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Thinking About Adding A Second Hound - Night Time Arrangements


Guest RoadsterGirlie

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Guest RoadsterGirlie

So we have had Rupert just over a month, and we are thinking of adding a second hound. Of the many, many things to take in to consideration, one of the things on my mind is sleeping arrangements.

 

Currently Rupert prefers to sleep on our king size bed with us, and we have had no issues. He sleeps through the night.

 

The dog we are considering adding to our house is a two and half year old male named Manny.

 

As much as having Manny up on the bed would be awesome, there just won't be room on the bed for two dogs. Since Rupert is already accustomed to sleeping with us, and I don't want to kick him off, would it be reasonable to have Manny sleep on a dog bed on the floor in our room? I do worry about pack management and that Manny will think that we think Rupert is higher in the pack than he is if we have this arrangement.

 

For those of you with two hounds, what are your sleeping arrangements like? It's just my husband and I in a three bedroom house (no kids or any other pets aside from Rupert).

 

I know every house might be a little different, and ultimately, the dogs might end up on the couch because that's what they prefer. I just don't want any pack heirarchy issues...

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Guest CaityRose

Mine don't sleep on the bed, but do come up in the morning. If one comes up, the other takes over her bed which is actually a couch. A loveseat might work. My other thought though is that if you've had your pup for only a month you should give him more time to settle in on his own but that's just my opinion...

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We have two hounds (1 female & 1 male) and they both sleep on beds on the floor. The beds are "equal opportunity" beds and they seem to select one at random each night (whomever gets there first picks which one they want). The beds are identical (from Costco) so there isn't a "good" one or "bad" one. By morning, we often find them in the opposite bed from the one where they initially fell asleep. We are fortunate that neither has space aggression issues or this might not work as well as it does for us.

 

Chase, our boy, was very keen to get on the bed when he first arrived, but we had decided even when it was just Connie that we couldn't have a dog(s) as large as greys are in bed with us and still get good sleep. We kick each other enough as it is! ;) No need to add 4 or 8 or more legs to the mix! He learned quickly that the beds on the floor were just fine.

Edited by wingnut

Jennifer, mom to Galen (GableTeletubbie) and Trixie fka Mooch (MostAggressive)
Always missing Connie (Connies Fullofit) and Chase (No Worries aka "Ace") & IG Angels Velvet and Bitsy

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A dog bed beside your bed should be fine. You need to be firm that the new dog sleeps there.

 

We have 7 hounds and none sleep on the bed. I want MY sleep, thankyouverymuch :)

 

Due to space issues Diego (9.5yo) has always slept in a crate beside the bed. That way he can't snark at anyone. B*tchy Tosca sleeps in a crate well, cuz she thinks she owns everything in the house. Lucas sleeps in a crate because he was still a big puppy when we got him and now it's just his bed. All the crates are in the bedroom. Master sleeps on a bed in the bedroom because he wants to. The other 3 sleep in the living room on the couch or dog beds. Everything goes just fine at night.

 

You'll figure it out :)

Edited by mom2four

Tin and Michael and Lucas, Picasso, Hero, Oasis, Galina, Neizan, Enzo, Salvo and Noor the Galgos.
Remembering Bridge Angel Greyhounds: Tosca, Jamey, Master, Diego, and Ambi; plus Angel Galgos Jules, Marco and Baltasar.

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Guest sireltonsmom

I wouldn't worry a whole lot about hierarchy issues - generally the dogs work it out. Our arrangement is like wingnut's with one boy and one girl. The beds are community property. I know lots of folks who adopt two at the same time so think it will work out ok. You seem to already know a lot about Manny. Good luck to you and keep us posted on what you do and how it goes.

 

 

:ghplaybow Beau :gh_runner Mindy

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We invite dogs up to cuddle and they are free to use the bed when we are not. Sometimes if my BF is working nights I'd invite Summit up to sleep with me. He generally would come up for a half hour and then go back to his dog bed. He prefers to have all the space to stretch. Kili has stayed in bed with us for the entire night on a few occasions but generally is in her crate at night.

Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019

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both Rainey and Nube slept on our king sized bed for many years, with a large pillow separating them (Rainey at the top, Nube at the bottom). When we lost Rainey and got Larry, he has sleep aggression/bed aggression so he slept on a bed on the floor, Nube in the bed with us. Larry's NEVER even attempted to get on the bed, EVER and only once got up on the couch, and that was when we were in Florida on vacation. Now with Zeke, he is also in the bedroom on a dog bed with us but in an x-pen - only to protect Zeke from Larry if he was to get up during the night and wander over by Larry....

 

I sure miss having my snuggle pups in bed with me :sad1

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway

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All of ours will sleep on the bed with us as some time or another. They seem to rotate and have a "first come, first served" arrangement, with the ones who don't get up there first choosing a dog bed on the floor. I wouldn't worry about any sort of hierarchy issues. The dogs will work it out on their own.

 

I would probably get a bigger bed! ;)

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Guest RoadsterGirlie

Roo, that photo is so full of win I can't stand it!!!!

 

:beatheart:bunny:beatheart:ghplaybow:beatheart:ghplaybow:balloonparty

 

Understandably, my husband still wants to consider other dogs since he wasn't there with me when I put Manny on hold. However, after seeing Rupert's interaction with him on Sunday, my heart tells me he is the one.

 

It will be interesting to see if it happens again when we go back this Saturday.

 

I know they just got seven more in, in addition to the five that you and I met Saturday, so we shall see...

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My experience is that regardless of sleeping arrangements, you aren't going to influence pack hierarchy. They will figure it out. However, all of our four sleep on the floor on beds in our room. Benny joins us most often and I think in his last home he slept on the human bed and sometimes he just needs a cuddle. Paige joins us when she thinks I'm vulnerable of she's sick. Hermon joins us when it's thundering or sometimes just because. Brandi squeaks in when she gets cold or just needs some attention. Brandi is the bottom dog of our pack, Benny is second bottom.

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They both have their own beds on either side of our bed (a queen) and they sleep there at night but then in the morning they are both invited to snuggle. :beatheart

GT_signature4_zpsfaaf7821.jpg

Padfoot the greyhound fr. Coach Venom, Joined his forever family: 10-1-13

Lupin the galgo, Joined his forever family: 7-18-14
And the reptiles: Bernie the Bearded Dragon and Tonks the Russian Tortoise

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I just don't want any pack heirarchy issues...

Maybe the dogs will take the bed and you'll get the couches or beds on the floor. :)

siggy_z1ybzn.jpg

Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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