Dpup refusing to going in his crate at night

[Imdoingitnow]

Our lab puppy has reached 6 months and is becoming more curious and confident every day, as well as becoming an cheeky adolescent. He's generally a calm,chilled, happy dog and we feel lucky to have him.

Suddenly DPup is refusing to go into his crate at night, Right from day 1 he slept in a crate through the night. It's in the utility room next to the kitchen done up like a den with old curtains over it to make it dark and a cosy bed with some of his favourite soft toys in it. A few yards away is the back door to the garden

We leave it open during the day and he very often goes in it for a little snooze and on the odd occasion that we need him in it if we have to go out for an hour. It's never been forced on him - he'll happily go in.it's a good size too.

After his nighttime wee and prowl round the garden, then a drink, I put a handful of kibble in his crate and he goes in, snuggles down and I sit with him and settle him down and then shut the gate . Suddenly these past two nights, the little monkey eats his kibble and scuttles back out before I can close it up and goes and sits on his other bed in our kitchen and looks at me as if to say "off you go, I'm sleeping here" and he refuses to go into his crate.

We got him in eventually- you don't want to be hanging around at midnight trying to cajole a cheeky adolescent lab puppy to get into his crate.

We don't want him to view the crate as a punishment, so should we persist and make him go in his crate or should we start transitioning him out of his crate to a bed?

He’s clean through the night, apart from 3 episodes of diarrhoea, which seems a thing of the past now we’ve put him on kibble for sensitive stomachs, so that’s not an issue

We could put a baby gate up to separate the utility off from the kitchen, and put his other bed in there as well as his open crate and leave him there to chose where he'll sleep. The kitchen-diner is all open and connects to the utility room by an archway where we’d put the baby gate, I worry that he'll chew things or won't get settled and won’t sleep or won't be safe. Perhaps we should try it out during the day and see how it goes before doing it at night.

What do you wise mumsnetters think? Should I transfer him to a bed or persist with the crate?

[Branleuse]

id see how he goes sleeping in the other basket if thats what he wants

[GiveMeNovocain]

I'd let him sleep in the other basket too. No point forcing the crate and making him unhappy to go in when you need him to

[SamMil]

I wouldn't want to be confined to a crate all night. I'd give the basket a try too.

[Sgtmajormummy]

I wouldn’t put any alternative sleeping place in the utility room, just leave him no option but the open crate. He can roam safely and use it when he’s ready during the night.

Ours has various cushions around the house and now Autumn is here he prefers the wooden floors. At bedtime he regularly lies on one cushion as if to say “I’m staying here” but he knows that the closed kitchen is his place at night. And the cosiest place there is his open crate.

[Floralnomad]

I’d just stick a baby gate on the utility and put his other bed in there .

[icedcoffees]

Just put his bed in the utility room and use a baby gate to keep him out of the kitchen.

IMO there's too much emphasis on dogs having to sleep in crates - if yours is happy on a bed and won't have accidents or be destructive, let him have a bed :)

[LadyCatStark]

Our puppy is just coming up to 7 months and has just started to not want to go into his crate for day time naps and is much more settled at sleeping around the house so he no longer goes in his crate in the day. He’s still happy to go in at night for now though.

[Chickpea22]

We changed to a bed from crate at 6 months too as she started whining. Had always taken herself there previously. She’s been fine in a bed ever since.

[XiCi]

Why wouldn't you just let him sleep in his bed?

[Imdoingitnow]

Thanks for your replies. Little monkey is still reluctant to go in his crate at night.

He's been standing at the door to our stairs so I thought maybe move the crate upstairs to our bedroom - he was up there with us til he got too big to carry up and down and he seemed quite happy in the utility room til now.

So if we move him upstairs there's two things to consider

• he's got to be able to get up and downstairs by himself - I tried it with him and he's not there yet although he could do it if I put his lead on - I suppose he felt safer.

• another is that he does like to snooze in his crate throughout the day in the utility room - so if we move the crate upstairs he hasn't got his crate to snooze in during the day

Decisions, decisions!

[Sgtmajormummy]

IMO a crate or a kennel gives the dog a sense of safety and a place to fully relax.
Imagine as a wolf being open to attack from above at all times with nowhere to take refuge. You’d be cowering in an open bed, and dogs haven’t evolved too far from wolves The crate door doesn’t have to be closed but it needs to be covered and dark.

My last dog never came upstairs except during thunderstorms. She would stand at the bedroom door and pant until we let her lie under our bed. Then when it was over she’d go back to the kitchen. A crate would have solved that and other moments of discomfort like fireworks. But it was 20+ years ago and nobody had heard of crating dogs.

[KittenKong]

Can’t possibly advise unless I see a pup pic...

[Sgtmajormummy]

Gratuitous pup pic (not the OP)!

[Keladrythesaviour]

I'd try him in the utility behind a baby gate with the crate open. That way he can take himself into his crate to sleep, or he can sleep on the floor outside of the crate if he prefers that. Then perhaps at some point swap out the crate just for a bed.
I'd only move his crate upstairs if you want him to be a bedroom sleeper from now on. If you prefer him downstairs, keep that rule in place.

[Imdoingitnow]

Here he is in his paddling pool 😀🐾

[ShoppingBasket]

I have nothing to say to help but I read your title as "DP is refusing to go into his crate" that's a whole different type of thread!

[Imdoingitnow]

It's should read "to go in his crate at night" as since watching him closely he keeps going to the door to the stairs

[Makemineaprosecco]

Hello oh wise mumsnetters I could really use your help!
We have very recently ( Monday) become the proud owners of a beautiful little lad a miniature dashund! We have two children a DS and DD who are 9 and nearly 11 the puppy whom we all adore is not liking being left alone at night downstairs in the kitchen we thought that he would settle down but tonight’s been awful ! Bless him my DH tried to settle him but he just cried and cried !! I am now in our living room with him on my lap wrapped in a blanket he’s lovely and cosy and has now calmed down but I can’t keep doing this as have full time job etc and need a bit of sleep !! We have heard of controlled crying for puppies????? Is this even a thing ???? We thought we would try it but after tonight’s performance ( he sounded like a very angry seal!!!) I can’t say I’m convinced!!! So any tips however whacky sounding would be appreciated as I adore our new furry baby but I’m thinking he does have to sleep alone eventually xxx

[Colouringaddict]

@Makemineaprosecco

Hello oh wise mumsnetters I could really use your help!
We have very recently ( Monday) become the proud owners of a beautiful little lad a miniature dashund! We have two children a DS and DD who are 9 and nearly 11 the puppy whom we all adore is not liking being left alone at night downstairs in the kitchen we thought that he would settle down but tonight’s been awful ! Bless him my DH tried to settle him but he just cried and cried !! I am now in our living room with him on my lap wrapped in a blanket he’s lovely and cosy and has now calmed down but I can’t keep doing this as have full time job etc and need a bit of sleep !! We have heard of controlled crying for puppies????? Is this even a thing ???? We thought we would try it but after tonight’s performance ( he sounded like a very angry seal!!!) I can’t say I’m convinced!!! So any tips however whacky sounding would be appreciated as I adore our new furry baby but I’m thinking he does have to sleep alone eventually xxx

Perfect time to crate train. The crate should be big enough for him to stand up and turn around in, any bigger and he will soil it. Cover the top, an old duvet cover will do, feed all treats in there but no water. Make it comfy and snug and if you have something that smells of you put that in too, as long as you don’t want it back.

We slept beside the crate on the first night, every time she made a noise I just put my fingers in and gently shushed her. Took her outside about 2.30am to pee, she now pees on command, great for cold wet nights!
Very little interaction apart from praise for peeing in the right place, back to bed and settle them again. Each night get further away, so if he cries or barks you should be able to just say shhhh.

The crate will be his den, so if he is in there, everyone else must understand that is his quiet time, mine takes herself in there if it’s noisy or the DGC are here and she wants a rest.

Please don’t just plonk him in the crate and leave him to bark, it can create an anxious dog.

Our girl is 4 and happily goes to bed in there with her warm blankets etc.
Best money I spent….after the dog lol

[Makemineaprosecco]

Hey Colouring Addict thank you so much I really appreciate your reply particularly given the early hour! We will definitely do this and I can now relax a bit knowing there is a plan and hope too ! It sounds like you are enjoying your dog xxx it really is the best !! Take care and thanks again

[bunnygeek]

@Makemineaprosecco

Hello oh wise mumsnetters I could really use your help!
We have very recently ( Monday) become the proud owners of a beautiful little lad a miniature dashund! We have two children a DS and DD who are 9 and nearly 11 the puppy whom we all adore is not liking being left alone at night downstairs in the kitchen we thought that he would settle down but tonight’s been awful ! Bless him my DH tried to settle him but he just cried and cried !! I am now in our living room with him on my lap wrapped in a blanket he’s lovely and cosy and has now calmed down but I can’t keep doing this as have full time job etc and need a bit of sleep !! We have heard of controlled crying for puppies????? Is this even a thing ???? We thought we would try it but after tonight’s performance ( he sounded like a very angry seal!!!) I can’t say I’m convinced!!! So any tips however whacky sounding would be appreciated as I adore our new furry baby but I’m thinking he does have to sleep alone eventually xxx

Never leave a baby pup to "cry it out" - that's how you end up with a very anxious doggo :( it's very old fashioned advice. please please don't do this. We don't do it for human babies anymore either.

Right now he's like a newborn baby and needs comforting, he needs to know he's safe, yes it means sleepless nights, sleeping on the sofa, but eventually he'll realise he's safe and he doesn't need to bark and howl as his people are there.