Cold winter nights

BradA1878BradA1878
edited November 2008 in Akita (秋田犬)
Our bedroom is upstairs, and we heat our home with wood. So this means I have to really heat the downstairs with the wood stove in order to get the upstairs warm. The dogs don't really like that so much.

We have been talking about getting an electric heater to put upstairs. Then it occurred to me, why spend money one an electric heater? We have a natural heat source right here! Female Akita!

So Lani and Fuji are sleeping with us at night now, they are good little bed buddies, tho they take up the whole bed. Last night all I needed was a sheet because I was so freaking hot from them. lol!

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Comments

  • CrimsonO2CrimsonO2
    edited November -1
    Don't your other dogs get jealous?

    Jesse
  • asiaasia
    edited November -1
    When we were on the farm, we had the same problem. Unfortunately no dogs were allowed upstairs to snuggle. Lucky you guys to have so many choices!!
    ...
    I have the same question Jesse.
  • KFontaine04KFontaine04
    edited November -1
    Yes me too. Miso gets kinda Jealous if I even pick up Sake for too long... How do your other dogs react?
  • sunyatasunyata
    edited November -1
    Hmm. Akita blankets. That would probably work much better than my Shiba foot warmers. :)
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    We had a "no dogs in the bedroom" rule too, I have allergies. But on our recent trip Loa slept with us and I did fine so we are gonna try it out.

    As for the jealousy, Kona doesn't snuggle, the Shibas will not sleep if they are near us [they play all night - we have tried it many times], Hilo can't get upstairs and would be too hot anyway, Ahi would NEVER snuggle like that, and Luytiy is huge. The only one that would get jealous is Loa, but she snuggles with Kona all night. we may rotate her in, so we are constantly rotating Fuji, Lani and Loa. I think we may only allow one pup upstairs and just do the rotation thing. We are not sure about Kahuna yet, he is kinda young.

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  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    Awww. Now I bet there's a market for that...Akita blankets. A bit high maintenance compared to a regular blanket, but they give so much love in return. :-)
  • ShikokuSpiritShikokuSpirit
    edited November -1
    Aww...my doggies don't last very long on the bed. They don't mind laying next to me for a short period of time, but they were never truely snugglers. The bed is kinda small anyways. IF they so choose to sleep, for some reason the hard floor is much more comfortable for them. Either that or sleeping outside in the dirt or in a crate. They only like the bed if they can have the ENTIRE bed to THEMSELVES. Like it's some kind of single dog bed. Jerks, lol.

    I like Akita blankets, can I barrow Fuji? -shifts eyes to side- It is actually getting cold at nights now.
  • sujewelsujewel
    edited November -1
    Akita pillows are awesome!!! Our bed is quite crowded with both dogs and cats sleeping with us. I don't like the dogs on the bed, but Kurt is a big softy.
  • JessicaRabbitJessicaRabbit
    edited November -1
    Miko loves her Kuranda bed in her pen. Moto sleeps in a different spot every night. His favorite is if we have a pile of laundry on the floor. Piglet is under the covers smack dab in between Jason and me.

    It is hell in the summer if we don't have the A/C going. In fact between Piglet and Jason's GIANTNESS I typically end up getting too hot. It has been down in the 30's here in Providence, and I still have to keep a fan on in the bedroom.

    I bet Kahuna would be a good blanket buddy too.
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    Awwwwwwwwwwww! Pure genius ;) ~
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited November -1
    Good to know my shiba isn't the only one that won't settle down to sleep! Our dogs both sleep in their crates right now, but sometimes I let Belle come in the bed with us... for such a small dog she is like nuclear reactor HOT! I like to keep the window open or cracked at night (yes... year round) cuz I like the air to be cold around me. That way I can bury myself in a down comforter ahhhh :o)

    Every time I see a picture of Hilo I think he looks like the best napping buddy ever - but I'm sure I wouldn't mind a Lani or Fuji blanket :oD
  • santuzzasantuzza
    edited November -1
    I second the Hilo blanket idea. He'd be my first choice.
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    edited November -1
    Why can't the blasted shibas just sleep at night? Why do they need to hide their toys under my sheets and then hunt them at 0300? Shibas make really good slippers though in cold weather, one on each foot.
  • ljowen123ljowen123
    edited November -1
    Jazz curls up on the bed beside me and is out for the night - unless I wake and get up and then she grumbles at me until I settle back down.
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November 2008
    I have to say the timing of Hanzo was awful, since now its really cold at night and the other three (especially Tsuki/Kitsu) who normally cuddle are sleeping downstairs while Hanzo sleeps on the dog bed in my room upstairs behind closed doors. I miss my foot warmers. Tsuki perpetually sleeps curled up to my back, she is the best little space heater.

    I love the idea of Akita blankets though :)
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    Evan! I do the same thing! [ leaving the window cracked so the air is cold ] I thought I was just strange lol :p ~
  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    Nope, not strange at all. I do it too. My whole family does. :-)
  • ljowen123ljowen123
    edited November -1
    I do the same - I hate turning the heat on in my house at all - I prefer the cold.
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    Yes! I am not alone! :D ~
  • RomiRomi
    edited November -1
    awww! I want Akita Heaters!!!

    I just have Portia...who always cuddles with John...and takes up the whole bed and leaves me a sliver to sleep on.
  • MommyofNikoMommyofNiko
    edited November -1
    First thing I wondered was your allergies Brad-Glad you can manage.
    I have learned that I get way too hot with Chad in the bed-I sleep much better when he is gone, but I have a little heater in my belly right now so I have windows open and fans going and still dripping...
    Space heaters scare me...just do lots of research Brad! As I know you will. ; )
  • HeidiHeidi
    edited November -1
    Aww, I would love to snuggle an akita all night!

    Since I'm sort of designing the house we're going to build, I'm doing a lot of research into masonry fireplaces. I would love to heat with wood. I also downloaded a pdf version of the book rocket heaters that tells you how to make your own for practically nothing. Cool stuff, I tell ya!
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    Heidi - You mos def need to get a subscription to this mag then: http://www.homepower.com/home/. It's really great and helpful for planning things like that.

    This article had a great example of integrating a masonry stove for full0-house heat.

    The only complaint I have with heating our home with wood is that it is either hot or cold, never in between. A lot of time we just burn the fire very hot and keep the door cracked so the dogs can come and go - that gives us a nice temp downstairs but gets some heat upstairs too... tho it's about the most inefficient thing we could do. lol

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    News on the Dog heaters...

    Last night poor little Loa fell off the bed! She rolled over and right off the bed. :o( She will not even go near the stairs now. Poor thing.

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  • KFontaine04KFontaine04
    edited November -1
    Awww, poor Loa!
  • sunyatasunyata
    edited November -1
    Aww. Poor Loa! If Bella falls off, she just gets up, looks around embarrassed, and jumps right back up! Nola is not big enough to jump on the bed, she preferres under the bed.
  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    Awww. Poor Loa. Joey is a restless sleeper and I'm pretty sure he falls off the bed regularly. Some mornings I wake up to find him in his or Lucy's crate. Both my pups have fallen onto the couch while sleeping ontop of the back rest portion. Its pretty funny when it happens, because they get this look on their face like "how did I end up down here?" :-)
  • miketmiket
    edited November -1
    I don't let dogs sleep on the bed anymore because I toss A LOT and am not a cuddly sleep and can't get to sleep if anyone (four or two legged) is touching me. The last two times I tried it, I either got no sleep or the dog accidently got pushed/kicked/bumped off the bed (while I was asleep of course!). Now all doggies sleep on the floor or in their crate.

    Brad, how can someone own that many dogs and be allergic to them?!?!?! You are either crazy or really obsessed with your dogs..lol
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    Kaia was sleeping on the back of the couch once and fell onto Ahi who was sleeping on the couch cushions. Ahi was so pissed, and Kaia was so disorientated and scared out of her mind [because Ahi is not tolerant of being touched]. Both the dogs were frozen and Ahi was letting out this low rumble... I had to pick Kaia up and rescue her! poor thing!

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    I am allergic to dog's saliva and not their dander, so as long as they don't lick me or my stuff I am ok.

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  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November -1
    how do you handle keeping them from licking you? During kitten season when we foster I have a stock pile of Zantac and Benedryl, loads of tissues and tea and hope they don't scratch, sleep on or lick me. Its dreadful to be allergic to something you love.
  • BradA1878BradA1878
    edited November -1
    I teach them not to lick me, they know they can lick Jen but not me. Loa still licks my pants, but that doesn't bother me to much.
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