Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Up to now my husband and I sleep in separate beds (health issues) the dogs both sleep on or in the beds they chose where and who they will sleep with each night. I know many don't like dogs on beds but it works for us.
Anyway husband is having a knee replacement so has moved into the spare room so he can be dog free while he is recovering. After one sleepless night Betty (Chihuahua) settled down and is happily snuggled up with me but Elsie is not liking it at all. Every time she hears a noise she barks (just one bark but enough to wake everyone up), 4 nights into it now and no improvement in fact she spent a lot of last night just prowling around the hallway and snuffling under the spare room door.
Any ideas who I can get her to settle ? She isn't being naughty just misses her Dad I think and this will be for next 4 months I think before we can get back to normal.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Any reason you can't have his door open and allow her to snuffle around the bed? Would Elsie try and jump on to OH's bed? Is that what you are trying to avoid? (I am assuming so!)
Wondering if you could put a bed on the floor in OH's room to give her the option of sleeping there. If she hasn't ever slept on the spare bed herself, then she may not regard it as her right anyway?
Just some thoughts.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Yes trouble is she is used to jumping on him and settling under his armpit, never looks very comfy to me but they manage LOL

We may try leaving the door open and putting the baby gate across it because it could be like you say she just needs to see him.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Do you have a crate for her that you could use at night in his bedroom?

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

[quote author=Julie1962 link=topic=8340.msg117865#msg117865 date=1413631613]
We may try leaving the door open and putting the baby gate across it because it could be like you say she just needs to see him.
[/quote]

Sounds worth a try. Might she settle in a crate by his bed to stop her jumping up on the bed?

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

That sounds like a good idea.
Lilly hates closed doors.
We had a seamless move from always having the bathroom door open when we were sat on the loo/having shower/brushing teeth FOR THE KIDS to now FOR THE DOG.
Otherwise you have a high risk of them charging through or scraping the door - or whining :

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

The number of times I go to get out of the shower to find the bath mat has turned into a labrador...bloomin' inconvenient, feel like wiping my feet on him times!

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

[quote author=JulieT link=topic=8340.msg117871#msg117871 date=1413632002]
The number of times I go to get out of the shower to find the bath mat has turned into a labrador...bloomin' inconvenient, feel like wiping my feet on him times!
[/quote]
Oh yeah....my bathmat is NEVER clean - always has either lab footprints of lab hair.
Of course, it would help if people just picked it up of the floor once they had used it!
Lilly does seem to know that when she hears the door open she really has to move though (usually signals breakfast is coming ;D )

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

[quote author=JulieT link=topic=8340.msg117867#msg117867 date=1413631777]
[quote author=Julie1962 link=topic=8340.msg117865#msg117865 date=1413631613]
We may try leaving the door open and putting the baby gate across it because it could be like you say she just needs to see him.
[/quote]

Sounds worth a try. Might she settle in a crate by his bed to stop her jumping up on the bed?
[/quote]

Good idea but I can't see a crate fitting he really is in the smallest room - I did volunteer but he didn't want to sleep with the freezer and tumble drier which is what I am doing. Utility room/bedroom ???

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

What about using a blanket support cradle in his bed over the knees? It would protect him from canine invasion onto the sore knee at night but the dogs could still see and touch hands, etc.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

That was our first thought however the nurse who is going to visit to change dressings is not keen (very not keen) on dog hair in the bedroom. Don't want to upset her so making the small bedroom as hair free as possible. She isn't a doggy person at all.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

I thought this was just to avoid OH being assaulted by rampaging dogs! You could point out to the nurse that bacteria, especially staphylococci, are not carried on dog hair but on canine skin itself/up the nose. And that the vast majority of dogs colonised by human (as opposed to canine) staphs live with health care workers themselves, not ordinary members of the public, so the dogs are of very little consequence in terms of infection for OH. I've had quite a few bits of orthopaedic surgery over the last couple of years and apart from keeping my dogs off the operated-upon bit from a pain prevention point of view I've not worried about it at all.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

I would advise you to keep the dogs out of sight of the visiting nurse. Whilst she is there.

I agree with Lochan, there is more risk of infection from the nurse herself than your dogs, although I wouldn't advise you pointing that out to her

I am a HUGE fan however of keeping to as few (human) visitors as possible when your OH is actually in hospital, and strictly adhering to all the hand-washing advice, and "not sitting on the patient seat or bed" rules that they should have in place. When I was having my hip done I actively discouraged visitors (trailing all their germs in). I very much enjoyed peace and quiet to get on with reading my book once I had woken up

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

This is mainly to keep him pain free, Elsie is still quite excitable at times and if she leaps on him accidentally it could be a disaster. The nurse is just an incidental which I probably could have not mentioned. The dogs won't meet her I always check of people like dogs before inflicting mine on them.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

I would definitely try the baby gate in the door - that way the dogs can still see, smell and hear your OH but not physically get to him. You might find this is enough to help them settle.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Bit of jigging around and we have the baby gate across my bedroom door, so they stay in with me but will be able to see hear "dad" across the hallway. We weren't sure he would be able to get through the gate if it was across his door after his op as his mobility will be compromised. So will give that a try tonight.

Thank you all for the ideas something amongst them will work !

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Yayyy ! We all slept ! Having the doors open and the gate across my bedroom so she could see and hear him was enough to settle her down. Thank you again for all the help.

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

[quote author=Julie1962 link=topic=8340.msg118075#msg118075 date=1413700471]
Yayyy ! We all slept ! Having the doors open and the gate across my bedroom so she could see and hear him was enough to settle her down. Thank you again for all the help.
[/quote]

What a relief for you both!

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Really good news

 

Re: Change of sleeping arrangements causing problems

Great!