I think we humans were invented to provide beds and butt scrates for our dogs. my dog (Buddy0 likes to lie of the sofa, with his head in my lay. we watch the TV news together 9he hasn’t much opinion on world events), but enjoys a good ear scratching-if i stop, he touches my hand with his paws.
I for one will welcome or Canine Overlords! 
The Parrot sleeps in my night stand, atop my phone book. When he wants attention, he clucks and I reach over to give him a few scratches. About three in the morning, he clucks and climbs on my hand. I put him on my hip and fall back to sleep. When the sun comes up he lets me know. Birds are so frightened of everything, it pleases me to no end this little guy trusts me.
Our dog usually sleeps with us, but since my husband started working second shift she has been refusing to sleep in the bed with me. I have been trying to coax her in since she helps warm up the bed and keep me company without my husband there. I couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t do it anymore, as she is always eager to take our place in the bed when one of us gets up in the morning, or when one of us just goes to bed before the other. If my husband is home but just not in bed yet, she will go to bed when I do and sleep in his spot so I thought it was odd.
Now I figured it out after talking to my husband about it - she has been sleeping in the main rooms instead and keeping an eye on things outside while he is gone. She must feel a need to keep watch when he is gone at night, because when my husband comes home, she greets him and then she will come and sleep in our room even if he stays up for a while.
I still wish she would warm up the bed for me but it’s nice to know she is keeping an eye on things. She’s a good dog.
Our Dog Sierra sleeps in the basement with hubby (he snores) our other dog Kiara sleeps up in the hallway between the bedroom doors. If any door is open Kiara will proceed to go and check on us. She is our guard dog. Our kitty Snickers comes and jumos on my bed meowing like mad, comes around to me and KATHUNK!!! she lays down right on me! Crazy cat! not trying to sleep or anything. She thinks it’s her time for luvin’! She’s a good kitty. 
Sweet stories everyone. Here is another.
A friend of mine tried to fly with his rather large, and incredibly sweet and loyal Rotweiler. The dog was to be shipped in the hold in a dog crate(hope it had wheels on it).
When my friend checked in, the dog, in his crate went down the conveyor belt into the luggage area (or whatever 5th dimension that exists down there).
After boarding passes where issued to my friend, here comes his dog. The dog had ‘tacoed’ the door on his crate, ran up the conveyor belt, through those little plastic hanging things into the main terminal looking for his master.
The airline refunded his tickets, and he used the money to rent a car and drive the 1200 miles with his dog.
Works both ways.
Awwww, these stories are all so great!
It truly amazes me the bonds we can form with creatures of a different species. So amazing to me when a dog accepts me (or the cats) as “pack”, or when a cat snuggles up on me like I was its mom. And **Paul in Saudi’s ** parrot, accepting and trusting that Paul will defend her against the big bad sun. Awwwww…
Hm – Miss Emily loved it when we were working opposite shifts. Sixteen hours a day in bed with one human or another! Sweet!
I rented a room in a friend’s house for a while, and during the winter, it never got warm in the bedroom. I took to bringing both the dog and the cat to bed with me.
There was me, Sam (black and white foxhound mutt) and Felix (black and white cat), all sleeping under the blankets with our heads on the pillows.
Damn. I wish I could get another dog, but the condo doesn’t allow 'em.
Someday.
ahem…pics?
I wish there were. Sam had the kind of big brown eyes that looked so sad even when he was happy, which was almost always. We called Felix “Frankenkitty” because he was a big ol’ scarred-headed tomcat with shredded ears who would just as soon whip the shit out of any other cat–but was a purring lapcat with humans.
More years ago than I can count dogs and cavemen struck up a deal. That contract has evolved somewhat over time, but now it amounts to this:
Party of the first part (dog) gets:
Food
Shelter
Love
Petting
Party of the second part (humans) gets:
Love & kisses
Protection
Each party thinks they got the better end of the deal.
You forgot:
[ul]
[li]Health care[/li][li]Education (training)[/li][li]Maid service[/li][li]Exercise plan[/li][li]Grooming[/li][li]Toys[/li][/ul]
We have five cats, all of which sleep with us, but my best sleeping buddy is my younger Singapura, Ozzy. I call him my “teddy kitten,” because soon after I settle in, he’ll jump up on the bed and paw at me until I get into the right position (on my side, facing left). At this point he’ll snuggle right up to me and lay his chin on my cheek. I wrap my arm around him and we go to sleep that way.
Funny thing is, he’ll snuggle up to the spouse for a little while (different way–he pushes his chest into Spouse’s face and puts his paw on his cheek) and he’ll only purr for him, never for me, but I’m the one he ends up sleeping with.
That’s about the sweetest picture I can imagine. Thanks - I needed that after a rough weekend.
I used to have a sweet, smart border collie mix named Molly. In the early months of my first pregnancy (when you’re exhausted) I’d come home during my lunch hour and take about a half-hour nap. It didn’t take more than a noon or two for Molly to realize that when I hit the door it was Extra Special Middle of the Weekday Naptime with Mama!! I’d unlock the door, she’d greet me and then ZOOM off to the bedroom.
Molly was great. I called her my individual heating unit. Whether on those noontime naps or laying on the couch reading or watching TV at night, she’d curl up behind my knees and keep me warm.
Cats are the absolute best company for napping, too. They are ALWAYS ready to snuggle in for a nice nap!