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| Author | Topic: crate question |
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jeminn Member  Posts: 166 |
posted 09-13-2003 09:45 PM
 
My aussie has been crate trained and she is now about 5 months old. She is in her crate at night from about 10pm to 6am. I work from home so she is not crated during the day unless I leave for an hour or two and she does fine staying in her crate when I am gone. Crate training has been a breeze- and I am grateful for that, and don't want to ruin what we have worked towards. I am thinking about giving her a chance to sleep on the floor along side my husky at night, as she plops down on my huskies blanket in the evening at about 9pm like she would dearly love to just spend the night there, instead of going to her crate. She does not complain though, when I tell her to "kennel up", but she sure hangs her head like she was more comfy on the floor. I am afraid if I let her stay out once, she may never want to go back to her crate at night. I am also afraid she may not be able to realistically "hold it" for 8 hours outside her crate and maybe I should wait until she is older, even though she can hold it in her crate during the night, or when I am gone. I would like to transition her into being left to sleep outside her crate, but I think she may be too young, I am not sure. She seems to be housebroke, but again, I am home with her most of the day and watch her like a hawk. I am not sure what she would do at night if she got restless or needed to potty. I guess the only way to know is to try it, eh? I would be curious to know what others experiences are who have crate trained their dogs, and how this transition went for you. Thanks- IP: Logged |
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NewLabOwnr Member Posts: 169 |
posted 09-14-2003 05:10 AM
I probably don't have anything too helpful. Max is 18 weeks and he has never slept in his crate at night. He sleeps on a doggy bed next to our bed and has never eliminated in our room. He sleeps through the night but only 11 (or 12) - 6. Sometimes he wakes up around 2 or 3 and I just wait to see if he gets up and goes to the door if he does I let him out and we both immediately go back to sleep. So I'd say if you wake easy and are willing to get up then your dog should be ok without the crate. IP: Logged |
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Karriesue Member Posts: 277 |
posted 09-14-2003 09:23 PM
Ya know Jeminn, you aren't alone in that question. I have two Huskies that I crate everynight. They are both 14 mos old. I have been thinking about letting them sleep alongside the bed but they are awake in their crates at dawn before I am so I have been hesitant to do it cause they might mess on the floor while waiting for me to get up or get into something (both are housebroken but love to get into things also). They are only in their crates for maybe 10pm to at the latest 7am and for that matter they love their crates and even play in them. So I don't know...if it isn't broke, don't fix it? It is just everyone else seems to let their dogs sleep on the floor instead of their crates. [This message has been edited by Karriesue (edited 09-14-2003).] IP: Logged |
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the_maine_pitbull Member Posts: 320 |
posted 09-14-2003 10:31 PM
I know a lot of you are going to say I am NUTS!! but, in all of my experiences with dogs and I have had many and dealt with many.. I have never used crates, except on one. After seeing how miserable the dog was from sitting back where she could not see me for one hour and watching.. I swore I would never leave a dog in a crte again. They after miserable during the day when in a crate.. JMO.. some people need to crate and yes I understand that, but I will never crate unless I really need to. I had fosters as well as my own and closed them in separate rooms but never in crates. Right now, I have two Pitbull's and they both sleep in bed.. between me and my fiancee.. (HE HATES THAT!!) But we all know why a man would hate that..lol  Anyhow.. they sleep with us.. one is between my feet and one between me and Jon.. by morning they are both under the covers between us, either sharing my pillow or using my shoulder/chest/head as a pillow.. Strange to say my dogs aren't happy without a pillow and covers.. poor babies.. they get cold too.. I will sleep in the guest room if Jon kicks them out of bed. Because (I am just as spoiled as they are!!) I need my babies.. I cannot fall asleep and sleep sound without there snores and breathing.. just got so used to it.. Angie, Jon, Jekkyl and Saige.. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-15-2003 05:56 AM
I think you may be putting your own emotions on the dog. Some dogs may hate their crates, but others love them. My husband forgot to close the door on our puppy's crate when he was taking a nap and when he woke up, she was lying inside it with the door wide open, chewing on her bone. And this is a puppy who LOVES to get into mischief and our bedroom is not doggy-proof so she goes nuts usually when she is in there and not crated. The crate is right next to our bed. When she goes in at night, I stick my fingers through the bars and she licks me for about 10 seconds and then she lies down and goes to sleep. She also has to be crated while we are at work, but my husband goes home at lunch and lets her out for an hour, and then I get off at 3pm. I do wonder when she will be old enough to leave out of the crate when we are at work. I am thinking at least a year, just to be sure. I am working very hard at training her, but she's only about 4 months old and we have only had her for 2 weeks, so she has a long way to go.
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jeminn Member Posts: 166 |
posted 09-15-2003 07:42 AM
I did not crate train my other dogs, only started with this Aussie (the others are so old I do not remember how I did it when they were pups, but I did not use crates). That was when I was working at aboarding/training kennel and lived on the premises, and as pups mine stayed with other litters of labs and puppies that we were raising, so I skipped the whole crate issue. Funny how you forget things about puppyhood when you have dogs that live so long. When my husband left early this morning for the airport at 3am I let my Aussie out to potty, even though she was quiet and I normally do not get up in the middle of the night, we were up, so I thought I would let her out and then leave her out and see what happens. As soon as I was back in bed she was in my room, curled up in a ball asleep on the floor. No problem. A little later, I woke up with a warm furry dog laying next to me on my down comforter, and her head on my husbands pillow. She then rolled over for a belly rub- and just layed there until I got up. I think I am done with her sleeping in her crate at night, at least when my hubby is out of town..lol.  IP: Logged |
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leciabee New Member  Posts: 8 |
posted 09-15-2003 06:50 PM
I crate trained my dog. At 6 mths, I let him sleep out side of his crate. I never had any problems with him going to the bathroom at night until he had his surgury a few mths. ago. He now almost 2. He has never mined going back into his crate. He even goes into it on his own. That is his house and he likes it. He feels safe there, Sometimes I put him in it over night and he does not whine to get out-only when he hears me get up. So I would say that if she does not potty at night in her crate then try it. I waited because I did not want him to pee on my bed. You might want to try leaving her out by herself for a few hours to see if she goes in the house. Then you can decide if you can leave her out at night. IP: Logged |
Jas Moderator Posts: 536 |
posted 09-17-2003 12:02 AM
5 mths may be a bit too early to give complete freedom, but depends on what time you and the dog wake up in the am. If your dog wakes early, she may wander into another room and find something to chew, chew something in your room, may need to potty as you sleep soundly OR she may stay put and be an angel. You also have to think about access to other rooms - plants and electrical cords are just too easy and dangerous to find!I'd be tempted to wait a few more months. IP: Logged |
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 09-17-2003 05:53 AM
We haven't got to this stage yet, but I'm thinking that I have heard dogs go through a phase sort of like children. You think you've made a ton of progress and they are behaving well, and then suddenly they revert back to previous behaviors (or brand new annoying ones) for a while. It's like a teenage rebellion. I'd just watch it. You may have to take a step backwards at some point, even if things are going fine right now.
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