There’s no barking at every little sound. And, perhaps most importantly, no mysterious licking sounds that seem to begin at precisely the moment we are finally drifting off to sleep.
Of course, there is a downside to putting a door between us and our three girls.
Every sound they hear becomes an event.
A noise outside? Bark.
Something moving in the neighborhood? Bark.
And honestly, sometimes that barking is a very good thing.
The other night, we heard the girls barking and immediately knew they were trying to tell us something was happening. Sure enough, there had been an accident in the neighborhood. Our three little watchdogs had heard it before we did and were doing their job—alerting us that something was wrong.
They also have a habit of letting us know when someone has decided to take a little stroll through our yard rather than staying on the actual pathway. Apparently, private property signs are no match for three determined little neighborhood security guards.
But then there is their other nighttime talent: nesting.
If they are going to sleep with us, they apparently must first create the perfect sleeping arrangement. This involves scratching, circling, shifting, scratching some more, rearranging the blankets, and generally making sure every inch of the bed is just right before finally plopping down.
And somehow, after all that work, they always seem to find the exact spot where they can take up the most space.
As much as we joke about it, there is something comforting about having them close. There is a certain warmth that comes from hearing their little sighs, feeling them settle beside you, and knowing your girls are safe and content.
So we continue our attempt to sleep with the door between us.
Some nights it works beautifully.
Other nights, one little bark reminds us that we don't just have dogs—we have three furry alarm systems who take their jobs very seriously.
And perhaps that's the trade-off of sharing your home with dogs. They may interrupt your sleep, steal your blankets, scratch endlessly before settling down, and occasionally serenade you with licking noises at bedtime.
But they also watch over you, keep you company, and make your house feel a little more like home.
Honestly, we're still trying to decide which is better: a full night's sleep or three warm little bodies curled up beside us.
The dogs, of course, have already made their choice.