Well, I don't exactly perceive her as a human when she's in the bed...she's still a dog. I see what you're saying though. I am a big advocate of not humanizing a dog. Like Cesar says...gotta look at your pet in that order: 1. Animal, 2. species [dog], 3. breed [GSP], 4. [YOUR GSP] -  but it's always a dog with needs and ways of thinking different from the human species.

Now, wanting to sleep on the bed has for me always been something that the dog seeks, not something I want the dog to do (such as dressing up, celebrating Christmas, etc). I have heard several theories about it, so that's why I was posting this question. Some say it's pack mentality, that it's natural for a dog to curl up next to its pack members. Others say that's true, but that the pack LEADER always sleeps away from the pack and on higher ground, so by sleeping with your dog you would lower yourself to their level (or raise your dog to yours). The latter can create HUGE problems with a dominant dog/weak owner combination.

So to me it's more of a hierarchy issue, or as one book (which I really, really love) claims, for VHDs it could have an impact on how they work in the field - a view some confirm, and others don't.

For right now, on those "Three Dog Nights" (that's where that came from BTW) she can come in...in the early a.m.

I haven't had any problems with GSPs and agression because they sleep on the bed.  Mine have to be invited, and they will come and ask by sitting next to the bed and looking at me.  Once invited, they come up and snuggle.  I rarely have more than two of my three wanting in bed with  me.  Mostly it is just one and it varies which one.  Right now my pup is my most frequent snuggle companion. 

With regard to working, I haven't seen any issues and I have had dogs when I was younger that were not allowed on the bed, and the dogs I have now that sleep pretty much where they want to in the house including on the bed.  My dogs now are frankly better working dogs, but that may also be attributed to the fact that I am a better trainer.  I think this boils down to personal preference.

I have seen other breeds that are more agressive though when they are on beds (like terriers).  That could be though that their owners are not established as the leader or the are not trained or socialized as well.

With regard to this topic though, I think folks should allow what makes them comfortable and happy.  For me there is nothing like a good snuggle on a cold night with one or more of my dogs.

We let Osiris sleep with us. He lays all stretched out in between us. Usually he likes to be pressed up agaisnt me and he pushes on hubby with his paws! LOL

It's great having Osiris around because Dave is a fireman and is gone for 24 hrs every third day. So I love to have the pup in bed with me all to myself. He still chooses to snuggle as close to me as possible even with the whole bed to stretch out in.

The mornings are my absolute favorite time of the day with my pup. Dave leaves for work about 6am, and the pup and I sleep till whenever. He waits for me to wake up before he starts moving around to much, and many times, I've woken up to him just staring at me, waitng for me to stir. Then, he will stretch out next to me to get his morning petting / belly scratch / snuggle time with his mommy! I look forward to these 10 minutes almost every day!  It's like he is so excited, saying "Yay!!  Mommy's awake!!"  And his tail starts going 90 miles an hour!

When we first let him in the bed, we had one instance of him growling when we tried to move him.  He promplty got kicked out of bed for the night.  He hasn't done it since.  We had to let him know that it's OUR bed and he is just allowed in it if we say it's ok.

I know that some say it's not good to let them in the bed with us, but I love that closeness that we have and I wouldn't give it up for the world!  (Unless he tried the growling thing again - then we'd have issues.)

Ringo does that at night when I get up for whatever reason, I come back to the bed and he is in my spot.  I actually think he is going for the warm spot that smells like mom.  It is a game.  I come back and ask "Who is in my spot?"  His tail starts thumping and then I make him move over.   It is really pretty cute because after he moves over and I get back in bed, he moves over and snuggles.

Same with Osiris...  although he steals my husbands spot more than mine.  He gives me this look like... "what??" 

BTW, I'm compelled to comment on this 'no working dogs in the bed' thing.

What makes a good working dog? Start with good genetics, then add good training, sound nutrition, and a whole lotta opportunities to perfect their craft. SLEEPING ARRAINGEMENTS DON'T MATTER beyond making sure they've got a comfortable spot where they can get a proper amount of rest.

Anya snoozing after one of her early debuts in harness.

Dulcie often gets her spot on our bed or hers after coming in from a run.

This alaskan husky had never even been in the house before we took him in for a season- he even leaped out of his skin the first time he saw the TV on at our place. As you can see, he figured out the whole bed-thing straight away....

This is a picture of him leading a large string for one of his owners the following season in the Wyoming Stage Stop (he's the dog looking at the camera). He ended up leading them for most of the race.