We’re living in the era of boundaries. Personal boundaries. Professional boundaries. Emotional, digital, energetic, gluten-free boundaries. Everywhere I turn, someone is gently (or not so gently) reminding me to “set healthy boundaries.”

Boundaries are the new kale. Essential. Good for you. Sometimes hard to swallow. Actually, I severely dislike kale. Do, maybe not right analogy. But, I digress a little.

And yet, cut to my couch. Where three dogs have taken up permanent residence in what I can only describe as a boundary-free zone. My life is one long consent violation, covered in fur and love.

Let’s break it down:

My 70-pound large one (who is convinced he’s a dainty lapdog) will gallop across the room and launch himself onto my chest like we’re in a rom-com reunion scene. You know the one where one of them runs through a city or airport to catch the other before they leave forever. Antway, back to the dogs. There’s no hesitation. No checking if I’m emotionally available for such intimacy. He just flops.

The small one? He’s got separation anxiety and a healthy sense of self-importance. He follows me everywhere. Everywhere. Including the bathroom. Although, sometimes he hesitates at the door like, “Hmm, maybe this is too much.”

The middle one is the quiet assassin. He waits for me to get on the couch, then wedges his full body against my leg until my circulation is compromised. He’s the velvet rope of affection. Once he’s in position, I’m not going anywhere.

The three of them don’t just ignore boundaries. They steamroll them with wagging tails. And you know what? It’s adorable. Irritating. But adorable.

This past week, with house guests visiting, I watched these dogs race to the guest beds each morning like tiny uninvited joyous boundary-burglars. Full gallop. Onto the mattress. Onto the people. “Oh, you’re human? Then you are obviously here for us.” There was no knock. No bark of warning. Just full-body contact and shameless cuddling.

It made me laugh. And then it made me think (dangerous, I know).

Why are we humans so obsessed with boundaries now? Truly an obsession cited at meetings, LinkedIn posts, and training webinars. Is it because social media has invaded every corner of our lives, down to our sleep cycles and political opinions? Because work now bleeds into dinner, into bedtime, into Saturday brunch? Are we setting boundaries now because we’ve spent the last decade letting everything and everyone (including a dozen apps) trample them?

We’ve lost our filters, so we’re building fences.

But maybe (just maybe) we’re overcorrecting a little. Maybe we miss the boundary-less affection of childhood where we ran into each on the slides.  Or the unconditional smothering of a loyal dog. Maybe we crave the certainty of belonging without caveats or personal space bubbles.

So yes, I do believe in boundaries and respecting them. Absolutely. But I also believe in big, boundary-busting love. The kind that flops next to you and cuts off your circulation with joy.

And if you ever need a reminder of what it looks like to belong without shame, just watch a dog run toward you in the morning like he paid the mortgage.

They’re not rude. They’re just real. And possibly enlightened.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go reclaim one square inch of my couch.