Moving to a basket

[HestonMoomintroll]

My Weim is 10 months old and still sleeps in his crate at night. He likes his crate, he has full run of the house all day (I am on ML and my husband works from home) but still uses his crate for naps. I do however still crate him if we are going out. I'd really like to move him out of his crate now, he's totally house-trained and has been for months, he's not destructive and his crate is mahoosive and ugly. Any tips for this transition? Should I do it in stages, eg leave his crate unlocked for a while?

I have just got rid of my dogs crate as she is nearly 2 and no longer chews (much). I just left new basket next to her crate and left crate door open at night. For the first couple of nights she stayed in the crate, the next couple of nights she slept in her new basket and now I find her curled up on the sofa when I come down in the morning! I suppose I should move her to kitchen at night instead of the lounge but she seems so content!

def do it in stages. we tried to do it too quickly, cue me setting up a crate at 11pm at night when ralph wouldnt settle.

he loves his bed now, and doesnt miss the crate. i miss the crate when i'm trying to mop the floors though