Swapping crate for downstairs toilet room

[Bridgettvs]

Hi,

I have a one year old lab who is fully crate trained - she doesn’t pee or poo in the house but has a habit of chewing things she shouldn’t so she goes in there overnight and when I pop out (most the time there is someone in the house tbh).

I was thinking of getting rid of the crate and putting her bed in the downstairs toilet for when I’m out and at night time, and putting a baby gate on so I can leave the door open for air.

She will have a lot more room than a crate, does this sound like a silly idea?

Not mad - I'd pop her crate in there to begin with with the door open and let her choose. But if she likes her crate and she's not in it much then why change it?

It’s a perfectly reasonable plan assuming it stays quite warm ( thinking tiled floors etc not retaining heat ) .

It sounds dreadful, shutting her/him into a tiny room. I can't say I'm keen on crates either.

We had a very chewy retriever who went through a chewy phase, so to make life simple and kinder to her/him move anything chewable out of the way.

The thing is, the crate is her safe space so if you get rid of it and put her in a little room, she will probably not settle like she would in her crate.

You think it would be kinder to give her more space and you could try it, maybe with the crate in the room to begin with if there is space, but just be aware that she may not see it the same and would be happier in her cosy cave (crate).

She’s never really been happy with her crate to be honest - I mean she goes in it when told without fuss but she never chooses to go in it or her own accord.

Ah, she’s not crate trained then 😉

In that case just try it and see.