New Dog - Need some advice

cbwolf · 19th June 2012, 11:18 AM

Hey guys,

On Sunday i adopted a female 2 year old Staffy from the RSPCA.

I've previously only had outside dogs (German Shepheard and Labrador) and am a little unfamiliar with the sleeping arrangements for a staffy.

I have a warm, fleecy bed set up for her in the kitchen, however we turn the heating off at night and the kitchen gets down to around 12 degrees overnight.

Is this too cold for her to sleep in? Or should i leave the heating it or get her a jumper to wear overnight? I don't want her to be uncomfortable/get sick.

Gibbon · 19th June 2012, 11:37 AM

We've got two inside dogs of probably a similar size - they're both Jack Russell X Shitzu (two brothers), though they're bigger than you'd expect

In winter we normally give them jumpers during the night, though they'd probably be OK without them (they're shaggier than a Staffy though we do keep them clipped).

Can you tell we don't have kids?

Kat5e · 19th June 2012, 11:37 AM

my friends staffies sleep in the laundry with just their soft beds and they seem fine

My cavalier does as well but he is much fluffier than a staffie!

hollysmum · 19th June 2012, 1:31 PM

Get her a bed with sides so she can snuggle in, if you put a jumper on and she gets too warm she cant take it off

Raise it off the floor or put something under the bed so the cold cant come up and chill her that way

Some dogs like being under blankets so you could put one in her bed for her too

Good on you for rescuing a dog - you know you have to tell us her name and post photos

cbwolf · 20th June 2012, 10:28 AM

Thanks for the replies guys.

I put a coat on her last night but when I went to see her this morning she was shivering and her ears were freezing. I think I'm going to have to leave the heating on and maybe get her a jumper.

Anyway - her name is Jessie. She's a beautiful brindle staffy.

hollysmum · 20th June 2012, 10:36 AM

dawww she is a sweet looking girl

cbwolf · 20th June 2012, 11:42 AM

I was just having a look around and saw some electric pad/blanket type things designed for dogs.

Has anyone used one of those? (or even a normal electric blanket).

HumbleBum · 20th June 2012, 11:52 AM

We have 2 cockers.. they sleep in the Garage. It was 4c outside this morning.

Dog House
Jumpers
3 Old Doonas

Usually we wake them up in the morning, and they will be half under a doona.

They manage fine.

Nightwish · 20th June 2012, 1:34 PM

Lol I'm sure she'll be ok without the heater on, we used to own boxers which are by no means big and hairy dogs and they used to sleep outside sometimes when it got to 0 or below, my other dogs (weimarners) sleep inside and in winter the kitchen gets quite cold, I give them both a fluffy blanket to snuggled in and their mattress is covered with a blanket and that just fine for them. I'm sure she'll be ok without the heater if you give her a good coat and/or blanket

clockwork · 20th June 2012, 2:08 PM

Buy a microwavable heatpad such as http://www.petsonthepark.com.au/prod445.htm

Shop around for a better price.

We bought one for our cat about 4 years ago and it is still going strong.

Microwave for 4 minutes (in our microwave) and it stays warm all night.

I wrap it in an old towel to slow down the heat loss and to avoid it being too hot.

Our cat goes nuts for it. When I try to put in in his bed during the day he tries to climb in before I can finish installing. He then stands on it for about one minute to warm his pads, then snuggles down for a short nap of 6+ hours.

FYI, he is a 19 year old Burmese. Not a staffy I know, but the warmth is pet agnostic.

No electricity involved and the plastic cover is extremely hard

Rogue-X · 21st June 2012, 5:09 PM

Let her sleep on the bed with you. I let mine sleep where she wants, she is lovely and warm when its cold

BBITS · 21st June 2012, 5:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue-X

Let her sleep on the bed with you. I let mine sleep where she wants, she is lovely and warm when its cold

Get out of here.

Jesmol · 21st June 2012, 5:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBITS

Get out of here.

Whats wrong with that ?

BBITS · 21st June 2012, 5:27 PM

Sleeping with animals? Oh nothing, nothing at all... *face_palmtree.jpg*

Not only is it unhealthy, its bad pet ownership technique kids!

Jesmol · 21st June 2012, 5:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBITS

Sleeping with animals? Oh nothing, nothing at all... *face_palmtree.jpg*

Not only is it unhealthy, its bad pet ownership technique kids!

LOL.....unhealthy ? bad pet ownership ?

19th June 2012, 11:18 AM	#1
cbwolf Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,764	New Dog - Need some advice Hey guys, On Sunday i adopted a female 2 year old Staffy from the RSPCA. I've previously only had outside dogs (German Shepheard and Labrador) and am a little unfamiliar with the sleeping arrangements for a staffy. I have a warm, fleecy bed set up for her in the kitchen, however we turn the heating off at night and the kitchen gets down to around 12 degrees overnight. Is this too cold for her to sleep in? Or should i leave the heating it or get her a jumper to wear overnight? I don't want her to be uncomfortable/get sick. __________________ i7 2700k \| Asus Maximus V Formula \| 2x GTX 680 SLI \| 16GB Ripjaws DDR3 2133 \| OCZ Vertex3 2x 240GB + 120GB SSD \| Asus Xonar Essence STX \|Samsung s27a950d Over $4,500 in forum trades and counting!

19th June 2012, 11:37 AM	#2
Gibbon grumpy old man Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: NSW Posts: 5,166	We've got two inside dogs of probably a similar size - they're both Jack Russell X Shitzu (two brothers), though they're bigger than you'd expect In winter we normally give them jumpers during the night, though they'd probably be OK without them (they're shaggier than a Staffy though we do keep them clipped). Can you tell we don't have kids? Last edited by Gibbon; 19th June 2012 at 11:42 AM.

19th June 2012, 11:37 AM	#3
Kat5e Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Melbourne, 3094 Posts: 100	my friends staffies sleep in the laundry with just their soft beds and they seem fine My cavalier does as well but he is much fluffier than a staffie! __________________ successful trades with 30+ members

20th June 2012, 10:28 AM	#5
cbwolf Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,764	Thanks for the replies guys. I put a coat on her last night but when I went to see her this morning she was shivering and her ears were freezing. I think I'm going to have to leave the heating on and maybe get her a jumper. Anyway - her name is Jessie. She's a beautiful brindle staffy. __________________ i7 2700k \| Asus Maximus V Formula \| 2x GTX 680 SLI \| 16GB Ripjaws DDR3 2133 \| OCZ Vertex3 2x 240GB + 120GB SSD \| Asus Xonar Essence STX \|Samsung s27a950d Over $4,500 in forum trades and counting!

20th June 2012, 11:42 AM	#7
cbwolf Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,764	I was just having a look around and saw some electric pad/blanket type things designed for dogs. Has anyone used one of those? (or even a normal electric blanket). __________________ i7 2700k \| Asus Maximus V Formula \| 2x GTX 680 SLI \| 16GB Ripjaws DDR3 2133 \| OCZ Vertex3 2x 240GB + 120GB SSD \| Asus Xonar Essence STX \|Samsung s27a950d Over $4,500 in forum trades and counting!

19th June 2012, 1:31 PM	#4
hollysmum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Perth Posts: 153	Get her a bed with sides so she can snuggle in, if you put a jumper on and she gets too warm she cant take it off Raise it off the floor or put something under the bed so the cold cant come up and chill her that way Some dogs like being under blankets so you could put one in her bed for her too Good on you for rescuing a dog - you know you have to tell us her name and post photos

20th June 2012, 10:36 AM	#6
hollysmum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Perth Posts: 153	dawww she is a sweet looking girl

20th June 2012, 11:52 AM	#8
HumbleBum Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Melbourne... Posts: 14,372	We have 2 cockers.. they sleep in the Garage. It was 4c outside this morning. Dog House Jumpers 3 Old Doonas Usually we wake them up in the morning, and they will be half under a doona. They manage fine. __________________ The world is broken. We are the last choking embers of a fire waiting to burn in. Long before your grandfathers and their fathers before them. We started pulling our planet apart in the name of progress and blind ambition. The greed of man has devoured this earth until there was nothing left. We watch as time eats us alive - A generation born to witness the end of the world

20th June 2012, 1:34 PM	#9
Nightwish Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,117	Lol I'm sure she'll be ok without the heater on, we used to own boxers which are by no means big and hairy dogs and they used to sleep outside sometimes when it got to 0 or below, my other dogs (weimarners) sleep inside and in winter the kitchen gets quite cold, I give them both a fluffy blanket to snuggled in and their mattress is covered with a blanket and that just fine for them. I'm sure she'll be ok without the heater if you give her a good coat and/or blanket

20th June 2012, 2:08 PM	#10
clockwork Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 103	Buy a microwavable heatpad such as http://www.petsonthepark.com.au/prod445.htm Shop around for a better price. We bought one for our cat about 4 years ago and it is still going strong. Microwave for 4 minutes (in our microwave) and it stays warm all night. I wrap it in an old towel to slow down the heat loss and to avoid it being too hot. Our cat goes nuts for it. When I try to put in in his bed during the day he tries to climb in before I can finish installing. He then stands on it for about one minute to warm his pads, then snuggles down for a short nap of 6+ hours. FYI, he is a 19 year old Burmese. Not a staffy I know, but the warmth is pet agnostic. No electricity involved and the plastic cover is extremely hard __________________ Never regretted taking a photo... ...often regretted not taking one! Last edited by clockwork; 20th June 2012 at 2:57 PM.

21st June 2012, 5:09 PM	#11
Rogue-X Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brisbane Posts: 365	Let her sleep on the bed with you. I let mine sleep where she wants, she is lovely and warm when its cold __________________ Lets pretend that YEAH=+1 and NAH=-1.....you really have said nothing when you answer with YEAH NAH.