# Not sleeping in crate at night - big deal?



## ela (Aug 6, 2015)

So we survived our 1st night wiht our 10 wk old puppy. He slept/rested a lot during the day. 
At night she woke up to go potty at 1:30am and refused to go back to crate. Instead she decided to lay down next to a couch (where my daughter chose to sleep), next to her crate. Pup rested/slept peacefuly until 6:30am. 
Should we force her into the crate at night? She naps there during the day (like just now). 

How big of a deal is it for her to sleep in the crate? The room is closed off so she won't wander off to the other parts of the house and it's safe.

Thanks
Ela


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Well, she's not potty trained by a long shot. That would be the big concern and once they have an accident or two on the carpet or in a certain room - it's very hard to break that habit....


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I keep my dogs crated at night until I can totally trust them to not potty in the night or eat something inappropriate. Jax was about 6 months. Seger was about 9 months.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Jax08 said:


> I keep my dogs crated at night until I can totally trust them to not potty in the night or eat something inappropriate. Jax was about 6 months. Seger was about 9 months.


That's me too. The crate really helps prevent any 'accidents' whether they come out of the puppy  or are caused by the puppy (when they destroy something you care about it's not good...). Let alone they can chew/eat something that does them no good (electric cords? big enough items to cause an obstruction or poison them). If you aren't awake to guide and watch then you aren't there when the crazy happens. Just not worth it for me. 

Crate is beside my bed/sofa where I sleep so I'm still right there and they are quiet. PLus, have you purchased and started up 'Crate Games' yet? YOu won't be able to keep your pup out of the crate!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

It's a judgement call. The pro's will tell you flat out crate train your dog and some of them won't work with you if your not willing to do that.

Having said that, I raised all my puppies without the use of a crate in the past. I had two weeks off a xmas and they had lots of safe toys and treats and training started early!

I just left the back door open and they were free to come and go as they pleased...I belive?? It's been 12 years since I raised a puppy. And in as much as I had indoor only cats...I can't recall how that worked out, but I did not lose a cat, so it must have worked out! 

These are links I use all the time, not puppy specific but useful to know.:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/5296377-post8.html

And this "especially" if you are going to let the crate slide:

Why the “Place” Command is So Important and Your Dog Should Know It! - TheDogTrainingSecret.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIGq_5r0DeE

Every dog shoul know this!

And my input for the crate training:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7lyzbgTXjU

And in the first link the "Who pets my puppy or dog" the pro's don't much care for the parts that come after the "walkng part" so disregard that part.

Welcome aboard.


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## rxkeith (Feb 25, 2015)

our pup is just about eight months old. she has been sleeping in my sons room for the past few weeks. she is a seek and destroyer. just a girl who likes to have fun. she slept in her crate until she could be trusted a bit. ours wouldn't like to go in her crate at times. bribery worked. throw a treat in the crate first, and she would go in after it. no muss, no fuss. the first two months i slept downstairs with her getting up at 2am or so to let her out, then 4 or 5am. i was pretty tired those first couple of months.



keith


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

My dogs like crates. I use them when I travel (two crates in the back of the truck for when we stop & need them - dogs ride in the cab with me), when I go to club, in the house.

The youngest was easy in that respect because she is a chow hound. As a pup once I declared "Load!" she was off like a shot because she got a handful of KIBBLE! when she got in the crate. Kinda fun to watch her race for it.

On the other hand, she was hard to housetrain and a true wardrobe critic, altering clothes that she could reach. (including a shirt I had placed on top of her crate-- a small bit hung over the edge....) So she was crated for the longest time of any of my pups.

Answer - it depends on the dog.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

For me, it's about getting the puppy used to the crate and NOW ... not in 6 months when it becomes an issue and you desperately need the puppy to be crate trained. Then you'll look back and say "oops, should have done it then".

There's no harm in teaching a puppy to love it's crate, it's easier to "lose" that training than it is to start when they are older. 

You said the puppy refused to go back in? Really? You couldn't pick the puppy up, put it in the crate and shut the door?

I'm all about encouraging the puppy to love the crate but at 1:30 in the morning, I'm not having any discussions ... in you go, close door and back to sleep. 

Ky was crated at night til she was about 9 months old ... her crate has always been in my bedroom.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I am looking at the BIG picture .
The relationship the dog has to the owner and within the family.

The dog is not the decider.

You said "Instead she decided" . A 10 week old pup deciding. What will happen with a 2 year old dog who decides to have it his/her way? In your first post you referred to the pup as a he , and then other times as she.

Get started off on the right foot. 
Constructive (not punitive) crating keeps the dog safe from puppy exploration raids getting into hazards, electrical cords, chemicals, counter surfing , having things fall on them, break , eating the house plants and chewing soft furniture and wood table legs etc etc .

So this can expand to overall management and training . Don't be suckered by a cute face !


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

It is a big deal . Puppy needs to learn that he/she goes into crate when you tell it to. Puppy also needs to learn that you are the boss, not let it decide at 10 weeks what it does, where it goes.
Crate training is essential in my opinion for many reasons. One is the fact when you have to leave the house, you KNOW your puppy is safe in its crate. Two ; they learn to relax and calm down/sleep in the crate so when the door is closed its time to sleep or be quiet. Three: if the time comes at a future date that there is a trip with motels, lots of company, spending time at a relatives home,and you need to have the dog go into crate without screaming, crying, digging etc.they learn the crate is quiet time. 
Another big benefit to crate training besides housebreaking is when the dog has to go to vets and stay overnight, to a groomer, and has learned that a crate/cage is okay and can relax,then it is so much easier on everyone involved in its care and or grooming or boarding. We used to have dogs come into the vets to board who had never seen a cage/crate and totally panicked. I have had grooming dogs and or show dogs to handle who never saw the inside of a crate and its not a fun thing to deal with.
Now days, crate training is so important for everyday life.


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## amburger16 (May 22, 2015)

You should be deciding where she sleeps, and if you decide its okay for her to sleep outside of the crate you should be confident your going to wake up to every single movement she makes or possibly wake up to a mess.

I had to do this with Bear because I had neighbors(duplex with VERY thin walls) with a new baby and he was horrid to crate train. I tortured them during the day with it, I could not torture them at night as well. I literally woke up at every single movement and noise for a month straight, with a lot of tired mornings. If you and every person that wants her in their room is prepared for that, then by all means.. If you want to make it easier on yourself and your family, I would probably put her in the crate. If you let her refuse her crate now, good lucky wrestling her in when you absolutely need her to go in.


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## Mappie Cleed (Jul 12, 2015)

For me, keeping my 2 month old in the crate at night didnt go so well. He would cry and push on the door for hours. While not the best practice, I did let him out and set up his cushion next to my bed and all is well. There have been no issues and he sleeps all night with very little to no drama. He was 50/50 with his house breaking and we had much success using the bell method. Today, he is 3 months and i can say he is 90 percent house broken with very few, if any mistakes. I only crate him when I go away from the house for a few hours. As long as he is alone, it seems he is more comfortable with the crate than if there is someone else in the house.


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## ela (Aug 6, 2015)

Thanks to all. We reverted to the pantry/Den as a permanent place for the crate. Dash still would rather play than to go into crate but once encouraged with a year she settles in. We just switched from a plastic to 40+ inches metal crate and I think she is more comfortable there. So don't trust her by herself in the den even though its fairly puppy proof.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

How is the Crate Games training going?

Because it makes the crate 'play' so they learn to LOVE them(for the dog, we have to learn and take the time to teach). Heck, my pups all crate themselves constantly if they even THINK I may want them in it, suddenly they disappear and if I wander by the room with the crate I'll see a head peering out with a 'where are you' look!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I'm with MRL here. Forget the "pick the dog up and put it in the crate", Forget "dog does what I say" -- for now anyway. Make the crate rewarding and fun. Crate is not torture, it is not punishment, it is not "dog gotta do this NOW!" Crate is fun and rewarding. And in my house, if the dog is crated overnight, crate goes by human bed. It doesn't get stuck off in some remote room.


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## Backwoods_Shepherd (Aug 11, 2015)

Our 12 week old is doing well on crate training and our yellow mixed breed did well in the crate too. That said, not all of my dogs have done so well when it comes to crate training. Our 15 year old Border Collie hated the crate when we left the house. She was fine in it when we were home but she developed an abnormal habit of licking one of her front legs/feet until it was raw when crated. No matter how many toys, treats, games or anything else we tried helped her. 
We tried putting bitter ointment for horses on her leg so she wouldn't lick it but that wasn't the problem in the first place. Eventually we abandoned the crate and she just had a spot to sleep on a pillow. I'd say crating works for a very high percentage of dogs but you may run across one that it doesn't fit for. Uncrating was a last resort for Echo.

Kevin


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