Bailey has Cabin Fever

I guess when you move from North or South Carolina, arriving upstate to weather that is routinely below zero is a bit of culture shock. Bailey is experiencing this right now. He is sleeping on the couch these days, because Daphne owns the bed. Also, in Daphne's defense, I am not a big fan of sleeping in a dog bed either. Daphne is OK - she is 17.5 pounds (only 6.5 pounds overweight according to the vet). I don't mind sharing the bottom of the bed with her. She keeps my feet warm. But the other dogs tend to be like allowing in another person. They just take up too much space. Not to mention that they are dogs. I love them. They're family. But they're dogs. I don't want to sleep with them. Jake understands this. He is actually more comfortable in his own bed, as he can spread out and he doesn't have to jump UP. It's down on the floor and his arthritic back legs don't have to work so hard. Bailey continues to wander into the bedroom at different points during the night and puts his paw on the side of the bed as if to say "hey, what about me?" I have been pointing out that Jake has room on his bed, and that Bailey is not coming up on our bed, not matter how much he whines. But he looks down at the bottom as if to say "there is plenty of room for me". And Whines. Jerry took him out at about 4 AM just to make sure his whining wasn't bladder related. Not so. I took him out again at 7 AM in the event that his bladder or bowels needed a morning call. Again, we were wrong. It's actually a little cold for him out there. We walked around the yard and his feet began to freeze up. At that point, he was ready to come in. Walk over. Once we got up, he was fine. He just wanted a little company. So, I sit here now with Bailey at my feet, and he is resting comfortably. I would love to get him outside for a good run or tennis ball chase, but it really is just too cold for anything but the business end of a walk. I look down the hall and think that maybe tossing a tennis ball down to the side door may provide a little diversion and "play time" because I think he needs it. He is different than Jake in that he is three years old. Jake is 8 or 9, and likes to play, but doesn't need it. Sometimes, he is just plain too tired. Bailey needs to get some energy burned up before bedtime tonight, or we will pay. I am hoping that he will be happy hanging out with Allison and watching TV until 2 AM, as those are her weekend hours. This way, we'll get some sleep. But he's awfully cute. Even if I am tired.