Lena. Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) Hello Everybody! New member here and just adopted a beautiful 5-year old Akita over the weekend from the Sydney RSPCA. We have never owned an Akita before but fell in love with her. She was left by her family when they moved overseas. Mia's starting to warm up to us and getting used to her new home. She's ok to be inside the house when we're home but at night, the hub's prefer her outside. I'm working on him to let her sleep inside, at least in the laundry room, but we need to have a doggie door put in first. We have an empty shed in the backyard where I put her doggie bed and toys. Her food and drinking bowl are also in the shed. The past couple of nights Mia's been with us, my hubby and I noticed that she's not sleeping in her bed. In the mornings, we'd find her asleep on the concrete walk in front of the workshop also in the backyard. Should I be worried that she's cold? Sorry, if I sound a bit silly. I've only had inside dogs in the past. The only other covered area in the backyard is where we have the bbq and picnic bench. I am hesitant to try and move her bed there but being a total furball, I'm worried her hair will be all over the place. Would appreciate any advice. Many thanks! p.s. Don't know if it's relevant at all but she's also recently desexed and RSPCA removed a benign mammary tumor. Edited February 14, 2011 by Lena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KumaAkita Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Morning Lena - good on you for rescuing this girl. You do know that photos are mandatory!! ;) My boy sleeps in a crate inside, perhaps this is something that you could consider for her? that way she's inside and cozy, but not able to wander around the house. I wouldn't be too worried about her sleeping on the concrete - she probably has slept on the bed at some point during the night but has moved to the concrete to cool down. My boy loves lying on our concrete patio. In respect to the hair, they aren't as heavy shedders as some other breeds. She will drop twice a year, and you will notice a few dust bunnies around the place at other times. My parent's lab shed more hair than my Akita! Come into the spitz breed forum and chat with us other spitzers ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Owning a spitz breed... I can tell you that the Fluffy Spitz LOVES the cold ;) I have a Jap Spitz. She has a crate and basically a bed in every room of the house... but she will sleep on the floor or take the cushion out of her crate and bed, before she goes to sleep on there... I wouldn't worry too much.. just as long as Mia is comfortable ;) Maybe just put down a towel on the floor for her instead of bedding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Pull back your sheets and invite her under for a cuddle. Hubby will eventually learn that in order for him to have a good nights sleep that he needs to crash on the sofa while you and Mia share the main bed. ;) Congrats on your new family member! And photos please : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TsarsMum Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 my samoyed is the same i have given up he will not sleep on a bed and he has 2 lol. he preferes the limestone or the sand and as for inside i gave up with my boy he just got too hot and hated it. he loves sleeping out side and at about 9.30 if he is inside go goes to the back to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 How far is the shed from the back door. My dogs like to sleep as close to the back door as possible but outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lena. Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Thanks so much for the replies and advice. I'm being a complete worry-wart and I just want to make sure she's comfortable. LoL Here's a quick pic of her. Will post more at the Spitz thread. It's massively long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Perhaps the shed is too warm for her? It is the middle of summer after all, and metal sheds do get stuff and stay that way? Is there an undercover area near the back door you can put her bed? Dogs molt, you're just going to get used to it! I know when I moved in with OH I kept having fits that our Kelpie moulted *everywhere* but now I just accept we'll find dog fur in places they shouldn't be.. it's just part and parcel of having a dog that sheds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KumaAkita Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Oh she's beautiful! Yeah, the spitz thread is long, just read the last few pages and jump on in ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lena. Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 The back shed is roughly 20 steps from the nearest door. The past few days here in Western Sydney has been cool/cloudy actually. I read somewhere that I should put a jumper I've worn on the doggie bed so maybe she can smell me, and not her new bed. We'll try again tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 If she cannot see the back door from her bed, my guess is she'll probably never sleep in it. If she must be outside, I suggest you buy a proper kennel and position it with a clear view of the back door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lena. Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 If she cannot see the back door from her bed, my guess is she'll probably never sleep in it.If she must be outside, I suggest you buy a proper kennel and position it with a clear view of the back door. Bingo! Her bed is slightly hidden inside the shed. I'll move it so she can see our door. Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curlybert Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Pull back your sheets and invite her under for a cuddle. Hubby will eventually learn that in order for him to have a good nights sleep that he needs to crash on the sofa while you and Mia share the main bed. ;) Congrats on your new family member! And photos please : ) You are kinder than me, Clyde. I was going to suggest Hubby crash in the shed. Congrats on your rescue Akita girl, Lena. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 What a gorgeous doggy - and congrats on you for adopting her! I think most bigger dogs with generous fur end up sleeping on the cold surfaces. Even when provided with such comfy lodgings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie10 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 What a gorgeous doggy - and congrats on you for adopting her!I think most bigger dogs with generous fur end up sleeping on the cold surfaces. Even when provided with such comfy lodgings! My two, although they don't have that big spitz coat, are still generously covered, and they do like to sleep on the concrete in the garage or on the cool tiles, Anouk especially. She would 'dig' in her crate to get to the cool plastic. She is a beautiful girl, and congratulations on adopting her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelle Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Hi Lena. Mia is beautiful, congratulations on the adoption. None of my Akitas would ever sleep on a bed, all preferred the floor, the concrete or the shower base. Worry not ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I have 4 kennels around my place, but they only ever use the ones that look right into the house and door, same with the beds, i position them so they can see inside all the time.As far as hair goes, i sweep my patio area down every day, then slosh it lightly with water and white vinegar. Every couple of weeks i hose the whole lot down, kennels beds etc. I like my place clean and fresh all the time, and keeps flies away too. Some dogs just prefer concrete to lay on, i had a foster who would never go in a kennel no matter what i did! How about a dogbed near the back door? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Shepherd mom Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Casper only lies in his bed long enough for me to give him his bed-time treat. By the time I have locked the back door, he is asleep on the paving out in the open. I think he prefers it in summer. In winter he will usually move to the door mat at the back door but in summer he prefers the open air. Don't panic about your dog. She will sleep wherever she is comfortable. If she gets cold or the ground gets too hard she will use her bed or find another comfy spot. She is gorgeous by the way. Congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindainfa Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Mia is amazing looking! Congrats on your new furbaby. I wouldn't worry about her sleeping on the concrete. I have two indoor dogs, they have a beautiful bed inside, they prefer the floorboards (sleep on the bed with us at night though) and when they are outside they have another bed and a kennel. The kennel never gets used, the bed got chewed at the corners but gets used by one dog, the other prefers to lie in the dirt and grass!! He actually digs a hole and puts himself in there to sleep. She has a thick coat, im sure she is not cold at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 She is not going to get cold. If anything she is probably too hot on her bed and prefers the concrete as it's cool. I bought numerous beds over the years and none of them ever got slept on. If I put the bed in the favourite sleeping spot then it would just get dragged out the way so the tiles could be slept on as per usuual. We've put beds in the dogs crates and they sleep in there in Winter but hardly every in Summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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