terrier mix usually curls up behind my knees under the covers. Peanut, our 12# Pomeranian gets too warm under cover, so she curls up on top on the blanket by my chest or stomach. These two generally lead to me being covered by very little of my blanket. Luckily my boyfriend & I don't share blankets or I'd never get a piece! When we are watching our pug Batman I have to sleep on the couch because he always tries to sleep on my head, and at just under 30# (yes, I know, he's fat) it is just not workable. Plus, he snores and snorts in my ear. I don't know why I get to be so popular with the dogs while my boyfriend gets all the room in the world to sleep. I do know that I would never banish all the pups. Even when I sleep on the couch I'm not dogless - Peanut always sleeps with me no matter where I am.