Cosleeping frequent night breastfeeders - would you have a dog in the bedroom?

[tiredpooky]

Hello, the dog has always slept in the bedroom as we couldnt get him to sleep alone when he came 5y ago. he is very gentle. We are going to mattress on the floor this weekend and in theory we could indoor kennel him in bedroom. He has already failed a kitchen overnight trial (whines and wakes us). I love him. Its just that my nights are so interrupted, i just dont want a dog up there any more. I barely want DH up there. (Dog and DH sleep in spare room before a work day) DD is 10m. Am I wrong to be thinking of rehoming him simply because I dont 'feel like having him the bedroom?'. He is quiet generally. Or do others in my situation feel they wouldnt be able to cope with a dog either?

Does the dog sleep in the bed or on the floor? If he sleeps on the floor, do you think he might try to jump on the bed whilst you are asleep?

No way.

You should try him for more than one night in the kitchen. He would probably settle after a night of two of whining. Two nights of whining are better than rehoming him surely?

TBH I would never have a dog sleeping in the bedroom, esp. not with a child, after hearing about the woman whos face was mauled by her very placid dog (they think it had a nightmare). I am very pro-dog, I love them and used to have them up in bed with me as a teenager, but, they are dogs and you just cannot know they won't have a nightmare and instincts kick in. Can you move him to another bedroom at night? Make him up a better bed in the kitchen? How big is he? Will he sleep in a closed crate?

Thank you, of course there are other issues i didnt mention in that i seem to have a terrible anxiety developed about the dog with the baby . i have sent him on holiday and feel better. i will try him again downstairs but suspect it will end up being an indoor kennel in the bedroom.........

Our dog used to sleep in our room but I got fed up of her waiting for us to go to sleep then coming up onto the bed - DS & DH take up enough space as it is without a medium sized dog sprawled across it!
She now sleeps on the landing with a stairgate to stop her going downstairs.

No I wouldn't have a dog (or a cat) for that matter in the bedroom; but for a different reason..

My Father gave me very good advise, based on his long years of dog ownership.

It's great when they're fit and healthy, but towards the end of their lives they often develop "unpleasant" health problems.

One of our dogs developed cancer of the anus.
He was monitored by the vet in order to assess quality of life/pain levels etc, but whilst he was judged to have an acceptable quality of life, in the initial stages, a side effect was impacted anal glands and an horrendous smell.
That obviously would not be acceptable in a bedroom or any "living" room. As my Father advised, if he'd let the dog upstairs in the early years, then the dog would have faced being evicted and rejected when at it's most vulnerable. It makes sense to me.

I'd bite the bullet and relocate the dog down stairs. It will distress him now, but is potentially far worse later.

First you could try and get a DAP (dog pheremone) diffuser and put it in the room you want him to stay in, also build him a little den in there.

The Problem sounds like separation anxiety, this is an illness and may well get worse if left untreated. You should consult a vet specialising in behaviour (if he's insured cost of treatment may be covered).

Take a look at
www.behavioural-referrals.co.uk

Sarah heath is excellent, you will need a referral off your own vet, well worth it tho if you can afford it.