Where should puppy sleep?

[Chocolategirl19791]

Border collie puppy coming home next weekend, will be nearly 9 weeks.

Dilemma-where should they sleep? Ultimately I want them sleeping downstairs and not in our room (dd7 has an aversion to her own bed, whole other story).

Should I start with them in our room and then move out or start downstairs with us sleeping down there.

It's personal choice really, and might depend on the layout of your house. We slept downstairs with our pups, I didn't want to be carrying them down the stairs in the night for toilet trips.

I would start as you mean to go on. It’s going to be really difficult transitioning from your bedroom to downstairs if you start there.

I would recommend getting a crate, as they are a safe space for a puppy (our 2 year old dog still sleeps in his and loves it!). Try and put the puppy to bed as late as possible, last wee then into the crate and ignore any immediate crying. Then wake up early and let them out for a morning wee. Good luck!

Crate downstairs with blanket covering it.

Sleep downstairs on sofa while pup settles to being away from their Mum and can go through the night without needing a wee in early hours.

Downstairs in a safe crate. DH slept on the sofa next to ours until she settled at night!

We just had him in the kitchen in a dog bed (personal preference not to use a crate). I sat with him the first two nights then third night left him and sat outside the kitchen most of the night but he actually slept. We leave a small cozy light on for him in there

If you crate you need to be prepared to sleep next to to the crate.

Crating wasn't a thing when I had my puppies, they always slept downstairs in their bed with clothes that had our scent, a hot water bottle and a ticking clock, and then they moved into our bed!

Our puppy slept downstairs in her crate from day one. She had soft toys and a blanket, from the breeder and an electric blanket. We also covered the crate in a blanket to keep her warm and cosy. We had a dog cam set up so we could see if she was ok. It all went really well and she soon settled down. She’s never cried at night.

You will get advice to have the puppy in your bed/bedroom, or for you to sleep downstairs next to the crate.

Make you own choice.

Whatever is easiest. If you crate downstairs then be prepared for several weeks of bad sleep on the sofa or floor though!

If you can, get a dog blanket over to the breeder and get it in with the puppy now. You'll be able to bring it home with the puppy and it will smell familiar in the pup's new surroundings.

When pup comes home, wrap the blanket around a warm hot water bottle at night as it will feel like his mum / other puppies and will help him sleep.

Personally, I'd go for crate training as it will help with toilet training, and it's up to you whether you want it in your room or not. If you start with it there, it doesn't mean it has to stay there. I would stay with the pup though as it will make toilet visits easier during the first few nights.

Just make sure the crate is never used as punishment, it always needs to be a good place. Give plenty of treats in the crate, and feed in the crate so it's associated with being a place where all the good things happen.

It depends on the puppy - ours slept in the crate downstairs from day 1. I slept by her for 2 nights, she didn’t wake at all, so I went back upstairs and she remains downstairs. Personally I would never have a dog in my bedroom (or my bed!) but I know a lot of people who do.

Definitely start as you mean to go on but ideally you need to stay next to the puppy for the first few nights as they will be terrified enough as it is about a new home etc. it all settles down eventually. Being downstairs also helps with getting up several times a night for the first few weeks to toilet them outdoors.

Just to contradict some of the comments, our pup has slept in our room since the day we brought her home and now chooses to sleep alone. No transition needed - just time and confidence 🙂 Our last dog did the same.

Personally I’d go for the best sleep option. Ours was going through within about 10 days. She would have needed company way longer!

Our puppy slept downstairs from day one, we slept upstairs.

My current dog is the first that slept in my room when he first came home. But by night 4 he wanted to go in his crate downstairs with the other dog. I set my alarm clock to get up in the night, pushing it on by a quarter of an hour every three days. He never had a nightime accident.

I'm glad it worked for you, but it won't work for many puppies who will panic and cry if you try and leave them overnight from day one.

Such a helpful thread. Thank you!

She’s our fourth dog. We’ve always treated them the same.

@Sholkedabemus again, that doesn't mean it will work for every dog.

How many times have you tried it? By that I mean a cosy bed, with blankets and toys that smell of mum and the rest of the litter and an electric blanket. How many puppies have you had?

In a crate downstairs but she didn't like it and cried a lot and was clearly distressed, looking back. We slept downstairs the first two nights.
A week later, she came up with us, her bed on the floor next to me, slept soundly ever since.

@Sholkedabemus we tried it with our current dog, using all the things you described, and he screamed so much he vomited and pooed his bed 🤷‍♀️

As I said, it doesn't work for every dog, as you'd know if you read any of the threads in here about people who've struggled for weeks because they've been told "all puppies get used it it eventually".

I'm glad it worked for yours and I'm not knocking it as a technique but it definitely doesn't suit all dogs and puppies.

Basket in kitchen or room with moppable floor. I put a puppy pad down too. I never went downstairs to mine, but I got up at about 5 30am anyway.

Ours have always been downstairs in a very comfortable dog bed from first night but we did wake up ridiculously early for them.

I've never ever used a crate and never would, but a lot of dog owners have had great success with theirs.

Once they are a bit older, our dogs have the run of the house and sleep where they want. we don't mind dogs on beds at night , so it might not be for everyone.

Someone suggested electric blanket: I am not sure if this would be safe. I'd be worried in case the puppy chews through it.