Rock meets hard spot

Elvis has slept in bed with us since the first day he came here. When it was time to go to bed he went into the bedroom and assumed his position on one of the pillows. His former owner was an older woman, and I'd bet she slept alone in a double bed with Elvis occupying the second pillow spot. We've try to re-train him to sleep in the center at the foot of the bed, with mixed success, but he's small enough that it's not usually too much of a problem.

I started the problem, really, when I had Covid and Clay as in Belgium, by letting Bailey snuggle with me in bed. Elvis didn't care as long as he wasn't being displaced and with Clay gone, it was fine. Clay came back, of course, and reclaimed his place in bed, which meant there really wasn't room for Bailey in addition to Elvis. I had been crating Bailey in the office next to Dodger and she was fine with that, but Dodger moved to a new foster a few days ago so we let Bailey back into the bedroom at night, but insisted that she use one of the many dog beds available. 

We had some luck getting her to stay off the bed initially, but lately she's been waiting until we're asleep and then she climbs up into bed and finds herself a spot. This has not gone unnoticed by Della, who would like to sleep in bed herself, but we've met that a hard "no" unless one of us is out of town. Della is not sure that she really approves of Bailey even being in the bedroom, but she has tolerated that, as long as she doesn't try to take Della's bed. But Bailey being in our bed when Della can't be, that was pretty close to crossing a line, so yesterday when I went to get into bed I was greeted with this sight:

Della was at the foot of the bed, on my side, curled up to make herself as small as she could be, but firmly planted and clearly not intending to move. She didn't even want to discuss it and I didn't waste my breath. Bailey had been in bed the last two nights and Della was making a statement and asserting her seniority. 

Elvis of course wanted to take his usual spot in bed, and Bailey was looking for a spot as well, but both dogs were met by growls and even a loud bark from Della, who wasn't going to share the bed with another dog.

Maya assumed her position on the bed on the floor right next to me where she always sleeps. She really has never had any interest in sleeping in bed with us; we move around too much and Maya doesn't like to be disturbed. With Della not on any of the dog beds Bailey had more choices available to her and she took one of the beds on my side of the room near Maya, where Della usually sleeps. 

I could almost stretch my legs out even with Della in bed, so I was ok with the situation if the other dogs would settle down. They tried, sort of, but Elvis wasn't happy and Elvis can be an annoying and obnoxious little dog when he wants something and isn't getting it. He even pushed himself onto Maya's bed, which is barely big enough for her alone in an effort to get closer to our bed. I finally threw him out of the bedroom, but that didn't last even five minutes before his relentless barking drove me crazy.

When Elvis came back into the bedroom, I directed him up onto the bed and he quickly laid down in the center of the bed without even looking at Della.

And so we passed the night.