[Dailydrool] Advise Nicole

[Jennifer Martin]

Nicole,
We live in a two story house.  One thing to keep in mind is that depending
on how old you are, it will be more than just one hound with this problem.
 While right now you have a 14 year old that can't make it up the stairs,
you have a younger basset as well.  We can't have bassets in the bedroom
period.  I am allergic to dogs--very.  When we moved into this two story
house, we had three bassets and they were 5,4, and 3.  They slept in the
bedroom next to ours.  When Bubbles ATB was 13 she had a stroke and
couldn't go up and down stairs any more.  We switched the dogs room and the
office downstairs.  Now they are in a room at the foot of the stairs and we
are in the bedroom at the top of the stairs.  I can still hear them
amazingly well.  That switch was very easy because all the dogs moved and
they had never slept in my room.

After that we adopted Elwood ATB.  He was 7 and 20 pounds over weight.  He
couldn't go up and down stairs.  Now we have Beauford who is only three,
but he has hip dysplasia and he dislocates his hips rather easily--not good
for stairs.  The only time we have had a problem is when we have adopted
dogs that have slept in bed with their previous owners.  Then it is a bit
of a battle.  They cry for months.  We never got Beaker or Louise adjusted
and other things happened that hastened their trips to the bridge.  Browyn
was a puppy when we got her and she only slept with her foster mom for a
very short time and she still cries.  Of course she is not normal.  She is
a princess.  Anytime things don't go her way she cries.  She will be 11
months old next week.  The DH and I are going to dig Elwood's crate out (it
is bigger) and put her in with Bugsey (he tolerates sleeping with her quite
well).  Yes, my guys sleep in crates.  I am afraid that if they didn't they
would destroy everything in their room.  While it isn't much, I don't think
eating shelving units and all the bedding on them would be a good thing.  I
also have a cabinet with excess supplies in there.  It has locks on it
thanks to Louise ATB, but Beauford might figure out how to eat the wood.
 He has destroyed three couches, and the power cord to the laptop and more
cardboard boxes and dirty kleenex than I can count.

I really like the idea of having a gate at the bottom of the stairs.  You
might also need one at the top so the younger dog doesn't get stuck on the
stairs.  We have gates in both places.  We also have a half door on the
office.  When we have had bassets that didn't think they needed to eat or
shred the world, we have used dog beds instead of crates and then we can
shut the door.  That way in case of a fire, we know where the dogs are.
 There aren't any closets in that room.  They can't get under any of the
furniture in that room.  We have a pet decal on that room and plenty of
leads on hooks.  So, the firemen can chose to take them out in their crates
or by a leash.  We pulled out the carpet and have a wonderful wood laminate
in there now.  It is so easy to clean!

Would I move into this house again?  Yes.  We are in the country and I
don't have to worry about the dogs' barking bothering the neighbors.  They
have a wonderful fenced backyard that is about 1/3 of an acre to just RUN
all out in.  We sort of have room for them to run in the house.  Except for
the stupid stairs, it is the most dog friendly house we have ever lived in.
 Do I sometimes wish it was one story with all the same amenities?  Yes.

Jennifer, momslave to Beauford, Bugsey and Browyn
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