Ddog suddenly hates the crate at night

[thanksamillion]

We've had our 7 month old Romanian rescue puppy since the end if November. She's slept fine in the crate from the start up until a couple of nights ago. Now she just whines/cries and last night got really upset. As far as I can tell nothing has changed. Any suggestions because we desperately need more sleep!

themuttyprofessor.co.uk/2017/07/20/crate-debate-crate-not-crate/
Dogs are polyphasic sleepers. This means they sleep in short periods, like to get up and move around as well as changing positions
Changing surfaces that they sleep on also helps them regulate their temperature.
Therefor, crating dogs goes against their natural way of sleeping and removes all option of them fulfilling this instinctive behaviour.
It’s worth noting that to enter deep REM sleep dogs need to have the ability to stretch their legs out, as full muscle relaxation is part of the process of slow wave sleep (the stage before REM sleep). Should your dog not enter REM sleep their brain may not be getting all the repair and recharging that it needs to function efficiently. It’s during REM sleep that the brain receives energy and also cortisol (stress hormone) levels lower. We all know how cortisol affects our mood and brain, so it’s vital we all get our REM sleep – dogs included!
So, here’s my bold claim: ‘Crating (when misued) can even INHIBIT training!’ If a dog can’t concentrate due to lack of REM sleep, then how are they meant to efficiently learn new behaviours we want to teach them?
I sometimes say to people who are pro-crates: ‘How would you like being locked in your bedroom all night and/or for 8 hours a day? How do you think you’d sleep?’
Or, considering some of the sizes of crates, how about being confined to your bed for a duration of time? And being escorted to the loo when someone finally says you’re allowed to go, before being escorted back to bed?

thepetshow.com/the-case-against-crate-training/

thepetshow.com/the-case-against-crate-training/

As above, that age was about the same age my last puppy moved out of the crate. Prior to that he'd slept like a baby, mostly unmoving in a crate that was very large for his size. At that age he'd mostly stopped chewing things he shouldn't and was increasingly likely to want to move about so I left the door open for him. It took about two more weeks or so before he chose to sleep outside the crate, but the option was there.

We suddenly heard screaming from out DDog when she was a puppy, and saw she'd got her jaw stuck between the bars of the crate (she wasn't in it but had tried to chew it from the outside). She managed to free herself even before we got to her, and luckily there was no harm done, but I wonder if your dog has had a similar experience and is now scared of the crate?

Im sorry, but dogs shouldn't be spending all night in a crate (cage) When did this cage business become acceptable? It's fine if they can get in and out at will but locking them in is just cruel. No wonder he cries.

I agree with PP. Why not try puppy proofing a room and leaving the door open to the crate so she can choose? I was given a crate with my last Foster, he just whined miserably until it was unlocked.

I just knew if I clicked on this all the posts would be anti-crate.

Does your dog have room to stretch?

This is the time of year for fox-mating: can she hear foxes outside?

I have rescues, & crates are a must in our open-plan house. Both my dogs can stretch in their crates.

Hope you find a solution OP. Just posting to say that there are different views on crates.

I've never crated. My dogs sleep downstairs. I got a rescue last year his first night he slept downstairs. He had been crated in a rescue. Its down to personal preference but I don't like caging dogs.

Putting dogs in a crate is cruel, it seems to be quite a recent thing, convenient for the owner, but unnecessary for the poor dog. I have never used one and never will. My dogs have always had free roam of the house, and much happier for.it.

Thanks for the suggestions. You'll be pleased to know that we're trying the first night without her in the crate.
Currently sitting on the floor in the dark in the kitchen while she settles.

How did last night go, OP?

I'm another who's never crated and I don't see the appeal of it either. I think it's mostly done for convenience really.

How did it go OP?

We've had to start crating our elderly dog as it really settles and calms him so I don't think crates are always a bad thing!

Pup is now 4 1/2 months old. We have just started leaving his crate door open at night but with a pen around it meaning he can come out when he wants and have a good stretch out on the floor. All going well so far and I think he’s actually sleeping later in the morning because of it. I had resisted this because I didn’t want to come down to accidents but nothing yet!

I’ve never needed to use a crate in decades of having rescues. We just make sure there’s nothing chewable in the kitchen where they sleep. We have a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. We’ve not had a single dog for years, always 2 - 3, so that probably helps.