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!

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. and a vet has come onto the thread to confirm this, but that doesn't suit the OP does it.

Why didn't you post this in the Doghouse thread OP? You'd get even worse there I can assure you. A dog is a living creature with needs and feelings, just like a toddler at that age. They are hard work, you need to watch them, you need to get up with them in the night and let them out if they are unwell. But its clear to anyone on here you are entirely concerned with convenience for yourself and your "young children" - so why get a dog? If you are that concerned about hygiene for these poor young children? Did you not realise a dog shits? You need vet pads and probiotics, you can get a paste from the vet and/or use a little bit of probiotic yoghurt easily available in a supermarket.

People like you are never in the wrong. About anything, let alone a dog's welfare. Your responses drip with contempt.

I haven’t read the whole thread, sorry, but Just to say my dog did this (wee and poo overnight) when he was on steroids, but the issue resolved when he came off them. Hope he’s ok.

Whilst I don’t think sleeping without blankets is cruel I would try and section the dog in a small area of the kitchen with an open cage whilst he can’t hold his poo rather than have him shut in. Sectional dog pens aren’t hugely expensive but a baby fireguard would probably work in the corner of a room if you have one

As well as chicken and rice to settle his tummy, those economy bags of frozen white fish are useful. They are thin filets so you can just boil one from frozen when you need it.

Thank you for the advice about them pottering about at night.

One minute our dog is asleep on our rug in the bedroom, then he’s on the hall, then he’s in the kitchen for a drink, I’ve had to stop putting the bleach blocks/harpic things in the toilet cos he drinks from the toilet if the lid is left up.

he’s worked out how to open the hallway window and from first light he is leaning/looking out the window.

yet when he goes to the vet, (he was a regular a few years ago) they put his toys in his cage and apparently he was as good as gold, although at home, he sleeps on the rugs - only the really fluffy ones.

Of course it's cruel. That's like you sleeping on your bedroom floor with no coverings. Would you be happy to do that??
Stop thinking about yourself and think about your poor dog.

@HenPenJen1789 you're right of course, my dogs have had diahorrea on steroids, and I was told to ring the vet and check if I should continue because sometimes the upset stomach can be more of a risk to their health than the original illness the steroid is meant to treat. The OP has only had this problem for a week or so which makes her response even more shocking. She should have been on to the vet the first time it happened asking for advice, this shouldn't still be happening.

Crates are far from cruel if used correctly. Mine sleeps in a crate.
We have one in the living room that is left open, and when he is tired, scared or anxious he puts himself into it.
They see them as a safe space, and the cruelty is misunderstood.

ScroogeMcDuckling · Today 11:24
he’s worked out how to open the hallway window and from first light he is leaning/looking out the window.

That is wonderful!

What a horrible OP and I feel very sorry for their dog. Also concerned for their children, what does she do when they have an upset stomach? Lock them in a room with just rubber sheets on the bed and no other bedding as she can’t be bothered to wash bedding?

Crates are not cruel when used properly.

My dog had surgery 6 weeks ago now, she has had to be kept on crate rest to allow proper healing.

As she was already crate trained it made things so easy, she wasn't stressed, she rested and she's due to start getting back to normal life this week.

Without crate training this would have been a very difficult 6 weeks for her.

Crates not used properly can certainly be cruel.

OP, my suggestion would be to pick up a heap of old blankets and sheets to make a soft surface in the crate and throw them out as needed. Using no bedding would be very unfair on him. If you can open the crate area up with a playpen I'd do that too to try to keep the crate and bedding clean.

Ignore the nonsense here about crates being cruel. They aren't as you know. Being endless is a pretty harsh though.

Our dog is no longer crated but has her bed spots and she was recently on high dose steroids. She would pee and poo while asleep in her bed without even realising. It's an unfortunate side effect of those horrid drugs.

We covered her comfy beds in waterproof sheets, then pee pads and a cosy old towel on top. She was nice and comfy but it meant we could whip away the towel, bin the pee pads and the bed stayed clean. we were washing towels everyday but we didn't mind. As her dose lowered she stopped the messing immediately.

Poor pup. They'll be down on the dose soon as they can't stay on a high dose for long and this will be a distant memory.

@fromdownwest - yes but you are not using your crate as is intended. They are to all intents and purposes cages - designed to keep dogs in one place. You are leaving the cage door open so hardly the same thing as someone who locks their dog in one overnight and then for extended periods for the day.

Bedless not endless

Plus the poor dog is trying to hold it in as hard as he can for as long as he can, knowing if he goes he will be in trouble and a bad boy, then when he finally can’t hold it another second he poops on himself in shame and then has to marinade in it.

Yes! Definitely take out his only comfort at night.

Thought i'd add a link to Vets Bedding. I googled out of interest.

www.amazon.co.uk/Vetfleece-Non-Slip-Patterns-Vet-Orthopaedic/dp/B00IXQ7N9E/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=vet%2Bbed%2Bfor%2Bdogs&qid=1671190115&sr=8-5&th=1

Cages are not cages if they have open doors , they are just metal beds .

I think i would put the crate in a secure room with a hard floor and leave newspaper or puppy pads outside in a corner. They will soon get used to having the door open and will settle down.

I know you said you sleep next door and puppy won't settle.

Try for a few nights.

It's not caring to wash soiled bedding, its normal. The bedding only needs washing cos no one is letting the dog out to toilet. If they did that they most likely wouldnt need to wash the bedding any more.
Although let out a few times a night not once.

I have never crated dogs, I have no opinion either way about crates, but they are not for me or my large dogs. I have found that all my dogs(animals in fact) have found a space they claim as their own.
So my cat sleeps in a spot in the back bedroom, one dog sleeps by the back door mat and the other dog side of my bed. Once known these are the places you leave them alone. They claimed it as theirs to be left alone and thats what I do.
If they need to go out in the night they come snuffle at me until I wake up.

As for washing bedding, doesnt every dog owner have a massive stash of old towels, sheets, blankets? Just me?

I would put puppy training pads and newspapers down so it's not just the cage. Also maybe an old towel?

You could also get up and take him out during night to try to pre empt the accidents.

It doesn't sound like he's locked away in a crate in a cold garage. Could you fit crate in kitchen where there's no carpet? Then leave crate door open & newspaper down?

He sleeps overnight in a closed crate, and has done for years.
Well natured and healthy dog

I agree with the majority here that taking away all bedding is not on. Plus actively shutting a healthy dog in a crate all night (as opposed to leaving the door open) is not ideal.

9 months old is getting towards maturity for a dog, really. Unless it's a giant breed.

Just out of interest - lots of posters saying no dog will shit in it's bed if it has a choice - i used to have a miniature dachsund who would routinely shit in her bloomin' bed 🙄

No crate. If it was raining she would shit in her bed (bedding) rather than go out in the rain.

I haven’t read through all the message on here but I have a dog who will chew and swallow all kind of things and so for ages had Vetbed only in his crate (also crated because he’s a danger to himself and prefers to be upstairs with us than in the kitchen). I don’t think leaving him with nothing is nice and also you might find it’s even harder to clean but having two vet bed beds and alternating them while one is in the wash would be a reasonable solution.

This.

However he tells you he needs to be let out in the day, he will tell you in the night, if he isn't locked into a crate. Have had dogs for many years. Periodically, and when they are old, you have to get up to them in the night, just like you do a sick child. He must be very distressed to have no choice but to foul his own bedding. I hope he is better very soon.

Just get a fleece blanket to put over his bed. Put it on a 30 minute quick wash every morning and they dry on a radiator in an hour.

I’ve got a dog that likes to piss and shit everywhere. I’ve got him an easy wash bed and just sling the fleece over it every night