Your job is a heck of a lot harder than mine right now, but I eeked out $50 to buy an "off the floor" bed for my big dog. Felt really bad he just was sleeping on a thin blanket on the hard floor of the family room. This was nice enough, it even had bolsters all around 3 sides, which I thought he'd like because he always wants to lay his head on a pillow. I have to coax him to get on it, and then he basically just sits there and looks dejectedly at me. I put the blanket on which he had been laying on top of the bed, but still not taking to it. I figure eventually he'll get used to it. I make it a habit now to spend time sitting on it with him, hoping to show him it's not a big bad evil thing (gryn).
The cats, for the most part, have left him alone with it. I caught one sliding under it and that freaked out the dog. But the others leave him alone and head for bed with me, instead, as normal.
Who can understand what goes on in their heads?! I used to use the "starving kids" when my kid was growing up... I use something similar with Lexy, but yeah, right... she understands me (gryn).
Good luck with your shelter. I sure don't have any suggestions. Just eventually they may get used to it. I'm thinking that's whats keeping the cats away from the dog bed. It's something new, not normally in the space it occupies, and so they're naturally wary of it. Hopefully that's all it is with your outdoor babies.
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