I need some doggie advice

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
OK some of you know I have 2 dogs, an 8 YO pug (Maximus) & a 1 YO puggle (Penny). So here's my conundrum. At night Max sleeps in bed w/me & Penny sleeps in a crate by the bed. Now that she's housebroken & old enough not to destroy anything while I'm sleeping, I'd like to just get rid of the night crate & let her sleep w/us.

But I worry a little about Max. Penny can sometimes be overwhelming for him & I wonder if he looks forward to night so he can have a break from her, and some QT w/me without her being all over him. I have let her up w/us a few times early in the am before I get up, but the look on his face makes me think I'm hurting his feelings. Of course this could be my imagination since pugs always have that worried look on their cute little faces. He didn't really seem to have any other reaction & after she settled down he did too.

Am I overthinking this? Am I over-humanizing my dogs? (easy to do w/pugs, they have such expressive faces!) Max is my first baby & I do love him a bit more, partly b/c he's been w/me longer, partly b/c he's not constantly trying to destroy everything I own. :p I do want to make sure he always feels special & knows that I love him. But I feel so bad for Penny, like I'm excluding her from the family, plus she's so darned cute & cuddly.

So this is my big decision of the week. Help me out here. :)
 
I don't know what to offer you in the way of advice. Part of me thinks Maximus is the oldest and has earned his place to sleep in bed with you.
In the dog world, each dog has their place in the pack. According to Cesar, dogs do not view it as right and wrong, fair or unfair treatment. Not like humans.
I don't see how you are hurting Penny since sleeping in the crate is what she knows.

OTH, in our home..... Both dogs sleep with us. The bed has become our pack den. Oh gosh, I can't believe I'm writing this!!
It's crowded in our bed with 2 boxers! So much so, it's effecting my sleep and sleep posture. I wake up with more aches from sleeping in odd positions from the dogs. The dogs I have after these two will not sleep in my bed.
 
Laura - If it was me, I would leave her be, especially if she is perfectly happy in her crate at night. I tried the whole sleeping with multiple dogs thing and it just didn't work for me. One was always bothering the other and I ended up with two - three wandering wiener dogs in my bed at night. I sleep with Dakota now and Cheyenne and Montana both sleep in their crates. Everyone is happy with the arrangement and Dakota gets his "mommy and me" time every night. I'm probably overly humanizing them too, but I think he would be a little po'd now if I started letting the other dogs back in the bed! ;) You might try it out once though (on a night when your sleep isn't too important) and see how it goes. They may cuddle up together and sleep through the night with no problem.
 
One was always bothering the other and I ended up with
>two - three wandering wiener dogs in my bed at night. <

LOL! That reads so funny....but so true! My bed is a circus some nights. Changing positions, jumping on and off all night. Goodness gracious!!!
:+
 
Hi Laura,

I sympathize with your dilemna. I have four dogs, the oldest is also 8 and the youngest is 2. I am in no way a dog behavior expert, but dogs are truly pack animals (as you know) so I think it is important that Penny be included in your Pack, even at night. While it may be disruptive for Max in the beginning, he may over time come to enjoy the additional companionship/comfort from Penny while he is sleeping. When we rescued our youngest one, the oldest dog was very put out by this, put out by his very presence in our home. He would look at us like "seriously? Another one? Are you nuts?" Or at least that's what we imagined he was thinking by the sour puss looks he was giving us.

Maybe just give Max a few extra tummy rubs and maybe a treat at night to let him know that he still has a very high status with you and that he isn't being replaced on the pecking order of things. It will be an adjustment for him, but dogs are remarkable at adapting.

Good Luck!!

Corie
 
I have 5 cats (I don't recommend anyone have more than 2) so my experience with dogs is limited but, judging by the way my first kitty, Binky, behaved as The Others were added I agree that Maximus has earned his place in bed with you. The first pet needs to know that they're special to you, no matter how cute and fuzzy the new guy is. Whoever said cats don't need a lot of attention never met mine because they fight over me. Somehow, dealing with the other four, Binky kind of got lost for awhile - but not anymore. Recently, i've been really showering her with attention and she's taken to sleeping to the right of my pillow. So I've made it clear to the others that that's Binky's spot. Now she sleeps in that spot all through the night - and I love that My First Kitty has this spot of honor next to me. I wish I'd noticed how hurt she was before. Yea, I think maybe Maximus needs to know he'll always be your number one baby and yea, he probably is hurt. So let him be the bed dog, at least until it becomes obvious he's no longer insecure about his place and is willing to have his girlfriend (once they've become friends) join him you all.
 
I have 5 cats (I don't recommend anyone have more than 2) so my experience with dogs is limited but, judging by the way my first kitty, Binky, behaved as The Others were added I agree that Maximus has earned his place in bed with you. The first pet needs to know that they're special to you, no matter how cute and fuzzy the new guy is. Whoever said cats don't need a lot of attention never met mine because they fight over me. Somehow, dealing with the other four, Binky kind of got lost for awhile - but not anymore. Recently, i've been really showering her with attention and she's taken to sleeping to the right of my pillow. So I've made it clear to the others that that's Binky's spot. Now she sleeps in that spot all through the night - and I love that My First Kitty has this spot of honor next to me. I wish I'd noticed how hurt she was before. Yea, I think maybe Maximus needs to know he'll always be your number one baby and yea, he probably is hurt. So let him be the bed dog, at least until it becomes obvious he's no longer insecure about his place and is willing to have his girlfriend (once they've become friends) join him you all.
 
Why not just open the door to the crate and see what Penny does? She may be perfectly content to stay where she is. Or, you may find that she'll sleep UNDER you bed! Our bigger dog always sleeps under my DD's bed, even though she could easily jump on top. It must feel like a little safe cave for her.

As far as "over-humanizing," you should hear the conversations I have with my two dogs!
 
Why not just open the door to the crate and see what Penny does? She may be perfectly content to stay where she is. Or, you may find that she'll sleep UNDER you bed! Our bigger dog always sleeps under my DD's bed, even though she could easily jump on top. It must feel like a little safe cave for her.

As far as "over-humanizing," you should hear the conversations I have with my two dogs!
 
I like Delfin's idea of leaving the crate door open and see what she does. She may be content where she is.

The whole pack usually sleeps on the bed at our house (dog and cat), but sometimes Rascal just likes to go into his crate and snooze there for part of the night.

<<Am I over-humanizing my dogs?>>

I'm completely guilty of this, but getting better about it. :)

Fit44 - I love your avatar!!
 
I like Delfin's idea of leaving the crate door open and see what she does. She may be content where she is.

The whole pack usually sleeps on the bed at our house (dog and cat), but sometimes Rascal just likes to go into his crate and snooze there for part of the night.

<<Am I over-humanizing my dogs?>>

I'm completely guilty of this, but getting better about it. :)

Fit44 - I love your avatar!!
 
I LOVE your avatar Gayle!!

Who is that in your avatar?

Mine is of my girl Mercedes when she was a puppy. She is wearing her first winter coat:)
 
I LOVE your avatar Gayle!!

Who is that in your avatar?

Mine is of my girl Mercedes when she was a puppy. She is wearing her first winter coat:)
 
I'm going to be the party pooper and say that my dog sleep on the floor and humans sleep on the bed.

It may seem cold hearted but my dog is not my equal. I am the alpha in the house and the keeper of the resources - food, attention and play-time and privileges. She understands clearly that she is the underling in the house. She sleeps on her own bed on the floor.

This doesn't mean I don't love her or dont' get all goofy over her, but there is a pecking order in the house and two legs outranks four.

That being said, I sincerely respect other people's opinions and the sleeping arrangements that suit you. :)

Now my cats - well, my cats could give a rat's a$$ about the pecking order. Heehee!:p

Susan L.G.
 
I'm going to be the party pooper and say that my dog sleep on the floor and humans sleep on the bed.

It may seem cold hearted but my dog is not my equal. I am the alpha in the house and the keeper of the resources - food, attention and play-time and privileges. She understands clearly that she is the underling in the house. She sleeps on her own bed on the floor.

This doesn't mean I don't love her or dont' get all goofy over her, but there is a pecking order in the house and two legs outranks four.

That being said, I sincerely respect other people's opinions and the sleeping arrangements that suit you. :)

Now my cats - well, my cats could give a rat's a$$ about the pecking order. Heehee!:p

Susan L.G.
 
I've left the crate door open, usually when I get up early to let them out & then go back to bed for a snooze. She jumps on the bed immediately. Penny is such a little lovebug--she's the most affectionate dog I've ever owned & she'll do anything to cuddle w/her big brother & me. That's one of the reasons I'm struggling w/this (and glad it's the only struggle I'm having w/those two little monsters).

Susan, I get what you're saying, but my california king would be awfully empty & lonely without my little teddy bear to keep me company. :)
 
I've left the crate door open, usually when I get up early to let them out & then go back to bed for a snooze. She jumps on the bed immediately. Penny is such a little lovebug--she's the most affectionate dog I've ever owned & she'll do anything to cuddle w/her big brother & me. That's one of the reasons I'm struggling w/this (and glad it's the only struggle I'm having w/those two little monsters).

Susan, I get what you're saying, but my california king would be awfully empty & lonely without my little teddy bear to keep me company. :)
 
Heehee, Laura Max -

I guess my lab *is* a little too big for the bed anyway! But it's amazing how much space a 5 lb cat thinks she requires!
 
Heehee, Laura Max -

I guess my lab *is* a little too big for the bed anyway! But it's amazing how much space a 5 lb cat thinks she requires!
 
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