# where should i put my puppy's crate at night?



## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Maverick's crate is downstairs where I always wanted him at night. I spent the first 3 nights downstairs with him on the couch and then moved up back to my own bed. A few rough nights where I had to come down in the middle of the night to let him out, but other than the first 2 nights and one nightmare night, it was smooth sailing. 

He hasn't really slept in his crate the past few months, but the past week he slept in it twice on his own with the door open. 

As for crate choices, Maverick hated the plastic one and adjusted to his wire crate much better. He likes to see what's around so the towel trick never worked for him either. It's all preference with your puppy. As for a scent, I left an undershirt in there with him for the first month of crate training. I wear a few undershirts throughout the week and just tossed them in the crate instead of the dirty laundry back then for the night lol


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## --MJ-- (Feb 18, 2013)

I'm the same I always wanted indie to sleep in the kitchen so that's where I put crate. I slept on couch for 2 nights then I just went back to my own bed. I got up the next night by setting my alarm but on 4th night I just let her sleep n see when she got up-she slept thru and has done every night since 


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

We put the crate in our bedroom and I slept in our bed without moving the mattress.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

Both our dogs slept downstairs in a crate from day one. Tess I got early in the morning, so I was able to do a lot of crate games with her the first day. She went in without a whine and slept through the night. Liza I got late in the evening, so she whined a bit in the beginning. As my husband's study is near the family room where the crate is, she was ok as long as she could hear him. The next night she was fine. Liza still sleeps in her crate, she also goes inside during the day, when she wants to take a nap. Then the door is always open. As she loves ice cubes, she always gets an ice cube before I lock the door.


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## Davidrob2 (Dec 10, 2012)

We did the same as DallasGold. Harry's crate was in our bedroom and we didn't change our sleeping arrangements. His bed is now in the same place -- although as he's grown he seems to prefer the bathroom floor.


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## GPHusker (Mar 14, 2013)

We have Zoey crated in the kitchen. We tried the bedroom one night but that was more of a disaster. The kitchen is where we let her roam free unsupervised and I think she feels at home there so it just worked out better.


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## sabrinamae12 (Mar 22, 2013)

When I first started Kuyani, I put his crate in the basement where our floor is tiled. We used our rottweiler's old crate, which had a crack in the tray, and wanted it where pee couldn't soak into the carpet in case we had an accident. This worked for us since that's where my grown sister and her dog slept as well, so he wasn't alone and could be taken out since she's a light sleeper. We didn't want him on the ground floor since there are no bedrooms there, and the second floor meant he would be on white carpet. I wanted him in my room, but I'm such a heavy sleeper that I never would have woken up for him. After his bladder was consistently able to make it though the night, we moved his crate to my room. At six months or so, he was housebroken and I would leave the door open for him to sleep where ever he liked. I wouldn't worry about moving your mattress to the floor. It would probably make you feel better than the puppy. As long as she can hear and smell you, she'll probably be fine.

I never used the blanket trick at home, but when I worked for my breeder, we sometimes would use it for younger dogs. For some, it worked. For others, they pulled the blanket through the bars and chewed it. I've heard of the hot water bottle, but if you do that, obviously make sure it isn't too warm. Another thing I've heard of, and used for an abandoned kitten before, was putting in a small ticking clock wrapped in a blanket in the crate. It simulates another heartbeat. 

Every dog is different, so you'll just have to find what works for her and what you're comfortable with 

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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

My dogs sleep in crates in my bedroom from day one. I was very lucky this time. My breeder had familiarized Ellie and her littermates with the crate ahead of time and it was never a problem. She slept in it from day one with minimal fussing. I make a point to always hide treats in her crate (my bedroom is upstairs so she is mainly up there only at bedtime) so every time she stepped foot in her crate she would find 3 or 4 treats hidden. You should see how she runs as fast as she can down the hall to check her crate.

I always reward "puppy come" when I call the dogs in from the backyard with a yummy treat (Every single time, without fail) and she comes like a rocket when she's called. Faster than Mack even. She busts through the dog door and comes sliding to a stop to sit in front of me, it's hilarious. I highly recommend.


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

Milla was only in a crate for 3 days. The first night was at a friends house. I put the crate right by the bed. That was the worst night, she was up most of the night whining. The next 2 nights were at home. We kept the crate by our bed. When she would whine I would put my fingers in the holes and let her lick and smell them to know I was there. After that we got a baby gate and kept her in the bathroom. Then after a couple of months we started to trust her to be in the livingroom alone. She is 6 months and has been sleeping in the living room for about 2 months.


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

*where do you intend her to sleep, when the crate is gone?*

We put our crate at the base of our bed.
We put the pillow in the crate. 
At 9 months we started leaving the crate door open, so Bella could come & go as she wanted, only closing it at bed time.
At 11 months we removed the crate, & just left the pillow, she sleeps on.
Bella now follows us into the bedroom, at bed time & settles onto her pillow for the night.
We have an identical pillow in front of our fireplace, that she naps on during the day time, or when we're watching TV in the evenings.

Mike D


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## hollypie (Apr 25, 2013)

After two horrible sleepless nights, on the third night our new baby slept through the night in her crate without too much fuss. She only needed two potty breaks.

Blankets over the crate and hot/warm water bottle did not work. What did work is she likes having a radio on low volume next to the crate.

Tired but loving my puppy.

Thanks everyone


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## ally1h (Nov 27, 2012)

Bentley's crate is in our den. Not in our bedroom, but close enough where we would wake up and hear him if he started whining and needed to go out.

We were very fortunate with him. Our breeder started crate training all of the pups in the litter before going to their forever homes. Bentley has slept through the entire night since the day we got him. Sure, he cried for 10 min or so at first, but only for the first 2 nights. He doesn't cry anymore unless he doesn't get enough exercise during the day.

My suggestion is to put the pup and the crate where you intend for him/her to sleep. If you want to make it easier by being in the room with the pup at night for the first couple nights then that is your prerogative. I didn't and my pup did just fine. He likes his crate now, to the point that when I let him roam free alone (for short periods, like 20 min or so) he automatically goes in his crate and waits until we get back.


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

When Bella was a puppy, we had the crate in the family room during the day (to eat, nap & get treats), and then moved it each night to our bedroom next to my side of the bed. Worked beautifully for us. Like on of the other responses, we did crate training from the moment we picked her up (crate in the car ride home) and all that day, so the first night she whimpered a total of on minute. That first day though, she howled and cried like crazy the first time we put her in there, but we just sat in the family room and went about our business. So much better to do it during the day then that first night!!


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## HolDaisy (Jan 10, 2012)

Sammy was crated in the kitchen. I had about 5 sleepless nights to begin with, where he barked and cried all night and ended up going outside alot as I thought he needed to potty. He loved the crate from day one and was going in and out napping, just at night time he had difficulty settling to start with. I also used to sit by the crate and comfort him until he settled and then sneaked off. After reading up we tried putting a t-shirt with our scent on to comfort him (this worked really well). We also got him a 'snuggle puppy' a golden toy that has a pouch for a heatpad and a battery operated heartbeat. He preferred the toy on it's own though and it became his special 'crate toy'. At 5 months old it is still his favourite and he wont sleep without it lol. After a week or so he was settling well in there and we had a good routine and he was barking to go out. I could tell the difference between a bark to go out to potty or just a bark to get out.

At 5 months the crate didn't seem to be working anymore so it has gone now and he is sleeping in the bedroom on his puppy bed (with the golden snuggle puppy of course ) Good luck with your pup. Aslong as you are consistent and they have a routine wherever you chose to put it will work just fine.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

We put Shadow's crate next to the bed so he could see me. The first couple of nights, I had to sleep on the floor with my hand in the crate, so he could snuggle with it. After that, he was okay with me sleeping in the bed and him in the crate. We eventually let him start sleeping in the bed. Now he starts there, then normally hops off after half an hour or so and goes to his own bed. We retired the crate.


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