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A new routine developed at our home while we were on vacation.

Usually at bedtime, Dexter settles down on a pillow in our room, we give him a dog cookie, and then we turn off the lights and go to sleep. This happened like it always does when we came home on Saturday night, ready for bed after 12 hours of traveling.

But after we turned out the lights, Dexter got up, went to the spare bedroom down the hall, and slept for the rest of the night on the guest bed.

“So, our dog has his own bedroom now?” I asked my husband.
“Looks like it,” he mumbled.
“And that’s okay with you?” I prodded.
“Doesn’t bother me,” he replied.
“You don’t think we are spoiling him?”
“Uh, I find it interesting that this is where you decide to draw the line on spoiling the dog,” he said. “At least he hasn’t put up posters.”

My husband has a point. Dexter was a pampered pooch before he ever discovered the comfort of the double bed in the guest room.

Our sweet and affectionate pup already has an extra-large, over-stuffed pillow on every floor, and his own loveseat in the family room. He has a wardrobe of jackets for varying degrees of weather and a toy box full of squeaking stuffies, rawhides, Frisbees and tennis balls.

Dexter has an active social circle of friends in the neighboring yards and we pretty much drop whatever we are doing to let him out when he spots one of his buddies outside.

We even sing him a little ditty we made up based on his hip-hop nickname, Dexter Doggy Dog.

I guess moving into the room was the last component that completes the total spoiling package. Still seems a little indulgent to me; it’s like the final step before we become “those weird people with the dog-child.” Last stop on the road to crazy town.

But I am a little proud of Dexter, who came to us two years ago with separation anxiety issues typical in greyhounds, and now feels so secure he chooses to be alone sometimes. Our baby is growing up.

Here’s my shameless plea for empathy: please share your spoiled-rotten pet stories. If there are enough of us out there, maybe we can start a support group.