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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

How long did you leave your puppy in a crate overnight?

16 replies

picnicinthewoods · 09/10/2013 11:52

We had him in a crate in my room for 2 weeks and after 3 night he no longer needed to get up in the night. We have now moved him downstairs and out of his crate and he is messing on the kitchen floor. Should I move him back into his crate? How long for?

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 09/10/2013 12:00

He's nearly 14 months...still in it.

Not because he needs the toilet, but because he chews anything and everything and spends too much time trying to lick the cat.

I'm slowly coming round to the idea of having a huge cage in my living room forever, lol.

throckenholt · 09/10/2013 12:03

Ours is 14 months too and still in the crate over night. We did ditch it for a while a few months back - but we had two consecutive nights with poo on the floor (not sure if pup or older dog with upset tum), and then an eaten shoe and we decided to go back to the crate.

Actually she seems to like it, and older dog also chooses to use it during the day as well - so I think we will stick with it for now.

How old is yours ? IME most pups aren't reliable until at least 6 months anyway.

CMOTDibbler · 09/10/2013 12:03

cmotdog is 14 months or so, and sleeps in his crate and is in there when we are out. Never messes in it.

Whoknowswhocares · 09/10/2013 12:54

Mine just ditched hers at 8 months. She's had no mistakes yet, and called in the night one day last week when 'caught short'!
Mind you, she was ridiculously easy to house train.....only made 3 wee errors and one poo even when tiny.

foolonthehill · 09/10/2013 14:06

5 year old springer...still crated at night...she never ever messes or destroys anything but gets "lonely" and sad and does not sleep if she's loose (and even stays in when i forget to shut the door then reminds me 2 hours later by whining!)...very helpful as we often visit non-dogproofed homes, as she loves her crate we are welcome almost anywhere [smug].

...tis a bit of a space robber though (looks in corner of kitchen) on the other hand where would all the junk live that settles on top of it.....?

throckenholt · 09/10/2013 15:00

ah yes - junk that settles on top of it - we have that too. It does tend to be just another horizontal surface that attracts stuff. The dog doesn't mind but I do :)

Contraryish · 09/10/2013 15:07

We got rid of ours about three weeks ago, the dog is about 6.5 months old. No messing, no chewing, no problems.

Frettchen · 09/10/2013 15:08

He's 7 months and I leave the crate open overnight (it's in my room) and when it's bedtime I tell him 'box' which is his command to go to his crate (the word 'crate' sounds too similar to 'wait') and he'll go into his crate and stay there overnight. He's not likely to outgrow it, so I'm happy to keep it as his bed indefinitely.

Bowlersarm · 09/10/2013 15:09

Up until aged about one, for both of mine.

mintchocchick · 09/10/2013 15:56

4 nights! Our puppy hated the crate and cried all night and whenever he went in during the day. It was awful. We noticed that when he was in the kitchen, even on his own, he was happy either sleeping or pottering around.

We puppy proofed the kitchen and he's slept there ever since - much quieter and we can all get some sleep. We leave newspaper for him - sometimes he wees on it, sometimes not but it's easy to clean up in the morning so I'm not bothered and I think the wee puddles are gradually getting smaller!

Original poster

picnicinthewoods · 09/10/2013 16:34

LOL! Seems we were a bit premature then! Pup is 16 weeks, so I think back to the crate tonight. Hes had an upset tum though so maybe that's why he messed. I've also found he actually likes the crate and 'asks' to go in it at nightime, then seems very unhappy about going to his bed in the kitchen instead. The nights in the kitchen, I don't think he understood it was bedtime either & was wondering around and crying, whereas in the crate (which was also in my room upstairs) he was very happy and didn't disturb me until 8am! Funny how they like the crate!

OP posts:

Original poster

picnicinthewoods · 09/10/2013 16:35

Just I hate the look of the thing!

OP posts:

throckenholt · 09/10/2013 16:42

put the crate in the kitchen ? with the door of the crate open so that he can get used to going in and out.

tabulahrasa · 09/10/2013 16:47

I can't even use mind to dump things on, that would at least be useful...if there's anything touching it he'll have it, even if he should actually be able to pull it through he manages, lol.

He does like it, sleeps in there with the door open through the day - the only reason I've really thought wistfully about getting rid of it is the sheer size of it, it's huge, 48", bigger than most of my furniture.

littlewhitebag · 09/10/2013 20:12

Mine still sleeps in hers at 17 months. She loves it. She is all curled up in it right now with the door open. We only close it at night and pull the covers over or when we go out.

daftyburd · 10/10/2013 22:47

My dog is 11 months and still sleeps in a crate in my room. He does have the door open and he must like it or he wouldn't take himself off to bed on his own. His crate is big though. It was a hand me down from a much bigger breed puppy.

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