Is this bed cruel for the dog?

[HopingSomeoneIsAwake]

I have a 9 month old dog who is perfectly house trained and has been for months. The last week or so he has suddenly started pooing in his bed overnight (he is crated because he was when I first got him and it suits him and us too for safety reasons - young children in the house etc). He can be quite anxious at times however he has started new medication (steroids) so that could be the culprit of upsetting his stomach. I know it’s not his fault but it’s actually starting to get me quite down having to do a full load of washing of his bed things every morning to then have to repeat it the day after - would it be cruel for me to take away the bedding in his crate until his stomach issues have resolved? He has never used puppy pads (went straight into the garden when toilet training) and I wouldn’t trust him not to chew them overnight anyway. He has the vets tomorrow and they are going to give him some stomach protection medications so hopefully that helps!

So what if he overheats and he can't move away? I don't understand why anyone thinks it's OK to lock a dog in a cage all night long. Dogs need to be able to move around to regulate their temperature.

If he's right by a hot radiator that's probably not actually helping his stomach. He'll get very uncomfortable if he's too hot.

it is very important that a dog is crate trained. Of course a puppy is going to get itself into trouble if left alone during the day(my dog chewed up the drywall of my kitchen when I left him out of his crate when I went shopping). He is allowed to sleep on the sofa but is crated at night if we have guests, his crate is left open but it is his safe place and he sleeps in there during the day (his choice)

So he's forced to sleep on the floor because his bed is too warm... Move his cage away from the radiator so he can sleep comfortable on his bed.

It turns itself on and off throughout the night, anyway you can’t do anything right on this page, I think some people just hate their lives a lot so have to come and be bitchy on here to everyone 🤷‍♀️😂 I’ve told everyone what I’ll be doing with him tonight, I don’t need to post anymore updates 😊

It turns itself on and off because that's how you have your heating set.

Your latest posts are the dog owner equivalent of fur coat and no knickers. All the money spent on food and treats and puzzles and dog walkers and.... You still lock him in a crate in front of a radiator at night, consider stripping his bedding and call yourself a fantastic dog owner. I'm howling 🤣

You're an instagram dog mom. All flashy on the outside, but behind closed doors you can't bothered.

Your dog is uncomfortable. He can't sleep in his bed because he's too warm. He shits in his bed because he can't get out to go to the toilet. Instead of trying to make him feel better, you get annoyed because it makes work for you. You really aren't as kind as you think you are.

while he's being medicated you need to take him out last thing at night.

If he's crated he can't come to tell you he needs to go out in the middle of the night.

The crate causes his nighttime incontinence. Your job is to supply the level of care and attention he needs; even if that means getting up an 2 am and 4 am to let him out.

Very sensible and much kinder op

StrawberryPot · Today 15:08

^HopingSomeoneIsAwake · Today 14:07
Thank you for all of the helpful comments, I’ve decided to put the baby gate on the kitchen door and put his bed in there tonight so he can get up and walk about but is confined to one room where there is nothing he can get into etc and he has the vets for some stomach protection from the steroids^

Very sensible and much kinder op

I agree, this is a very good idea. If you could also get in a night walk, that would help a huge amount too.

Try lying on your floor for ten minutes tonight, just before you go to bed.

It's bloody cold and draughty down there. You'd be surprised how bad it is.

Now imagine doing it for ten hours.

Glad you came up with a solution. You have my absolute sympathies. We have to pen our elderly dog because she poos in the night and walks it everywhere.

Current solution is giant 200x200 fleece blanket that covers the whole area, over the bed, bottom of the crate etc, and then whip it off and put in wash. Swap for another one. We wash a few in one go.

Oh yeah and a walk before bed so she can 'clear' the pipes so to speak

My German shepherd would sleep outside if he could😂. He is allowed on the sofas etc at night and chooses to sleep on our cold wooden floor. (I can see on the ring camera exactly what he does). Not all dogs are the same, my mums dogs sleep in kennels and would cry to be let out if they were kept inside😂.

Why is your German Shepherd preferences relevant to OP’s question about a sick dog? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I would image because as the poster says, all dogs are different

Well.. yes. All dogs are different. Where is the similarity between a crated, sick dog and a duel coated dog who prefers to sleep outside?

The OP asked about her sick dog. She’s not interested in the preferences of anyone else’s dogs.

I’m so glad you have found a solution OP. Hope your dog is more settled during the night now

You can kid yourself that it is other people that have sad lives if it makes you feel better. But I suspect the truth is that other posters are dog owners or are just kind to animals and cannot stand to see an animal being treated the way you are treating this poor dog. Your update that you leave your dog locked in a crate by a radiator in a very hot room doesn’t actually help you know! What a poor animal this is, hopefully you will give him up and somebody will actually start looking after him properly.

This

Poor dog.