# I let the puppy sleep outside the crate last night!



## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

Casper is just about 7 months. It went just fine. I put his blanket on the floor and he slept there all night. He didn't chew on the furniture or go through the trash. 

He's been protesting the crate for a couple of weeks. Waking up earlier and earlier. And then he started this 2am rabbit hunt thing. (OK, I nixed that one. It started with some potty issues when we changed him to adult food.) He's never been one of those dogs that heads to his crate on his own, so it's not entirely a teenager issue. While by all objective measures it's big enough, we know that he likes to sleep all stretched out, which adds up to at least 5 feet of space. We bought him a double-great-dane sized one and it's on the way here. Hopefully, he'll be happier. Or at least tolerant.


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## Calistar (Dec 13, 2011)

We have been down this road several times recently on this forum and there is little reason to do it again as people feel strongly on both sides of the issue. Just be aware of the potential consequences such as having pee or diarrhea on your flooring which needs to be cleaned up in the middle of the night if your dog develops problems. Or the possibility that your dog will get into something that will harm him if he can roam free and wakes up. If you are confident that your training will prevent this and are willing to accept the cleanup, then that is a personal choice you are free to make.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Congratulations, your boy is growing up, lol.


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## ozzy'smom (Jun 18, 2011)

We let Ozzy out around that age too. He's confined to our bedroom though.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Ahh Casper is becoming a big boy!


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I think Hank was around 9 mos. when he stopped sleeping in the crate. We put a gate across the bedroom doorway. He did fine.


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## aerolor (May 27, 2011)

Bonnie was never too keen on her crate and I seem to remember she stopped sleeping in it once she was reasonably reliably housetrained at about 20 weeks. She certainly was happier and we had no problems. As long as he is in a room where he can't do much damage I think Casper will probably be fine out of his crate at 7 months.


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## Lucky Penny (Nov 13, 2011)

Aww! That is great he is doing well! They grow up so fast! Luna, my puppy started sleeping outside her crate around 5mths. They are all ready at different times!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Quilter*

Quilter

We used to let one of our pups sleep loose in the bedroom with us and when we moved the bed we found out that he had chewed wires while we were sleeping!
Just be careful!!


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## Brandiann (Jul 24, 2011)

Glad things went well! Just be sure there are no wires or anything dangerous he can get into. Perhaps gate off rooms or areas of hazard...We have never used a crate with Lola, (Nothing against them they can be great!) One of us is always home & she has slept through the night since she was very little. We do block her off from the room with our cats food/litter box and computer wires & the rooms she is aloud in are puppy proofed. Shes 9 months now and we have never had a problem. Hope your boy continues to do well!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Omg, on the forum main page all I could see of this topic was "I let the puppy sleep outside" and I was like WHAT?!? "outside" the crate makes me feel a lot better!

It's a good feeling when you get to see what a good dog your puppy can be. Congrats.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

Yes, I saw it was "I let my puppy sleep outside..." and I figured everyone would be in here to chew me out!

This is our fifth dog (all raised from puppies) and the first that we've crate-trained. I was so hoping I'd have one of those dogs that just loves, loves, loves his crate. Traveling and things like that would be easier. I mean, he'll still go in the crate, he just won't love it.

I do plan to put him back in the crate tonight. Some nights lately, he just isn't settling down at the usual time. He doesn't whine or bark, he huffs and puffs and throws his body around. We do have fall back in that the master bathroom could be very puppy-proof. We could put up a baby gate. Also, that gigantic crate is coming in.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

kdmarsh said:


> Omg, on the forum main page all I could see of this topic was "I let the puppy sleep outside" and I was like WHAT?!?


I had a golden that loved to sleep outside. It's not unheard of.


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## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

your boy is growing up but if I can share a bit... my Meir and Emmett were great outside the crate... they behaved they were fine all night... didn't pee in the house so great I let them out of the crate but what I didn't do a good job at was making sure that they stayed used to the crate and now the two of them are VERY difficult to crate they get really anxious in the crate and stress... not to mention pitch a hissy fit.... 

I would strongly suggest that he sleep in the crate periodically and spend time in the crate...even if he is fine out... keeping him used to the crate in the case of an emergency or just for convenience sake is really important... 

glad he did well


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## abowman (Jan 5, 2012)

Finnegan stopped sleeping in his crate at 7 months. He is on his doggy bed in our room.We did make sure there were no electrical cords etc;. We keep him busy so he is very tired at night and sleeps thru. I have to wake him in the mornoing at 5 when I get my coffee going.


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

Shalva said:


> and now the two of them are VERY difficult to crate they get really anxious in the crate and stress... not to mention pitch a hissy fit....


Yes, that's what I'm afraid of.

I wanted to attach a scared icon to the post - I was really a bit terrified of doing it. But I was tired and he was well, annoying, and I caved. I just hoped that if he did anything really terrible I would wake up. Actually - unlikely. I think people interpreted my post as good news - that's OK, too!

I don't know why, with my other dogs I never worried about it. Maybe I didn't have as many options or had too many other things going to on worry about it. I'm not too concerned about potty accidents, it's life with dogs (um, and kids). Chewing on stuff, that I care about.


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## knewcom3 (Jan 18, 2012)

When our german shepherd mix was alive she was allowed free reign at our old house during the day and night. However, she was angelic and never did anything. The worst thing she ever did as an adult or a pup was to take tissues out of the trash.

Our new puppy comes home tomorrow and we are starting crate training. But, ideally we would love to have him have free reign also.


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## Dakotadog (Jan 2, 2012)

Congrats! A HUGE step!!


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## Lucky Penny (Nov 13, 2011)

I always throw a treat or stuff a kong for my dogs whenever i crate them, and have never had issues with them going in, even if I do not give them any treats.


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## berggred (Aug 1, 2011)

Yay! How exciting! We stopped using Shandy's crate around 4 months old and kept her in the bedroom with us, then we slowly gave her access to the house at night by using a pet gate (giving her access to our room and the kitchen), then eventually the entire apartment. She tends to move back and forth between the kitchen floor and the entryway, but always ends up in her doggy bed in our room in the morning. 

We do however, always pick up her water bowl when we go to sleep... don't want to have her drinking too much water and then wanting to go out at 3am!


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## alliruiz (Feb 2, 2012)

kdmarsh said:


> Omg, on the forum main page all I could see of this topic was "I let the puppy sleep outside" and I was like WHAT?!?


I was thinking the same thing. I thought, "In the winter? Poor baby!" but it sounds like he got a better deal.


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## jluke (Nov 18, 2011)

*Congrats and...*

Hurray to Caspar! We started Maisie sleeping out of her crate (which was always in our kitchen) and in our bedroom where her bed is at about 7 months, too. We keep the bedroom door closed, though, so she can't wander the house.

When we're out during the day and evening though, she still stays in her crate. Even though she hasn't ever tried to chew anything that isn't "hers", I'm not planning to give her access to the house when we're gone until she's closer to a year old. Then we'll try her just in the kitchen and start with a short period of time.


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