Advice on new dog sleeping

[dern]

Our new to us 7 year old lurcher is settling is nicely after a couple of months after we adopted him from the dog's trust. We have him sleeping in the kitchen during the night and he's in there during the day when we're at work but I come home every lunchtime to let him out and play with him. He's scratched at the door a bit but not a lot, doesn't do it habitually and I think that generally he seems happy enough in there.

I was wondering whether it would be a good thing for him for him to have the freedom of the house at night. I know he'll sleep in our room which I'm happy with and it'll give hime more time outside the kitchen. The only thing I'm worried about (hence the post) is whether this will make him less happy in the kitchen during the day.

When we put him to bed he goes straight in to bed... he has a bed under one of the work surfaces that's all his. Once all the lights are off he occasionally has a bit of a whimper and a jump up at the door but he soon goes to bed and he's as good as gold.

During the day occasionally he'll jump up at the door to see what's going on and has made a bit of a mess of it with his claws but it's only occasionally and we're not fussed about the door. He has plenty of toys to keep him occupied and we leave him a stuffed kong to play with. He's getting used to his routine and invariably when we get home at lunchtime and at the end of the day he's asleep.

Any advice on whether letting him have the run of the house at night would cause problems would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

[Jasandjules]

If he is housetrained I see no problem given them the run. Ours do.

[bexVN]

Think it'll be fine. Bryn has run of house at night (sleeps in our room though. Confined to lounge when we go out and seems fine with it. Our last dog had free run of house at all times, we hope we can do same with Bryn eventually

[dern]

Thanks for the encouragement. Tried it out last night and he was as good as gold. Apart from a bit of confusion at the start he lay on his bed, wagged his tail for a minute or so and then slept right through. Didn't even get up when I had to in the night. I'll see how he is today when I go back at lunchtime when he's been in the kitchen. Can't really trust him out during the day yet I don't think. Too much stuff to chew.

Cheers,

Mark

[OldBuoy]

Our dog scratched closed doors, we leave them open now and he's been fine.
He tends to start his night downstairs and comes up to his bed during the small hours.

[pteron]

Dogs are pack animals and would normally sleep together - making a single dog sleep on his own is distressing for him.

Our dog is getting very old but has always slept in the room with us. He still drags himself up the stairs each night even though it takes him many minutes to climb the stairs. That's how much he wants to be with the pack.

[CAPP0]

Our old Duffy always had the run of the downstairs, all the time whether we were in or out, but we never have allowed them upstairs. Once Otis is older he'll have the same, but not until he stops chewing and stealing. Currently training him that the stairs are a no-go area; apart from not wanting him upstairs, him having access to the stairs is too costly in terms of Oakley sunglasses

Also, if you want them to perform any sort of guard duty, there's not much point them being behind a door/gate where the thief can just point and go "ha ha" in a Simpsons voice

[DMN]

Sounds like your dog is bored being in the kitchen all day, and night.

Ours did the same, when we didn't 100% trust her to behave, we kept her in the Kitchen whilst we were out. She too scratched and chewed the wood she could get too.

So one day we just took the plunge and left her with the run of a few rooms. She has the odd accident, but the chewing has stopped. She's crate trained and that doubles up as her bed. So if we need to put her away at all, she stays in there. She normally takes herself to bed most nights anway.

Edited by DMN on Friday 10th October 11:12