Pet Owner Confessions: ‘I Never Thought I Would’

I said it would never happen. I was sure it could never happen. But it did!

I confess, I sleep with my dog. Well, actually my dog, Frisco, sleeps with ME. And we aren't talking about a dog who simply sleeps ON the bed, No, that's not good enough for Frisco., a short-haired black lab mix.She has to be UNDER the covers, pressed tightly up against me. I'm pretty sure it's not because she loves me so much. I think it's mostly about her desire to stay warm. Our other dog, Shelby, a long-haired Golden Retriever has no trouble staying warm at night, and is perfectly content sleeping on the floor where dogs belong.

As it turns out, I'm not alone, 67 percent of pet owners say they share their beds with them at night. However, other pet owners draw the line at the bedroom door, saying they hardly ever let their pet sleep in bed with them.

A further look into the survey uncovered the following:

• 60 percent of the American population has a pet of some sort. Two-thirds have dogs, half have cats, one in 10 has a fish, and another small percentage own a bird or some other animal.
• Dog owners: 61 percent have one, 28 percent have two, and 11 percent reportedly have three or more running around the house.
• Cat owners: 46 percent have one, one-third have a couple, and 22 percent have at least three.
• When it comes to holiday presents, 31 percent put something under the tree for their pets.
• 18 percent celebrate their pet’s birthday with a gift.
• 19 percent dress up their pets.
• 10 percent claim their pets have joined them on the job.

The survey was based on the answers of 2,634 U.S. adults.

[ABC News]