Allyalbon Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 I am pretty sleep deprived as I write this! Wondering if anyone has any tips for a hound who is waking up in the middle of the night feeling cold and waking us up to fix it! This only happens for a couple of months in the winter time but it's really disturbing our sleep. Our second dog is a lot more "padded" and chilled and seems to cope so much better, sleeps through the night and I have to wake her up, but Charlie has had issues every winter and I feel pretty sorry for her! Charlie doesn't keep weight on very well (has been checked out medically, just manages to burn it all off quickly - I am jealous) and she tends to be on the thinner side. I am giving her bigger meals with more fats and carbs and that's starting to fill her out a bit more (until she goes running then back to square one...) Also, when she is cold and doesn't want to disturb us by getting up, she will smack her lips every 5 seconds which also wakes husband and disturbs his sleep. I have tried about 5 different jacket and pyjama designs for night but she manages to either slip out of or get tangled in them to the point she can't move.... Different beds - flat ones, heavily padded ones, bean bags. Lots of blankets on top but she will always get up to rearrange and then she is on top of them. Dog electric blanket - she is very aware of it in her bed, and it also doesn't seem to heat up to a good temperature, seeing as greys run so warm. leaving the heating on - this does work, but then we overheat at night and my husband gets very dried out and it gives him a headache, also the sound of the heater coming on will wake him too. I have just bought a small standalone ceramic heater with the thought that it can go into the dogs' corner of the room and keep the ambient temperature higher there, without hopefully heating the entire room (and is quiet, I hope). I have got a second humidifier for our side of the room so that we don't dry out too much. I am really hoping that this will work! I am also contemplating moving the dogs to the spare room at night, then they can have the heating on in there without it affecting us - but this will be a hard thing to do and the dogs will probably complain and argue about this, so it's very much a last resort. I am also wondering if building her a tent of some sort will help her retain warmth but I know my OH will kick up a fuss at having a structure like that in the bedroom, even if only for a couple of months of the year. Just wondering if anyone else here has the same issues and what worked for them to overcome it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 (edited) There are newer beds that have a flap over 1/2 of them so it looks a bit like a cave - she could burrow into that and it would keep her warm. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+1+26+34029&pcatid=34029 Edited January 2, 2018 by MaryJane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 That cave bed would be good. Will she sleep in a crate? You could cover half the crate with a blanket to keep some of the heat in. If nothing else works, keep trying pajamas. There are many different styles and you might find something that works. You could also try human clothes - flannel shirt, human sweatshirt, etc - which could be more cost-effective if you take a trip to Goodwill. Are you crafty? If so, you might try making something for her yourself - if you can figure out how she manages to slip out of her PJs, you can probably figure out a way to keep them on her. Quote Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty. Wrote a book about shelter dogs! I sell things on Etsy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytTerp Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 We built a cave...Marv isn't a fan of pajamas or anything that even remotely restricts his motion. We took a huge soft-sided crate, opened the long side, and covered it with a dark, fleece blanket. He has a slumber ball and blanket inside. We call it his fort. It does wonders for him to keep him from being restless from being cold. Happy hound in his fort: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7IobEUvBvFIx6WuQ2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliemac Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 for my visiting senior hounds who struggle to keep weight on (and to stay warm), step 1 was to find a spot with NO DRAFTS. I found even a very light blanket was enough coverage to trap the heat on her little body and keep her warm & snuggly ... small, lightweight blankies are less likely to cause a tangle (you can take a piece of fleece and cut it to size ... no need to hem). If you have a ceiling fan (to keep you cooler as you raise the temperature by a degree or two), consider taking the bottom edge of your bed cover and extend it (like an awning). It will keep the area at the foot of the bed lower in drafts, and perfect location for a snuggly bed without blocking either of you from getting out of bed. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allyalbon Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 Hello everyone! Thanks for all your tips and advice - actually managed to solve this issue (so far)!! It took a few experiments though - the pyjamas of different shape and style just didn't work, the hellhound just kept getting tangled - she does a strange sliding thing in the night that pulls anything under her really tight till she just can't get up, so clothes at night are a no. I bought a stronger dog electric blanket but they are too plasticy and she is very unhappy at lying on them, and they just don't warm up enough. Tried a small heater - husband hated the noise from the word go, so it was a non-starter... Tried to build a cave/nook for her but she refused to go in it, and husband threw a fit at the appearance of the bedroom! In the end, I suddenly remembered that we had a double electric blanket that we hadn't used in a couple of years, which is specially made that you can lie on it while it is on without it cooking you/burning up in flames and have it on all night if you wanted - we were going to give it away as we just don't use it - so I grabbed it out and threw it over Char's slumber ball for the afternoon to see if it still worked and didn't get too hot/burn the house down and the instant it was turned on, she was on it and refusing to move. I lay on it for a while with her too and it was just lovely and cozy but not too hot. I kept it spread out over her bed and part of the floor, and she can properly stretch out and still be warm. I have used it 3 nights in a row now, and Char didn't get out of bed once! I actually got up before the dogs this morning too, which never happens. She actually seems brighter during the day too, so I think the poor hellhound was missing out on sleep too. So a total win! It's also only going to be for a couple of months of the year, if that, so I am happy to keep an eye on it and keep using it. And yay, husband actually is getting a full night's sleep too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.