Whose bed is it?

There's a rather well known joke among pet owners, The Dog Rules, which states:

The dog never sleeps on the bed. Period.

• Ok, the dog can sleep at the foot of the bed only.
• Ok, the dog can sleep along side you, but he is not allowed under the covers.
• Ok, the dog can sleep under the covers, but not with his head on your pillow.
• Ok, the dog can sleep along side you, under the covers with his head on your pillow, but if he snores, he's got to leave the room.
• Ok, the dog can sleep and snore and fart and have nightmares in your bed, but he's not to come in and sleep on the couch in the TV room, where you're now sleeping. That's just not fair.

Does this happen in your bed?


Scientists who study dogs say the animals have lived inside people’s homes since at least the 1400s. But no one is really sure when or why dogs began sleeping in people’s beds. In most places on Earth, the practice is considered filthy to this day.

Yet it is a common, if unreported, phenomenon for many dog owners in the United States.

In "Dogs in Bed," Last Exit magazine explores the complex issue of whether you should sleep with your dog, and the effect that choosing to do so may have on your social and sex life. It's humorously written by Michael Dinan, with gorgeous photos by Keelin Daly.

photo: Keelin Daly

Thanks, Keach