Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner (or kicks her off the bed for that matter)

Lily's nights on our bed may be numbered. It all started about a week ago when my darling husband started thrashing around complaining of having no room on the bed and announced "Lily! It's time you slept on a dog bed! Honey, don't you think so?" I feigned sleep and even threw in a little snore for authenticity. I glanced through closed eyelashes to see Alex roll over and turn off his bedside light. I silently did a little victory dance in my mind and hoped the topic would be forgotten.

Since her first night here Lily has curled into a little spotty setter ball on our bed at night. She is polite, she will first stand next to the bed waiting for me to give her the go-ahead before leaping up like a gazelle. She has to be laying against me as she sinks into slumber and I often pat her head in reassurance that yes I love having her close too.

Lily being allowed on the bed all night is rather decadent. Dugan our 10 year old Irish Setter prefers to sleep downstairs most evening on the couch facing the front window on high alert. If a leaf blows up the street he will be sure to bark about it until we are all safe. Fiona ever the lady lays on the bed for a short while when we prepare for sleep but sweetly leaves for her dog bed in our room before we retire. Caelan has been exiled from all night bed sleeping since 2005 when she began growling at me for entering the bed after her and Alex were in it. I told her no bitch is coming between me and my man and she has spent evenings on the big overstuffed chair since. (although she has been known to sneak back up in the middle of the night that little floozie) In the wee hours of the morning after Alex rises and gets ready for work it's open game and all the dogs snuggle up with me so the bed does not feel so empty. Not so much because they adore me, but to make sure I don't hit the snooze too many times and delay their breakfast.

So having Lily on the bed all night is a bit spoiling. But one look at this little moppet and you'd spoil her too. My husband was okay with the cramped conditions while Lily assimilated and got comfortable with us, but apparently her welcome is worn out and he wants his leg space back. As little as Lily is she tends to sometimes do the setter-stretch and sprawl out in the manner of a drunken hippie. I'd be lying if I myself did not admit to awaking to a paw pushing my head off the pillow a few times.

The last few nights I have tried to put Lily on the outer edge of the bed so Alex does not awake at 2:00a.m. to a setter licking his bald head and a fluffy tail banging the duvet cover in excitement when he cries out "Whaaaaattttissssthhhaaaat!" Unfortunately Lily has been networking with Caelan and was fully trained by her with the wait-until-they're-dead-asleep-and-go-wherever-you-damn-well-please-on-the-bed-routine. (and you thought I was kidding when I called Caelan a bitch)

I don't know how much longer I can hold Alex off from giving her the boot. I'll just keep giving him the "she's just a poor rescue baby!" routine and hope she can keep her licker to herself in the a.m. hours. How many collars do you think I need to sell to afford a king size bed?