# Transitioning from crate to no crate at night?



## wakeangel (Feb 28, 2008)

Deacon had a similar reaction the first night we left him out of the crate at about 5 months old too. He paced back and forth at the end of the bed almost as if he was concerned we had forgotten to put him in the crate! We eventually ended up putting him back in the crate that night (with the door closed but not secured) and he went right to sleep. We tried again a couple nights later and got the same reaction...so back in the crate. The third time we tried he caught on and settled down and went to sleep. Now he does so well at night...he typically sleeps on the floor because I guess we crowd him in the bed! He doesn't bother us at night at all and waits for one of us to wake up in the morning before pouncing on the other of us that's trying to sleep in!


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

I tried Leo the night before last. He wasn't pleased at all. We put him back in. Luckily he'll probably fit in this crate for ever if he wants to. I would just start leaving the door open. I would assume when the crate is too small for her she will make her own decision. I'm sure others will have better ideas.


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

I think you have a golden who really likes her crate. Maybe consider getting a bigger crate. Then even if later she transitions to sleeping outside of the crate, she will always have it available if need be for her feelings of security and yours. Some dogs never give up sleeping in their crate.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Yes dogs are naturally easy to crate train due to in the wild they would have lived in dens. All my dogs have had their "favorite" spots - the space below the desk where the computer is, corner under a small table and chair, their crates - all small closed in "den" type areas. If I were you I would take advantage of the fact that your pup is so inclined and purchase a crate she can use for the rest of her life. No matter how "good" they are there are times when you will want/need to confine her, why not let it be somewhere she is comfortable. 
If the crate is to be in your room, leave it there with the door open and close your bedroom door to confine her to that room with you at night. You may want to do this on the weekend because chances are for a night or two she will not settle and wake you numerous times during the night. We just went through this with Oriana (7 months old) this weekend and she was a hoot the first night. She was so excited I do not think my wife and I got more than 3 hours sleep, but the next night was 100% better.

Good luck!


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I would definitely strongly consider a bigger crate. We plan on using ours for a looooong time! Most dogs feel safe in their crates and would prefer to be in them. You could try getting a larger crate and start leaving the door to it open at night and see how that works out. We bought the largest crate possible before we brought our pup home since we knew that we would probably be using it for years to come.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I'd get a bigger crate. I think it's important to maintain the skill of calmly being crated for the life of the dog.


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## tjfox (Jul 29, 2008)

Friday, 22 weeks old, stopped sleeping in her crate at night about 4 weeks ago. It was really her choice, you could tell she didn't like being in it at night. She sleeps better now as do we. Every dog is different.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Tethering is a useful, transition option. Does Tessa have a dog bed or a place you want her to sleep?


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

The first time we tried to transition the puppy out of the crate to an ex-pen at night, it was a disaster. Within 5 minutes, he was standing on top of his crate barking his head off. 

We tried again a couple of weeks later and it went so much better, the first few nights he was a tiny bit restless, but he's really good about it now. 

No real advice other than I can relate and maybe try again in a few days.


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## Zoeys mom (Apr 26, 2008)

We started letting Zoey sleep in our room out of her crate about a month ago. She is doing better but she still has restless times and paces alot. I'm hoping that she adjusts better soon.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Lucky wasn't ready at 5 months. But that was him....he was still not totally trustworthy without constant watching.

But at 9 months he was ready and I was ready to use my backdoor again...as the crate blocked it.
He was very anxious at first. We left the crate door open and he was up all night shoving toys in my face, pacing, watching out the window, panting, moving from one spot to another....just excited over this new thing. 

It took several days for him to find a new sleeping spot he could call his (beside our bed).


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

Mine did not get bedroom rights until they understood the responsibility (quiet, sleeping). Both did sleep out of their crates in our room by 5 months, but if I remember it was because they were shown quickly back to the crate if they were nervous when we started them out. Could be your baby will always be happier in the crate at night, nothing wrong with that.

Don't push it, it would be worth the larger crate to wait until she is ready.


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## beargroomer (Jan 2, 2008)

Dogs thrive on routine, so she probably panicked when the routine changed. Also, it sounds like she's one of those dogs that really likes the crate. 

Gaius paced around the room for a little bit the first night we let him sleep outside of his crate (he was also around 5 months), but spent the rest of the night having a zoomie party with the cat. From the second night, he went back to his lazy self and slept by (never IN) his crate. He was crate trained and didn't mind his crate at all, but he loved the freedom MUCH more than the "den." Gibson (11.5 weeks) is probably counting the days until he can have his freedom and will stay far far away from his crate once he doesn't have to be in it anymore. I doubt he'll ever set foot in it voluntarily if he can help it. LOL.

Whether you decide to let Tessa sleep out of her crate or not, I think you should get a bigger crate. There will always be times throughout her lifetime that she'll need to be in a crate and you don't want to run out during an emergency to buy the crate and then just stick her in it. Even though Gaius was 100% trustworthy outside of his crate night and day by 5 months, I still crated him once in a while as "maintenance" so he won't freak out if I needed to crate him. I plan to do the same with Gibson.


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## Thor's Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

We never forced Thor to sleep in his crate, but we always had an appropriate sized one available to him. On occassion he will get up and walk to his crate and take a nap. He doesn't fear it. It is a great tool to have if the repairman comes over (and is scared of dogs.) 
We didn't allow full reign of the apartment until his 1st b-day. He had the living room and dining room to sleep in at night. I guess my point is, while we don't use the crate every day I think it is an important tool to have available to you and your golden. I would plan to get a larger one.


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## SimTek (Dec 21, 2007)

My Sammy slept in a small crate next to my bed so I can put my hand down and touch her at night. One night when she was 4 months old, I noticed she was too big for it. I then put the larger crate in the room but it would not fit by the bed.. She cried all night long and did not like to be that far from me.. The next night I said "lets go to bed Sammy" and she went over and laid down on the floor next to my bed where her small crate use to be.. I just looked at her and said "ok..we can try it and see how good you are" She slept there for a few hours then jumped up on the bed and slept awhile then back down to her spot. And thats how it's been ever since. Most of the time I wake up and she is laying along side of me with her legs across my legs and belly. And at 11 months she is a long dog. It's funny when she starts dreaming of running in her sleep..her legs are just a going across my belly.. I would not have it any other way....


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## relgeiz (Sep 2, 2008)

I was just thinking of asking the same question... good timing. Maybe I'll just start with nap-time in the bedroom outside the crate.


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## colton (Jun 5, 2008)

We went camping for a couple of days and took Bodhi along. I thought he would like to sleep next to us but boy was I wrong. He howled and was anxious all night. The next day we put the crate up and he slept fine, luckily I had packed it although it was right at the BOTTOM of the trailer!!! My boy loves his crate and will often go in during the day as well, maybe yours is the same and just enjoys the crate?


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## Wilson's REAL Mom (Nov 10, 2006)

My guys are both 2 now, and they wouldn't know what to do without their crates. When I take them out for the last time at night (or when they think it should be the last time), they run to their respective crates and wait for me to close the doors. It's pretty funny, actually. I agree with whoever said that dogs do better with routine, and by not putting your guy in the crate, you messed with his security blanket. I'd go ahead and get a larger crate, if I was you!


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## WLR (May 11, 2008)

I had been sleeping on the couch in the TV room with Piper's crate next to the couch. Dudley the terrier would also sleep at the bottom of the couch too. When the summer cooled down, we started sleeping upstairs in the bedroom and Piper was in a 2nd crate, closed during the night. I eventually left the door open with a child gate across the bedroom doorway to keep them in the room. It seems to have worked out well as sometimes I find myself pinned between 2 dogs....


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

AshleyR said:


> Tessa is 5 months old and has almost outgrown her crate. She can probably only use it for another 2 weeks or so max.
> 
> Instead of buying her a new crate, we're hoping to teach her how to behave outside of the crate at night. We have already left her alone in a small closed off area in the house (outside the crate) during the day for an hour or so, and she has done well, but at night time it's a different story.
> 
> ...


Well besides the panicking, consider yourself lucky that Tessa likes her crate Skylie never liked a crate. I mean DID NOT LIKE IT:no: She sleeps with us though, and luckily she sleeps through the night. We use a baby gate instead of a crate


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## Contr010 (Sep 8, 2008)

I wish my Dusty liked his crate as a puppy. Our lab, Mesa, had taken to the crate by the time we got Dusty (they are two months apart in age). When Dusty moved in, that changed real quick. He HATED IT. Cried and cried. Then since he cried Mesa cried and we had it in stereo. We tried for a month and he never took to it. We eventually let them out. And from the first night Dusty slept the whole night on a dog bed by my side of the bed with no problem. Mesa on the other hand made her self at home above my head on my extra pillow like a cat would. We think Dusty is claustrophobic, he hates small spaces. They are four now. Dusty still sleeps the whole night in his spot on the floor and Mesa (all 75 lbs) of her still sleeps above my head (a nasty habit she refuses to break...and yes we have tried - thank goodness we have a king size bed).


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## magiclover (Apr 22, 2008)

Contr010 said:


> I wish my Dusty liked his crate as a puppy. Our lab, Mesa, had taken to the crate by the time we got Dusty (they are two months apart in age). When Dusty moved in, that changed real quick. He HATED IT. Cried and cried. Then since he cried Mesa cried and we had it in stereo. We tried for a month and he never took to it. We eventually let them out. And from the first night Dusty slept the whole night on a dog bed by my side of the bed with no problem. Mesa on the other hand made her self at home above my head on my extra pillow like a cat would. We think Dusty is claustrophobic, he hates small spaces. They are four now. Dusty still sleeps the whole night in his spot on the floor and Mesa (all 75 lbs) of her still sleeps above my head (a nasty habit she refuses to break...and yes we have tried - thank goodness we have a king size bed).


My new puppy Jazz HATES her crate. She is almost 10 weeks old.She cries and barks off and on all night long. Sometimes it lasts for over an hour per episode. I have done all that I can to make it cozy, covered it, play a radio etc. She does keep her crate clean but I have also tried letting her out to potty in the middle of the night but she will go absolutely beserk when she goes back in.The crate is not in my bedroom and I don't know if that would help her. I leave for work at 5:00 am so I do let her out and feed her at about 4:30 am. My kids get up about 6:00 and tend to her until about 7:45. I have been going home on my break to let her out and then someone is home for good around 3:00. We are walking her, playing in the yard and in the house. We try to not put in back in her crate until 9:30-10:00 pm. I have tried to keep things as consistent as possible but it is not working with her. Any advice for the extremely weary and stressed out?


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

She is only 10 weeks old...It will get better. 

When you get up to let her out in the middle of the night, is it because she woke up and was needing to go out or did you just go and wake her up?

When you leave for work have you tried giving a kong with a little peanut butter in it?

It might help to have her sleep where you sleep. Since dogs are pack animals they like to be near the pack. But then you might want the second crate for one during the day near the kids and household activity.

Sorry if this isn't a lot of help, but truly as they say "this too shall pass"

Good luck. One day soon you will get a good night's sleep.


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