Sleeper

Jack and Dora sleep in their kennels in our bedroom – an arrangement dictated by the fact that they occasionally have to go outside in the middle of the night to answer nature’s call.

Their predecessors, Ruthie and Pete, occasionally slept on the bed with us.

Back when I was deeply involved with the Transcendental Meditation program, I heard Maharishi Mahesh Yogi say we shouldn’t allow pets in the bedroom when we slept because they drew energy from us. That made sense to me and I followed that advice for decades. Until Ruthie showed up.

I’m sure Maharishi was right, but I love my dogs enough to not mind sharing my energy.

There is something loving and comforting about having a dog snuggle up against your legs while you sleep. The last time I felt it was the night before Pete died. He was terminally ill and had to be helped up onto the bed, but I think he was grateful to be close to us just one more time. Some nights I imagine I can still feel him pressed up against my lower legs. Pete was a good bed sleeper. Once he flopped down, he never moved or shifted until morning. It was like sleeping with a 40 pound sack of water softener salt.

Jack is too hyper to sleep on the bed with us. Now that he’s had his second birthday and has assumed the responsibility for helping to raise Dora, he’s calmed down a bit, but he has a ways to go.

Dora, however, is showing great potential for being a bed sleeper.

Both dogs stirred in their kennels about 2:30 a.m. today and I let them out to do their business in the back yard.

Jack is often reluctant to come back in, wanting to stay out and play, but Dora trots in as soon as I open the back door. This morning, she ran back into the bedroom and pawed the bed, signaling that she wanted up.

I set her on the bed and, after greeting Maria, she plopped down as if to stay awhile.

We let her remain, speaking softly and petting her. I think she dozed off a couple of times, but came wide awake when she heard Jack barking at some real or imagined threat outside the fence.

I returned her to her kennel and brought Jack back inside to his crate, but Maria and I agreed this was a very encouraging sign that Dora wants to snooze with her people.