[goldprof]

We're bringing home our puppy in less than 3 weeks and have already purchased a nice, large wire crate for the family room/kitchen area downstairs. This will be perfect for day/evening alone time.

We plan to have the puppy sleep in our room upstairs with us at night, though, but hate the thought of having to buy another expensive crate just for night time or moving this one big crate back and forth between floors every night and morning. Also, and this is an issue, too, there just isn't a lot of extra room in the bedroom for a huge crate. Space is tight.

Any other suggestions? Does everyone with two levels buy a 2nd crate? We have a baby playpen that we could convert for the puppy, and this might for work for a little while.

 

[Rainheart]

I only have a crate in my bedroom for Beamer. He was either at work with me or I was at home with him everyday when he was younger, so it wasn't an issue. I could feed him up there, too, in his crate.

I do have two crates, though! The other one is in my apartment at school, which is also in my bedroom.

Our first golden, Ginger, only had one crate and it was downstairs. We crate trained her into the kitchen and she seemed fine. Cried for the first few nights, though. She learned to love it and she never ever went upstairs (we didn't want her up there and on the beds... that has changed since!)

 

[Willow52]

I know what you mean, 2 expensive, not to mention large crates to store. Could you borrow one or buy a used one? Check Craigs List. We had 2 crates, one was borrowed.

 

[LibertyME]

beg, borrow, or steal a second crate...the plastic ones are easy to find used at second hand shops/online/newspapers...and it doesnt need to be very big...the next size up from a cat carrier will last quite a while...

 

[Sweet Girl]

I only had one crate, in the main living area, but I was in an apartment at the time. She was right down the hall from my room.

I would suggest asking any friends who've had pups in the past 3 years if they have a crate. If not, check Craigslist for an extra-large plastic airline crate. They're over $100 new - you might be able to get one for $40-$50. Just make sure you clean it really well - with bleach. Any lingering smell of another dog's pee could prompt your dog to add to it...

 

[rhondas]

I have a 15 week old that sleeps in my bedroom at night in a crate.
There is no other option other than a crate in my opinion for a puppy to sleep in when you are potty training etc. It's worked out fine so far and I've been fortunate that he has slept through the night since the third night home (he was 9 weeks old when he came home)

If you don't want to spend the money to get another crate then I would suggest that you leave the one crate in an area where you can hear your puppy in the middle of the night if he/she needs to potty. My older golden (4.5 years) was crated downstairs when he was a puppy because at the time I didn't want him in my bedroom. It worked out great - he only got up once during the night (first time home) and never again. When he was 6 months old I moved him to my bedroom to sleep on a doggy bed.

 

[Looni2ns]

Truly, Craigslist is your friend. The plastic travel crate would be the best, since it'll be nice and cozy for the pup to sleep in, and then if you do travel, you already have a travel crate. You should be able to pick one a medium size crate up for less than $50.

 

[cgriffin]

My Golden only needed the crate in the bedroom for about three months, then he was potty trained and slept on the dog bed in front of my bed or when he overheated, he went to the bathroom and layed on the tiles, lol.
So, like somebody said before, a medium sized crate, would probably be fine if he stays there only till potty trained.
I have seen medium sized plastic travel crates for about 50 bucks in most pet stores. Once you are done with it, since he will outgrow the crate as an adult, maybe you can sell it.

 

[cubbysan]

I always had one crate downstairs in my dining area. It worked out fine, especially since we don't let puppies on the second level until they are a year old.

 

[cubbysan]

I have found that farm and grain stores sell crates for a lot less than your petcos and pet smarts.

 

[bowdense]

I would get another crate. I got both off ours off of Craigslist for very reasonable prices. Both were like new. Good luck!!

 

[goldprof]

Thanks, I'll keep hunting on Craigslist. For some reason people tend to ask quite a bit for used dog crates in my area, sometimes more than you'd spend on a new one purchased from Amazon!

 

[StephB]

Harvey has never slept upstairs. I keep his crate in the dining room and he sleeps in there at night. I made sure that the doors were open to the rooms so that I could hear him if he cried to go potty (never actually happened, was very lucky!!)

He now sleeps out of the crate most nights but still won't sleep in my bedroom.

 

[ozzy'smom]

We had one in our bedroom (our last Golden cried all night for nights until we moved her in so we just started with Ozzy there) and we borrowed a smaller one for our kitchen for when we left or when he needed to be crated during the day. By the time he grew out of the smaller one we didn't really need him crated except for when we weren't home so we just used the one in our bedroom then. We no longer make him sleep in his crate at night but he usually chooses to go in there for at least part of the night which our previous Golden never did.

 

[Visitador]

I am a believer in crates because this is earthquake country. It is easier to have Cody adjusted comfortably in a crate just in case we have to leave after an earthquake.

So, there is one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I plan to buy an additional one to be left in the garage so that there is always one available nearby.

I know there is a wide discussion about having a crate or not. But please, if you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters, you should at least get your puppy or dog used to be in a crate.

 

[goldprof]

I am a believer in crates because this is earthquake country. It is easier to have Cody adjusted comfortably in a crate just in case we have to leave after an earthquake.

So, there is one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I plan to buy an additional one to be left in the garage so that there is always one available nearby.

I know there is a wide discussion about having a crate or not. But please, if you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters, you should at least get your puppy or dog used to be in a crate.

The dog will definitely be crate trained. No doubt about that! I think it's an essential training tool, esp if, like me, you have small children and need the dog to have a safe, quiet den away from the kids.

For us the issue is having a 2nd crate (or not) just for our bedroom. I'm going to keep hunting for crate 2, because my last dog cried like crazy unless he was sleeping in my room near me and we want this dog trained to sleep in a crate at night, at least until she is older and more trust worthy. It's too bad they don't offer a 2 for 1 special on these things!

 

[Golden Lady]

We had the same problem. Always moving the crate from the family room to the bedroom. A friend is letting us borrow his crate. It has worked out great. Our pup has now outgrown her original crate. She is only in her crate when we are not at home and sleeps in our room at night on her bed.

 

[goldprof]

Now I'm thinking we might get an x-pen for the kitchen area, for daytime naps and down time while we're home, and move the big crate into the bedroom for night time and longer absences. One of us will always be home during the day for at least the next 7 months--so pretty much the entire puppy period--and the x-pen would just be a way to give the puppy her own space and a rest from the kids.

How does this sound?

Or we may just scratch the pen and get another crate . . .

 

[Selli-Belle]

With our Selli, I created a cubby hole area right next to the bed with the bed on one side, my night-table/chest on the second side, the wall on the third side and something (I can't actually remember what now) on the forth side. It worked out perfectly! I was able to hang my arm and hand into her area when we put her to bed, so she never felt alone and being right next to me, I woke up when she stirred and had to go potty and I just grabbed her from the top to take her out. By the time she was able to jump onto the bed, she didn't need to be enclosed anymore.

She does have a crate that she loves, but we never put her in it until she was about four months old.

 

[HiTideGoldens]

I just bought a 2 door midwest life-stages 36" crate on Amazon for $52 with free super saver shipping:

Amazon.com: Midwest Life Stages Double-Door Folding Metal Dog Crate, 36 Inches by 24 Inches by 27 Inches: Pet Supplies


It's $5 more now but still a great price. I like having the 36" because it fits in most cars (including my Prius!) assembled and flat, and is good for travel. We have an additional 2 36" crates, a 48" crate, 2 soft crates and 2 plastic crates (one is GINORMUS that a friend gave me). Clearly we have 3 dogs so we wouldn't need that many for 1 dog, but I like having options since we travel with our dogs quite a bit. So I would get another crate if I were you