Best sleeping arrangements for multiple dogs? (4 Dobermans!)

[bluelou]

We have 4 Dobermans, two adults and two pups (5 months old). I'm looking for advice on sleeping arrangements. Currently, they've taken over the living room and sofa (that's where the pen was located when the pups were smaller). I'd like to get the living room back to living space for people. There's enough room for all 4 in the bedroom and/or a home office. I don't think I need to crate them. Sleeping on mats on the floor seems to work well for them. Any suggestions? Anyone else with 3+ larger dogs?

 

[bluelou]

From left to right: Malcolm (5 mo.), Nellie (mother, 15 mo.), Sid (father, 20 mo.), Angus (5 mo.)

 

[Kaiser2016]

3 males??? All under the age of 2. Wow, I don't know how you're managing!

 

[bluelou]

3 males??? All under the age of 2. Wow, I don't know how you're managing!

Haha! The upside is I lost 12 lbs walking them The adults get walked 5 miles a day on mountainside roads, plus 3 acres fenced for them to roam, and another 27 acres of logging trails for hikes.

 

[Rits]

I think with 2-3 young dogs I would be crating at night. Especially when they come of age it'd be easier to prevent any accidental mishaps. Puppies test the world with their teeth! Foreign body is no joke.

 

[Kaiser2016]

I'm trying to guess the backstory. You got Sid and loved him, then got Nellie as a companion for Sid, then completely fell in love with the Doberman experience and decided to mate them? Or was it accidental breeding? Was the whole litter just the two males? As far as crate training is concerned, I still put my ONE male Doberman in his crate just to give me a break and he's 5 years old! How's the whining

 

[Rits]

I'm trying to guess the backstory. You got Sid and loved him, then got Nellie as a companion for Sid, then completely fell in love with the Doberman experience and decided to mate them? Or was it accidental breeding? Was the whole litter just the two males?

Where is the right place on this site, or any other resource, to give away (free) pure-bred Doberman pups?

 

[bluelou]

Where is the right place on this site, or any other resource, to give away (free) pure-bred Doberman pups?

Yep, that's me. We accidentally had puppies. Fortunately, we found great homes for 6 of the 8 in the litter (the vet and vet staff took most of them) and we kept 2 of them. So, now we have 4.

 

[bluelou]

I'm trying to guess the backstory. You got Sid and loved him, then got Nellie as a companion for Sid, then completely fell in love with the Doberman experience and decided to mate them? Or was it accidental breeding? Was the whole litter just the two males? As far as crate training is concerned, I still put my ONE male Doberman in his crate just to give me a break and he's 5 years old! How's the whining

Rits provided the link to the backstory. The pups were an accident. No whining issues with any of them. We exercise them for at least an hour (usually more) every day to keep them calm. They get fussy on rainy days and if we miss a walk. They like to play together outside as a group
when we're not working them out. They seem to be really close, maybe it's because they're all related?

 

[Rits]

Yep, that's me. We accidentally had puppies. Fortunately, we found great homes for 6 of the 8 in the litter (the vet and vet staff took most of them) and we kept 2 of them. So, now we have 4.

I figured it was easier and proper for your own past self to explain than me, haha.

 

[bluelou]

Rits,
Is this your m.o.? You accused me of lying on the thread you cited, "So whos female doberman is this?" [Rits 2021-04-12]. Now, you're implying I'm guilty of animal abuse "own past self to explain" [Rits 2021-08-18]. I'm certain this is pattern behavior. This is fun for you? Implicitly accusing newbies of animal abuse. I get it, we've all got problems. But, why don't you take them elsewhere? Can anyone point me to how to block this person? Best, Lou P.S. Thank you to everyone else for your ideas and words of wisdom.

 

[Rits]

Rits,
Is this your m.o.? You accused me of lying on the thread you cited, "So whos female doberman is this?" [Rits 2021-04-12]. Now, you're implying I'm guilty of animal abuse "own past self to explain" [Rits 2021-08-18]. I'm certain this is pattern behavior. This is fun for you? Implicitly accusing newbies of animal abuse. I get it, we've all got problems. But, why don't you take them elsewhere? Can anyone point me to how to block this person? Best, Lou P.S. Thank you to everyone else for your ideas and words of wisdom.

Woah, I'm sorry my words have been misinterpreted!! I didn't feel it proper AT ALL for me to retype what you had already answered my question in your previous thread so I simply linked it. I added "haha" to try and hopefully have my tone come across as light hearted with no ill intent but I guess even then that didn't work.

I never once accused you of animal abuse??? I offered a suggestion if I were in this situation with three youngins that it would probably be best to crate to keep them out of puppy troubles at night and to keep it stress free and give peace of mind while everyone is sleeping. I'm sorry I was simply trying to help and you have my intentions all wrong.

 

[bluelou]

Woah, I'm sorry my words have been misinterpreted!! I didn't feel it proper AT ALL for me to retype what you had already answered my question in your previous thread so I simply linked it. I added "haha" to try and hopefully have my tone come across as light hearted with no ill intent but I guess even then that didn't work.

I never once accused you of animal abuse??? I offered a suggestion if I were in this situation with three youngins that it would probably be best to crate to keep them out of puppy troubles at night and to keep it stress free and give peace of mind while everyone is sleeping. I'm sorry I was simply trying to help and you have my intentions all wrong.

Perhaps. Rits, the phrase you used, "your own past self", means "the way you were in the past". The way you referred to me in the past, "So, who's female doberman is this?", implied that I was lying. So, in effect, you've said today, "given you were a liar in the past".

I accept your apology and I apologize if I've misunderstood your intentions. Hopefully this doesn't happen again. Also, thank you for any constructive advice regarding pet care.

 

[Rits]

Perhaps. Rits, the phrase you used, "your own past self", means "the way you were in the past". The way you referred to me in the past, "So, who's female doberman is this?", implied that I was lying. So, in effect, you've said today, "given you were a liar in the past".

Okay, well I never meant it that way. I don't really follow phrases and honestly did not know of this phrase... I speak more directly and literally, without double meanings to my words. As to my older comment, I was trying to understand the situation so I asked questions for more information before giving feedback. Thanks for understanding that I'm only trying to be helpful.

 

[bluelou]

Okay, well I never meant it that way. I don't really follow phrases and honestly did not know of this phrase... I speak more directly and literally, without double meanings to my words. As to my older comment, I was trying to understand the situation so I asked questions for more information before giving feedback. Thanks for understanding that I'm only trying to be helpful.

No worries. Sounds like there was a bit of a misunderstanding. Thanks again for your ideas regarding dog care.

 

[Panama]

Household with 3 Dobermans & 1 Dalmatian. 1 Doberman is (about) 10-11 yr old rescue, two 4 yr old males (Joker & Bart), and a 2 yr old Dal. ALL of them get crated at night.
The 2 males are littermates and are never left alone together. Outside (opposite sides of the fence), they always lay back-to-back. Their crates are side-by side, and when in their crates, they lay back-to-back. It's obvious they love & respect each other, BUT, to avoid any potential issue(s), they are crated at night.

 

[Kaiser2016]

Outside (opposite sides of the fence), they always lay back-to-back. Their crates are side-by side, and when in their crates, they lay back-to-back.

That’s so sweet

 

[Ddski5]

Wow. You handled that quite nicely @Rits.

I need to take notes on how to be nice and adjust the tone of my voice.

 

[bluelou]

Household with 3 Dobermans & 1 Dalmatian. 1 Doberman is (about) 10-11 yr old rescue, two 4 yr old males (Joker & Bart), and a 2 yr old Dal. ALL of them get crated at night.
The 2 males are littermates and are never left alone together. Outside (opposite sides of the fence), they always lay back-to-back. Their crates are side-by side, and when in their crates, they lay back-to-back. It's obvious they love & respect each other, BUT, to avoid any potential issue(s), they are crated at night.

Where do you keep the crates, in your own bedroom? If so, is that the common practice, to keep the crates in the owner's bedroom? If not, which room is best for crates, other than the master bedroom?

Also, why do the two littermates need to be kept apart? Our two male pups were littermates and they do _everything_ together. But, they're only 5 months old. Should I expect that to change with age? Our 4 Doberman's rarely even 'argue' with each other. All 4 play together all day long. Having said that, we have an older female mutt that we have to keep separate from our female Doberman 100% of the time.

 

[GennyB]

Also, why do the two littermates need to be kept apart?

To avoid the possibility of SSA (Same sex aggression). It's a real thing with the doberman. Read up on it, it may save you some heartache.

But, they're only 5 months old

Maturity can be a game changer.