Charlottechicken Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 OK, this is silly dog question no. 1 We are thinking of getting a young (2-3 year old) Staffie from a rescue centre. However, it has been a long time since I had a dog, and understand that nowadays they have to sleep indoors, not in a kennel outside as our dog did many years ago. So, I'm trying to work out what the dog will feel comfortable with and which room he should be in. Also what type of bed he should have, and whether we need one of those crate things with a cover, a sort of indoor kennel, so doggy feels safe. Also, just wondering about overnight toilet facilities, and if water should be made available during night hours. I think I have a lot of research to do here, and you can see I haven't a clue, but I suppose this is a good place to start! Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Dog crates a wonderful things these days but as your dog will be older and maybe never been in one before it might not be such a good idea. I put mine in on the first day when we got him at 8 weeks, only for a minute to start with and built it up from there. Wether it would work with an older dog im not sure, but i know there are a few doggie experts on here who will be able to help you on that one. As to where he should sleep, i think that would be entirely up to you and your determination in keeping him there. We (to the horror of a few on here im sure! ) like to have our little dog in our bedroom with us. If yours is 2/3 years old he will definately be old enough to go through the night without need of the toilet, (or water) just take him out last thing at night. I suppose it would depend on how well housetrained he is when you get him too. And, by the way, it is not a silly question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Our pup sleeps in a homemade crate in the footwell of a twin pedestal desk we have in our hallway. The footwell is actually the same size (a couple of inches shorter) than the crate we have bought. She has slept in one since she was born so it was easy for us to stay with it. There is quite a through fare of traffic, but she can see what I am doing if I am in the kitchen and not feel excluded. Maybe find out where the dog you are interested in prefers to sleep and on what, and then go from there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 On the whole, dogs will happily get used to sleeping wherever you want them to. When we first got Tango we put her in the kitchen overnight and she was just fine, then she came into season about a month later and became very clingy and started howling like a wolf overnight so in the interests of getting some sleep we put her bed upstairs on the landing so she could be closer to us - problem solved (she was of course meant to start sleeping back in the kitchen after her season ended but for some reason seems to have stayed upstairs - that would be me being a softy then!). However, I don't have dogs in the bedroom, otherwise none of use would ever get any sleep so we keep the bedroom door shut. Tango is perfectly happy with this arrangement and we don't hear a peep out of her until our alarm goes off in the morning. With regards to the crate, I'd be inclined to say unless the dog is already crate trained then I wouldn't bother. It's just personal preference though. I know many, many people think crates are brilliant but I'm not a huge fan of them to be honest and for an adult dog I don't really see the need. I'm sure used correctly they are super but I worry that the potential for misuse is too great. Again, for Tango we just got a nice soft bed which stays downstairs during the day for her to sleep on and upstairs at night. If we need to restrict her for any reason (such as when we were housetraining her) she just got shut in/out of the necessary rooms. Toileting during the night shouldn't be an issue if the dog is already housetrained. Once housetrained dogs will happily go through the night without needing the toilet, excepting any upset tummy incidents of course. I always make water available during the night, although I don't think Tango has ever come down to have a drink. However I would feel very mean if it was not available! I leave her bowl in the kitchen with the door open so she can potter down for a drink if she needs to. Hope that is helpful, and good luck finding your new doggy friend - so exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Congratulations on your future addition Well done on giving a staffie a home, sadly so many are needing homes at the moment Good advice from Chick Wiggle (who is not alone in having her dog in the bedroom ). As to type of bed, at the moment I wouldn't go too mad on a new bed just yet - just in case he turns out to be a chewer For now some old blankets / old duvet will do just in case they get shredded. Some people's dogs permanently sleep on folded duvets and he may be quite happy on that. Some staffis like to sleep stretched out so make sure he has plenty of room. Dogs are funny creatures though - my dog has an upstairs bed, a downstairs bed and a thick vet bed downstairs - where is he lying right now ? On the hard floor I would agree that a housetrained dog of that age generally won't need to go to the toilet overnight but bear in mind that at first he may be a little bit more anxious and drinking more if he is running around playing with his new family so don't be surprised if he needs to go out at night at first. My dog can get to his water bowl at night but doesn't use it unless it is very, very hot. Please post pictures of your new addition when he arrives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We bought our dog a lovely doggy bed/cushion to sleep on....where does he sleep? On my husbands old dressing gown which he left on the floor one night and now stays there permently My hubby did get a new one though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Anywhere the cat lets it..! Sometimes in it's own bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ooh, thanks for the replies, really useful stuff! I was just about to throw out some old bedding including a duvet, so will make a nice doggy bed with some covers for him! Just off to work now so am sure to think of silly question no 2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Mine are all kenneled and come inside now and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Not a daft one at all. Ruby was crate trained and always used to sleep in hers in a space under the kitchen counter. Now we have Cyrus too, the two of them sleep in the kitchen under the kitchen counter, although their beds (thick fleece mattresses) are usually all over the kitchen floor in the morning There are stairgates either end of the kitchen and they sleep soundly all night. I don't allow dogs upstairs, nor on the furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shemybelle Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 My dog sleeps in her crate in the living room. Lx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubababe Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Skye used to sleep in the bedroom but her snoring kept me awake so now she is relegated to down stairs at night & isla the puppy/toddler sleeps in the kitchen as she has the occasional 'accident' during the night & I've already had to replace the sitting room carpet once!! If I could trust them & they didn't keep me awake they would sleep upstairs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) Mostly on his back with his legs in the air like a dead cockroach. For 90% of the day..... It's a greyhound thing. Edited August 17, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubababe Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Mostly on his back with his legs in the air like a dead cockroach. For 90% of the day..... It's a greyhound thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Upstairs on my bed, snoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Mostly on his back with his legs in the air like a dead cockroach. For 90% of the day..... It's a greyhound thing. Both my lurchers do that, when I go home at lunchtime, neither of them stir, they just lie there looking like broken dogs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Finley sleeps on the floor by the bed. It comes from when he was a puppy and I used to put pads down and wedge him in with the open door. Now he just puts himself there! I think that they wander around in the night anyway, he gravitates to the coolest room... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Eddie and Lola sleep in the dining room. Eddie used to sleep in a crate; now he's got a plastic dog bed with a doggy cushion in it. Lola is only 15 weeks old so she's still in her crate, though I'm sure she'd be fine in her bed (like Eddie's) which she sleeps in when we're all in the living room. I think Eddie's glad Lola's in her crate at night too 'cos it means he gets some peace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Ziggy was crate trained from when we got her at 8 weeks old. Never had a problem with toilet training or anything. Since we moved - she has her bed in the kitchen near the Everhot. She loves it - although if allowed she would most definately like to sleep by the side of the bed (next to my hubby) but she isnt allowed in the bedrooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
