A Real Animal in the Bedroom

A reader writes... I love my girlfriend very much. We are even planning to buy a place together. However, I am beginning to worry about how I will cope sleeping in a bed every night with two dogs. When I’m at her place, some nights I can’t fall asleep as I await the inevitable tousling of covers, trot across the bedroom floor, slurping of water, or bouncing in mid-air to be let outside at 3 a.m. My gal is used to this and has no problem sleeping. I’ve never had a dog and while I try to be sympathetic, I don’t quite see the benefit of having pets in bed. We’ve put the dogs in a basement pen on a few occasions, but she feels guilty when we do. Problem is, I get up well before dawn for work and I need my rest. We’ve talked about it and I’ve expressed my unease but haven’t found a solution. Any ideas?