So how mean are we being?

    • Gold Top Dog

    So how mean are we being?

    As you may or may not know, we have welcomed a second dog into our home (gracie). It's been a little more than two weeks and things could not be going better in all honesty. She and Winston (resident dog that we raised from puppyhood) get along VERY well and play together essentially from sun up to sun down. There were some "couch guarding" issues at first from gracie, but that has since stopped completely and the two get along great as if they had lived their whole lives together.

    On to sleeping arrangements . . . . Winston has slept in our bed at night essentially since he was house trained. We started this LONG before we even thought of getting a second dog. Well, now we've got two, and two 50 pounders at that . . . . and only a queen sized bed. It gets cramped enough with my wife and I and winston (who likes to sprawl himself out where ever he pleases) let alone another dog.

    So what we have been doing since we got gracie is that winston continues to sleep with us and gracie has a nice big dog bed with a blanket on the floor right next to the bed . . . she desparately wants to sleep in the bed though, and she will sometimes jump up in there and then we have to put her back onto the floor . . .

    We feel so bad, but it's kinda what the situation demands . . . are we being really mean to poor little gracie? I know that dogs are pack animals and its odd for them to sleep "away from the pack" even though she's right there.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Shohin
    I know that dogs are pack animals and its odd for them to sleep "away from the pack" even though she's right there.

    It's not odd at all. Dogs are individuals...some like to pile and others draw blood if any other animal touches them when they sleep. Both are different types of the same animal lol. YOU set the rules...don't anthromowhatever the situation...if there is no room...then there isn't. It's not like she;'s being abused or neglected.

    If you want equality then put them BOTH on the floor.

    I do not allow my dogs on the bed, never have.Some places in my home are only for people...and that's that.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    Could you train Winston to sleep on the floor with Gracie?

    Casey sleeps in bed with me - always has. But when I have larger foster dogs - there just isn't enough room. I feel bad, but we all adjust...and I doubt anyones feelings are hurt. Maybe give her an extra special bone on the floor at night? To make it not so bad?

    • Gold Top Dog

    I'm afraid that I am no help whatsoever.  Monroe (90 lbs) usually curls up with DH (big guy - trust me) for an hour or so then gets down and goes to his own bed.  Morrison starts off on his own bed, then moves to the foot of the bed, then between DH and me and by morning he is under the duvet all the way.

    The only thing I would suggest is that you introduce Winston to sleeping on Gracie's bed with her.  Still - Gina is right.  Compared to the life she came from just a few months ago, a cushy bed next to yours is heaven!

    I'm glad things are going so well - pics please!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Yeah, I'm not so sure that winston would take well to sleeping on the floor . . . he really likes "his" bed. Wink Plus the two of them don't really sit still together . . . . if they are awake and touching eachother, they are wrestling . . . . just like any brother and sister would. Big Smile

    • Gold Top Dog

      I know that dogs are pack animals and its odd for them to sleep "away from the pack" even though she's right there.

    not true. My dogs sleep scattered all over the house each in their preferred location. Never understood the letting dogs sleep in the people beds though.

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    • Gold Top Dog

     I'm another no dogs on the bed person - I would probably keep both off in your situation as allowing him up there and her not makes it very clear who you prefer. IMH untrained O.

    As for the pack thing - Bugs has always slept outside our bedroom with no issues whatsoever.  His crate was in the kitchen and now his bed is in our family room - he is super content.  On rare rare occasions he comes down and lays next to our bed when we go to bed but by morning he is in his bed down the hall.  Snoring must be too loud for him

    • Gold Top Dog

    rwbeagles
    YOU set the rules...don't anthromowhatever the situation...

     

    I couldn't have said it better. Well... maybe a little better.  Stick out tongue

    But I agree. I "spoil" a certain member of my pack in some ways. It's the guilt you're feeing (if you feel any) that will be a problem. Just accept the situation and let it go. Smile If you feel that bad (and I can understand why you would), let them both sleep on the floor.

    I'm also a "no dogs on the bed" person.  

    • Gold Top Dog

    Luke is on my bed, Kaiser is in his crate next to the bed.  This is the one big perk that Luke has kept since we got the puppy.  He knows that it is his special place.

    This is not to say that Kaiser won't EVER get to sleep on the bed, but he'll stay in the crate for quite some time.  He seems to like it -- he dives right for it when we go to bed at night and often will sit in it as I get ready in the morning.

    Luke might be getting kicked off the bed again soon, though.  It's tick season.  Yuck.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Shohin

     

    On to sleeping arrangements . . . . Winston has slept in our bed at night essentially since he was house trained. We started this LONG before we even thought of getting a second dog. Well, now we've got two, and two 50 pounders at that . . . . and only a queen sized bed. It gets cramped enough with my wife and I and winston (who likes to sprawl himself out where ever he pleases) let alone another dog.

    That is 100% the same thing that happenes in our household! I raised Rory from puppy hood and we've only had Primo for 6 months (I've known him for most of his life though) and thats how it goes in our bedroom, we have a queen as well but two 70LBS dogs. Rory by nature is the dominant bitch and thankfully Primo could care less, its me who feels bad but I make sure to drag his bed from the living room to the side of the bed each night and he seems cool with it. Then in the mornings when DH gets up for work Primo comes and cuddles. I actually think this might be a better arrangement because there is no option for them to fight over the bed like they do for the couch, its already setteled and its routine.

    • Gold Top Dog

    KarissaKS

    Luke might be getting kicked off the bed again soon, though.  It's tick season.  Yuck.

    I hear you....I found one in my bed last week and I couldn't sleep for two nights after that.

    Right now my shelties sleep on my bed and Shiner does not, but he chooses to sleep next to the bed, so it's not an issue. If he wanted to get on the bed while I was in it, I have to say I wouldn't let him, because he moves around so much. He rolls around and makes running motions with his legs in his sleep, not to mention the bolting awake and standing up at any small noise. So yeah, it's just easy for us because he seems to prefer the floor.

    • Gold Top Dog

    2shelties

     . . . . he moves around so much. He rolls around and makes running motions with his legs in his sleep, not to mention the bolting awake and standing up at any small noise . . . .

     

    LOL, winston is the SAME way. I can't even count how many times I will be dead asleep only to be rather abruptly bolted upright in bed because winston lets out this ridiculously loud and sudden YIP! Gives me a heart attack every damn time and I'll be awake for HOURS after that. He on the other hand goes right back to sleep . . .

    Indifferent <---- me

    Sleep <----- winston.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Despite the fact I know Kirby would love sleeping with me, being the little velcro dog he is, I like my space when I sleep.  Every blue moon I might invite him up for a little cuddling while I'm watching TV but for the most part I relish my alone time in my bed.  I don't even care for other human family members laying in my sheets mussing up the place.  I guess you could say if I was canine I would be resource guardy over my bed. Angel

     As for being mean... Kirby finds it far more horrible and offensive of me when I eat yummy people food and don't even give him a sideway glance, much less share.  If I worried about his feelings though he would be so fat all he would be able to do is lay around all day in bed.
     

    • Gold Top Dog

    I wish Cherokee would actually sleep with me. A queen-sized bed is excessive for just me. She'll come up and cuddle with me a few times a week, but the second I stop petting her, or try to go to sleep, she starts huffing and sighing, and if I don't respond (by continuing to cuddle and pet her), she jumps down. Once in a blue moon she'll actually stay on the bed after I stop petting her, and that's a treat for ME! LOL. She likes to be squished into something though, so she either sleeps in my armchair, or in her collapsable crate, squished up in the back.

    • Gold Top Dog

    When they are in the living room on the futon (which tends to be most of the night) Luna is curled up behind David's knees.  But in bed?  She has to be NOT in the bed because I'm majorly allergic to her coat (it actually gives me hives) ... so she can't be on the bed at all.  If she jumps up on it I have to wash the sheets before I can sleep there. 

    Billy sleeps on the bed above my head -- I know that's a dominance no no but I have to sleep with my feet hanging off the bed (another part of my skin problem -- I can't have fabric touch my skin at all or I itch all night long) so since I'm short anyway there is 3+ feet of room at the TOP of the bed and I need my own space at the bottom.

    Sooo tmi .. but the dog will adjust.  You might want to do something 'special' to create an equal atmosphere.  I call Luna to me at the side of the bed and spend quiet time with her alone  -- and interestingly she sleeps on MY side of the bed on the floor in her bed.  She knows to leave my shoes alone (I can't walk barefoot anywhere because of dander on the floor).  so ... we cope.  But she knows I love her and she's Daddy's girl anyway ... so it works.