[Ricosdad]

Hi all, I left a post about crate training a couple days ago and thanks to all who helped! BUT.. I am having a hard time deciding when to use his crate? Should I be using It all day, or all night? My puppy has been sleeping really good. But he has been sleeping on my bed!! Do I want him to be sleeping in his cage? And also I have left him in his cage to go to school or the store(no longer than an hour) and he seems to hate it! He barks, wines, claws, and just about everything you can think of! And it makes me sad. any advice??
Thanks

 

[Heidi36oh]

I had mine in the crate at night and for short periods during the day, if he does well at night and don't get into trouble I would try to leave him out.
Maybe put up a gate and puppy proof you're bedroom.

The thing that always concerned me was how much trouble they can get into in just a few seconds!

 

[iamswiss]

We decided not to let our puppy Bailey on the bed, instead we put her in her crate at night which is right next to our bed. She's really doing fine at night. Of course it's up to you to decide if you want your puppy and later full grown dog sleep in your bed. As I read in multiple posts it's not adviced to let your puppy sleep in your bed right from the beginning, it's a privileg they should earn.
We had a Maltese before and she was sleeping since the first day in our bed, he got really mad when we moved him around, he thought he's the boss in the bed.
During the day we put Bailey in the crate when we leave the house for 1-3 hours and usually I give her a stuffed kong to keep her busy and I think she falls asleep afterwards pretty fast (I used a recorder to hear if she was barking a lot - which she didn't). We also crate her when we eat and so far she isn't happy about that, and she barks a lot, but we just keep her in there so that she gets used to be crated when we have lunch/dinner etc. If we wouldn't crate her she would jump up all the time.
So, she's only crated up to 3 hours during the day and usually at night for 6-7 hours.

 

[GoldenSail]

Hi all, I left a post about crate training a couple days ago and thanks to all who helped! BUT.. I am having a hard time deciding when to use his crate? Should I be using It all day, or all night? My puppy has been sleeping really good. But he has been sleeping on my bed!! Do I want him to be sleeping in his cage? And also I have left him in his cage to go to school or the store(no longer than an hour) and he seems to hate it! He barks, wines, claws, and just about everything you can think of! And it makes me sad. any advice??
Thanks

It is totally up to you whether or not you want your puppy in the crate at night or in your bed. If you are having no potty training issues at night and the puppy is behaving--by all means, keep him in bed with you if you want.

You can use the crate during the day just as you described when you need it (but obviously there should be a limit, only a few hours depending on age). The crate prevents him from causing trouble when you don't have time to watch--including accidents.

The whining and crying is pretty normal at first. For some it is worse than others. Whatever you do, do not let him out of the crate when he is pitching a fit, this will only teach him that if he wants to get out someone will let him out if he cries/barks/scratches. You should however, have an idea of when he last pottied because if it has been awhile then there is an exception to that rule You will learn a geniune 'I gotta pee' from a 'I just want to be with you.' Don't feel bad about leaving him in there--it won't kill him.

My pup cried her first night in the crate (she sleeps in the crate even now). After one night of suffering the crying, she was over it and had learned it wasn't going to get her anywhere (unless she had to pee). It took her a week before she wouldn't cry if crated at all during the day. But I can say now, at 5.5 months she goes into her crate on command and she is quiet as a mouse! It just takes time

 

[Ricosdad]

And the kong trick/toy. We bought a puppy one. What is the best thing to stuff in it? That will keep there mind off of barking in there crate?? and if I have had my puppy sleep on our bed for the past two nights and I put him in his cage tonight... Im sure he wont be too happy!! Do We just tune him out until later when he need to go potty?? And we don't want him to always sleep in our bed when he gets older! So should I just start having crate nights?

 

[BeauShel]

Here is a thread with some kong recipes
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=47333&highlight=kong+recipes

 

[GoldenSail]

And the kong trick/toy. We bought a puppy one. What is the best thing to stuff in it? That will keep there mind off of barking in there crate?? and if I have had my puppy sleep on our bed for the past two nights and I put him in his cage tonight... Im sure he wont be too happy!! Do We just tune him out until later when he need to go potty?? And we don't want him to always sleep in our bed when he gets older! So should I just start having crate nights?

Yeah, if you don't want him to remain in your bed I would start putting him in the crate ASAP. So much easier to teach a dog to stay out of the bed if they have never been allowed And you will have to turn a deaf ear to the crying at night. I would tap on Scout's crate when it was really bad and tell her 'uh-uh.' If it is unbearable, you may consider putting the crate somewhere in the house close by where you you can't hear him so bad--but be sure to give him potty breaks! (Though every dog IS different, Scout could and would hold it all night at 8 weeks).

And if he needs to go potty take him out but don't play with him. In and out in a businesslike manner.

Another tip: I taught my pup to go to bed. I would take a small milkbone and lure her in the first couple of days every time she went to bed. I then pretended I had a milkbone and guided her in with my hand then presented her with a milkbone once she was in. I am now to the point where I can tell her at night to 'Go to bed' and no matter where she is she will go running to her crate! Now, she is just hitting that rebellious stage and isn't so good about this during the day because she knows it means I will be leaving her--so if she doesn't go when I tell her I guide her by the collar, put her in and she gets no cookie. At this point I have no intention of fading out the food--but I could

 

[wagondog]

Just my opinion about dogs in bed.......I have allowed it only very occassionally and it's by special invitation only. Maybe i have seen too many "good" dogs show resource guarding specifically towards beds and a negative behavioral change in an otherwise good dog when they are removed from the bed. You have received really good advice regarding the crate.
WagonDog

 

[jenlaur]

We put Riley in her crate at night. Before bed she is allowed some time on the bed but she knows that she sleeps in her crate. I am home a lot during the day but when I have to leave I crate her. I think the longest time has been about 2 1/2 hours. Sometimes there are things I have to get done that are impossible to do with a puppy underfoot and in the crate she goes. She whines in the day time when we put her in and she starts whining as soon as she hears me come home. She sleeps in it at night without a problem. We feed her in her crate and we always give her a kong with frozen cream cheese or peanut butter each time she goes in. She has something to chew on in there and one of her soft toys she likes to snuggle with. We never use it for punishment. I wouldn't say she loves it but she has learned to accept it. Sometimes I think she even feels relief with the down time.