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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is this bed cruel for the dog?

246 replies

HopingSomeoneIsAwake · 16/12/2022 08:41

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!

OP posts:
mydogisthebest · 16/12/2022 10:59

I would sleep next to his crate for a while. He might whimper even if he does not cry when he needs to go out.

You could let him into the garden a couple of times during the night.

Why is his bedding a full load of washing? Why not just use a couple of soft sheets?

He is still a baby. If one of your children were messing their beds every night you would be changing the bed and washing the bedding wouldn't you?

Clymene · 16/12/2022 10:59

mum11970 · 16/12/2022 10:51

A dog sleeping without bedding isn’t cruel if it’s in a warm house. I have three dogs and they can sleep where they choose. There is a choice of 2 dog beds, a couch, a rug, 3 mats or the laminate floor and at this precise moment one is on a dog bed, one half on a mat/half on the floor and one on the floor. They are all perfectly happy and asleep

They are choosing where they sleep. That's not the same as locking your dog in a cage with no bedding and a pile of shit

Hydrangeatea · 16/12/2022 11:01

Christ on a bike, there are so many times on MN when I really wish I hadn't read the thread. This is one of them.

Poor dog on so many levels.

Kittybakes89 · 16/12/2022 11:01

If your child started wetting the bed would you start a thread asking if it was ok for them to sleep on the bare floor to save you the washing?

ScrollingLeaves · 16/12/2022 11:02

Could you take him on a half hour late night walk ( about 9.00 pm) until he does a poo then? Try to change his eating time to earlier if no poo comes after walking around for that length of time.

Get some easy to wash blankets, but he needs a ‘nest’.

Stravaig · 16/12/2022 11:03

SpanielSprint · 16/12/2022 09:47

I’m a vet - YABVU and I think it’s quite concerning that you are even considering this to be honest. Your are asking for pressure sores and the poor dog will be very cold and uncomfortable. When my dogs were young puppies and not yet reliable overnight I used to place the crate with doors open in a large puppy pen with newspaper or puppy pads down for them to use if necessary. It would be very unusual for a dog to mess its bed deliberately.

If for whatever reason this isn’t an option for you then look into waterproof dog beds (I have one for my car boot as it copes better with mud etc) or vet bed which is at least quick and easy to launder.

But really it’s not ideal having a dog of this age shut all night in a crate. Dogs aren’t like us, they are not designed to just sleep overnight for 8 hours straight. It’s normal behaviour for them to get up frequently and potter around, and you are preventing this.

@HopingSomeoneIsAwake Read this post ^

Strawberrypicnic · 16/12/2022 11:03

Dogs are actually like people in that if they don't have a properly supportive surface to sleep on they are more prone to developing joint problems. I know the OP is only proposing to do this for a short while but it's really not okay.

monsteramunch · 16/12/2022 11:05

loopyb · 16/12/2022 10:37

Not sure why you're getting so much abuse for this! The fact that you've been washing his bed on a daily basis shows how much you care.

I agree with others suggesting to get up once in the night to let them out? Although frustrating hopefully it will be temporary. It can be really distressing for dogs to need to toilet in the crate as it's their safe sleeping space as well as horrible for you.

Our dog was crated for his first year and he loved it - got in there on his own accord to sleep! It's people who use it in an abusive manner that give it a bad reputation.

Shows how much she cares? It's the thing she wants to stop doing... she'd prefer him to sleep in a crate with no bedding so she doesn't have to continue washing the bedding.

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?

Lou670 · 16/12/2022 11:05

So you have children. How on earth did you cope with their vomit? It is no different cleaning up after a pet than it is a child. If you were not prepared to do this, why get a dog? How do you know your dog is not messing down to stress of being crated? It doesn't matter how big your crate is, the dog still cannot get away from the smell of it.

Suck it up or rehome the poor dog. Dogs create work just like children do.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 16/12/2022 11:06

Would you like to sleep on a hard surface with no bedding to keep you warm?

Of course it would be cruel.

And why haven't you already spoken to the vet about this if it has been going on for a week? He's probably really dehydrated by now too.

Just give him very small portions of boiled rice and poached chicken to help his upset tummy. And call your vet!

WinterDeWinter · 16/12/2022 11:06

I honestly don't think you can leave him without comfort especially as the nights are below zero. It would be unbearably cruel, especially when he is ill.

I think you need to at least try waking him up mid-way through the night to go out for a poo and see if that helps.

But I don't think it's that big of a deal to chuck a couple of fleece blankets on a short hot wash every day. They dry almost instantly.

monsteramunch · 16/12/2022 11:09

mum11970 · 16/12/2022 10:51

A dog sleeping without bedding isn’t cruel if it’s in a warm house. I have three dogs and they can sleep where they choose. There is a choice of 2 dog beds, a couch, a rug, 3 mats or the laminate floor and at this precise moment one is on a dog bed, one half on a mat/half on the floor and one on the floor. They are all perfectly happy and asleep

They can presumably move away from their own excrement rather than being forced to stay in one spot sleeping (or trying to sleep) in it though?

RandomSunday · 16/12/2022 11:10

Crates are not cruel if they are used correctly. What is cruel is shutting a dog, with an upset stomach, in a crate, with no bedding in sub zero temperatures.

What time is your dog usually fed OP? In your situation I would be changing his feeding pattern so he will have emptied his bowels before bedtime. And work from there.

mum11970 · 16/12/2022 11:12

Dogs don’t generally soil in their beds unless they absolutely can’t hold it, so get to the vets asap and get the dog something to settle his stomach whilst he’s on the steroids

elm26 · 16/12/2022 11:15

I don't get why you're getting so many harsh comments.

My vet actually recommended we crate trained our spaniel puppy from day dot as it's their safe place and leave the door open in the day.

He used to go in about 11pm when we went to bed and my DH let him out at 5am when he got up for work and then he'd be out all day until bedtime for us again. He often took himself in there if we had a busy house or friends kids over who were wanting to touch and play with him all the time, he had a soft furry bed and blankets in there plus a towel that had his mums smell on it.

Regarding the toilet issue, I would go to Poundland and buy a load of £1 blankets and then just throw them away if soiled. I know it's wasteful of money and material but sometimes we have to do these things. If you spent £15 and got 15 blankets, it'll save you money on washing machine too and hopefully would of passed by then.

Hope your dog is feeling better soon 💛

girlmom21 · 16/12/2022 11:17

@elm26 would you ever leave your dog stuck in the crate with no bedding if he'd shit his bed because he's unwell.

If the answer is no, you know exactly why people are responding in this way.

Hotitalian · 16/12/2022 11:17

Crates are the best until they outgrow them.

Feelinfestive · 16/12/2022 11:18

Could you try some vet bed? You can buy it off the roll from most pet shops, pets at home etc. It is very warm and cosy. You would still have to wash it so wouldn't get around the inconvenience of that, but it washes easily, can be washed at 90 degrees for hygiene purposes, and dries extremely quickly. It's what most vets use for their inpatients

Goodywhoshoes · 16/12/2022 11:18

Coldhouseflowers · 16/12/2022 10:13

I question whether the OP is a responsible owner if she even has to ask whether leaning a dog caged all night with no bedding is cruel 😡 can’t stand animal neglect

Some people don’t deserve to have pets. Makes my blood boil.

ScrollingLeaves · 16/12/2022 11:19

IAs well as taking him for a half hour walk at bedtime to see if he’d do a poo then, and giving him blankets, I’d put his crate in the kitchen, and open his crate door so he can get out to do a poo on the floor if he needs to.

Dogs never soil their beds except by accident and it must be upsetting him terribly.

elm26 · 16/12/2022 11:20

girlmom21 · 16/12/2022 11:17

@elm26 would you ever leave your dog stuck in the crate with no bedding if he'd shit his bed because he's unwell.

If the answer is no, you know exactly why people are responding in this way.

No I wouldn't but the OP asked if anyone thought it would be okay to do this, not that she is doing it. We could all be a bit kinder at times. The dogs tummy is off because of the steroids by sounds of it so hopefully the vet will be able to give them something tomorrow for their tummy, it's a temporary problem.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 16/12/2022 11:20

Get the dog to the vet ASAP and see if you can get something for his tummy. No animal wants to toilet in their own bed. We used to have a very naughty cocker spaniel who would frequently eat things he wasn't supposed to and then end up with an upset stomach (not in his bed though) and we would give him poached chicken and plain boiled rice - small, frequent meals - until it settled. God I miss that dog. Our vet advised us to do the poached chicken when our cat had an upset stomach last year too, plus give her the water out of the poaching pan to drink.

Ch3wylemon · 16/12/2022 11:21

As multiple PP have said dogs hate pooing where they sleep.
They also like to pop in roughly the same spot.

You need to end the association with pooing and the crate.start by cleaning and disinfecting it as thoroughly as you can.

Then you need to teach him to poo somewhere else. He will choose to pop as far as he can from his crate, for example the corner diametrically opposed to it. Line this corner with puppy pads and leave the crate door open.

Take him out late at night. Sleep with your door open Every time you hear him get up - you get up to check on him. If he has made a mess let him out, clear up and lay clean pads. It will mean a few nights poor sleep for you, but he will stop pooing in his bed. And once his stomach is better you can sleep easy again.

Snoodsy · 16/12/2022 11:22

Of course it is cruel, for fuck sake. It is disgusting that you would want your (I would say family member but your poor dog is clearly not that) dog to sleep encaged on a cramped plastic slab away from all human contract. I hope your post is not in good faith. Sleep on your tile floor tonight and get back to me.

Do you have him on new food? This could cause a disruption in bowel habits. If not, take him to the vet and find out what’s wrong with him. This type of unusual behavior is vet-worthy. He’s not pooping himself because he enjoys sleeping in his shit. In the meantime take him outside an extra time during the night.

Suzi888 · 16/12/2022 11:22

Yes it’s bloody Baltic.
Crates ok for training if you have a
chewer or what you have you, agree they’re for people who just can’t be bothered long term. Chuck them in the crate, at least own it, they’re for human convenience if the dog is locked in. This one gets the bonus of lying in his own shit. Jesus wept.

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