[louise12]

We're picking up our 'new baby' in about 5 weeks. I've been given lots of great advice and we will definitely crate train our new addition.

However, it's been suggested that we put the crate in our bedroom at night so that he's near to us (we weren't planning to allow our dog in the bedrooms).

We were planning on leaving the crate in our living room by the patio doors as this will be where we are in the day - will this be too hard on our puppy at night? Do we need a rethink about the 'bedroom rule'?

Also is it okay to move the crate from the living room in the day to our room at night, or will this confuse the poor thing & leave him not knowing where his bed is?

 

[MorningGlory]

We started out in the bedroom and then moved the crate tot he laundry room (directly across from the bedrrom) and it has been fine.

Good luck!

 

[Traz]

I moved our crate back & forth. I think in the bedroom is best, especially in the begging. If they do wake to go out you won't hear them in the otherroom. Unless you have a baby monitor you can use.

 

[louise12]

I'm guessing that if we let him in the bedroom to start with we'll have to always let him, which we weren't really wanting to do (mainly because this is where my cat likes to sleep in the day and we want her to have somewhere to hide).

I guess the next best plan would be to but the crate outside on the landing with our door open?

 

[Florabora22]

We tried putting the crate downstairs at night while we all slept upstairs, and it was disastrous. I would definitely recommend putting it in your bedroom, but I'm sure that most dogs would do okay being elsewhere in their crate after an adjustment period.

 

[louise12]

Bedroom it is then - love the forum, it's great getting such quick responses and stops me worrying about every little thing that springs to mind!

 

[iluvlucy]

i would move it at night in your room. he wont cry if he's near you guys. the first night we had the crate in the kitchen & she cried all night & it was awful! felt so bad but you cant take her out-then they know its ok to cry.. next night brought her in our room-not one whine..

 

[Nicole74]

Before we bought Bailey we were going to put the kennel downstairs because there is not a lot of room upstairs for such a large kennel. Once I brought her home, there was no way I would want her so far away from us.lol I have the kennel in the formal dining room. I slept on the couch for the first month and it worked out really well. Now Bailey sleeps outside of her kennel and I'm waiting to take the kennel down all together.

 

[jenlaur]

We had the crate next to the bed and I used it as a night stand. I heard her every time she moved and I couldn't sleep. Now it is in the room outside of our bedroom. I hear her when she cries but not when she's just moving around. We only use the crate at night, when I leave the house and when we need a break. It has worked out having it in a room away from all the action because she can go in a calm down when she needs to. And, if you got a big crate that you plan to partition off it will be too heavy to be moving too much. Mine is so heavy that it stays where it is and I got one off of craigslist to use in the car.

 

[AquaClaraCanines]

My two Goldens and my GSD are all in my bedroom. The Whippet and one of the Goldens sleep in bed with me. I rotate the other two.

 

[Pointgold]

We're picking up our 'new baby' in about 5 weeks. I've been given lots of great advice and we will definitely crate train our new addition.

However, it's been suggested that we put the crate in our bedroom at night so that he's near to us (we weren't planning to allow our dog in the bedrooms).

We were planning on leaving the crate in our living room by the patio doors as this will be where we are in the day - will this be too hard on our puppy at night? Do we need a rethink about the 'bedroom rule'?

Also is it okay to move the crate from the living room in the day to our room at night, or will this confuse the poor thing & leave him not knowing where his bed is?

I keep our puppy crates in the mudroom. I believe that having a neutral, away space helps prevent overdependence, and teaches them that they won't die if we are out of their sight. And I KNOW we all sleep better.
And moving a crate is not an issue. It's the crate itself, more than where it is, that they consider their space.

 

[Jo Ellen]

I've always taken great comfort having Daisy sleep beside my bed. I'd rather she slept in my bed but she prefers her space

And never a hint of overdependence. Quite the opposite, as an only dog she does very well on her own.

 

[Willow52]

How about 2 crates?

When we first brought Hank home I had 2 crates; 1 medium sized (borrowed), and our large airline-type crate from our other dogs. I put the large one in our bedroom for night time, the smaller one in the laundry room (which is right off the kitchen) since the large one won't fit due to the configuration of the room.

The real reason for the bedroom location was, our 4 y.o. granddaughter lives at our house and I didn't want Hank to wake her up if he cried the first few nights. The laundry room is right below her bedroom. He's done great in our bedroom.

He has now outgrown the medium sized crate so I gate him in the laundry room when we're not home. He still sleeps in the large crate in our bedroom at night.

We have a cat too, he's mostly outdoors other than the coldest weather. AJ & Hank get along great. Actually AJ was inside sleeping on our bed a rainy, cool day last week

 

[AquaClaraCanines]

I can't sleep without my dogs. I'm the overdependent one! lol

 

[rob1]

this is where my cat likes to sleep in the day and we want her to have somewhere to hide

My preference has always been to have my dogs sleep in the bedroom with me- but it's just a preference. And once past the puppy stage- the cat likely won't mind sharing the space. My setter was about the only living creature my cat has ever liked (in a non-edible sense).

 

[Hurley'sMommy]

When we got Hurley, we were unsure about where to put his crate as well. Luckily for us, we have a large 3+ bedroom house & no kids yet....so I picked the bedroom closest to ours. It was far enough to where we didn't hear every single movement but could definitely hear his whining or barks. Now, he's growing up so quickly & we're slowly allowing him to sleep outside of his kennel at night. Right now, we're shutting the door to his "bedroom" but he has the option to sleep in the kennel or on the floor in the room. We're not as trusting while we're away at work due to his chewing habits, so he's kenneled for a few hours during the day.

 

[WLR]

I have 2 crates, one next to the couch in the tv room so Piper, when she was younger, could either watch tv at night or listen to the radio during the day.
Dudley my pit/terrier who died in June had run of most of the house eventhough he was prone to seizures.
When I went to sleep for the night Piper was in the 2nd crate upstairs near the bed. After Dudley passed away I gradually gave her run of the house and now with Paco, he stays in the crate when I'm not home. They both have run of the house at night, not that they go anywhere although at 4:30 am Piper decieded to snack on a box of Shredded Wheat I accidently left within her reach, which resembles the qualities of a galactic black hole. Entire content......GONE. Never to be seen again. Well maybe in a couple days....
Didnt even phase her in the least and she was PROUD of it !!!
Paco almost always goes upstairs first to warm up my side of the bed.
Good Doggie.

 

[Sienna's Mom]

We put Sienna's crate in the living room and I slept on the couch for the first few weeks. It worked out fine.

Now, in the evenings, if I curl up in bed to watch TV, she will fall asleep under our bed (it's a little higher than normal) When DH comes to bed he will bring some treats and lay on just away from the bed on the floor ;-) it always brings a grin when you hear her realize it's there and then it's LAND SHARK as she emerges LOL. He then takes her out for her evening pee break and she goes into her crate for the night.

Every now and then we have toyed with the idea of leaving her out at night, but we have a tiny house and wonder if we will trip over her LOL... I am a light sleeper, so if she roams I will hear her. I also like having a half an hour of me time in the a.m. when I am the only one up and I sneak on to the computer and putt around. Then it's DS up to get ready for school and I let "my shadow" Sienna out to pee and play. (DH is usually already at work in the early hours of the mornings.)

I would love cuddling with her in the bed, but DH doesn't want her up on the furniture... sometimes I understand this (the hair) sometimes I don't.

 

[beccacc31]

I'm guessing that if we let him in the bedroom to start with we'll have to always let him, which we weren't really wanting to do (mainly because this is where my cat likes to sleep in the day and we want her to have somewhere to hide).

I guess the next best plan would be to but the crate outside on the landing with our door open?

Your dog and cat are going to become great friends. Let them get to know each other and you will find them sleeping together. My Mitchell (GR at the bridge) and my cat Sophia slept together all of the time. You will then have eliminated your problem.

 

[Oaklys Dad]

Just to add to the confusion here but with Oakly I had a tiny crate that I put right on the bed with me when he was a tiny pup. Sticking a finger or a hand in there quieted him when he was restless for a bit. I also had a larger crate for the daytime when I was at work. Long after I let him have free range of the house he would seek out his crates as a safe haven. I even found him curled up in the tiny (cat sized) crate sometimes when he was 6 months old. I found it hard to believe he could even turn around in it let alone standing up straight. That fact firmed up the idea that they really prefer and feel safer in a den like environment.