Dog “crate” in under stairs cupboard

[Newtssuitcase]

So these are all over Pinterest but has anyone done it and are they a good idea.

We are collecting our new family member in a few days. Our previous dogs have lived in the boot room at night but our elderly cats like it there and are in and out through the dog flap. I don’t want the puppy disturbed at night any more than is necessary (and definitely not letting herself in and out through the dog flap).

we do have an understairs cupboard which isn’t really used in the living room. I was contemplating putting a baby gate across the front and using it as a dog den/crate area. Has anyone done this? I’m wondering whether it would still feel too open.

What do you mean by feel too open? A safe space for a pup is a good idea but it doesn’t need to be a crate.

We have an open under stairs area and that’s where our crate is. We have tried to move it but she likes it where it is and won’t use the crate if it’s anywhere else. She likes the enclosed space and the crate is covered except in a hot summer, it’s her hidey hole and if we took the crate away she would hate it.

We’ve done this, with a stair gate across the doorway (we removed the door) and my dog loves it. He has his own space, the kids know not to go in there and to leave him alone if he’s in his “bedroom”. We don’t have a crate in there, just a bed, his blankets, toys and bowls.
I think it’s a great idea if you’ve got the space.
Edited to add - he’s even stopped trying to sleep on the sofa in the kitchen since he’s had his own room, his preference is to be in his own little space.

It could work as long as you start from day one and can also put a blanket up as we found puppy slept better having crate mostly covered to block out most light and just an open bit for fresh air. We only crated at night for the first couple of weeks, then started slowly putting him in daytime. He really hated being in there when we were in the same room at first, but seemed ok when we went out. Then after a while he often took himself off to sleep in the crate daytime.

I think with a stair gate its fine (don't shut them in with a solid door!)

And yes, having a safe "den" is very handy

I did this with my first dog! He LOVED it. I put a blanket and bed in there along with a water bowl and whenever he was tired he took himself off into it!

I once tried to prettify it with a curtain and lights and he refused to go in 😂He lived for 16 years under the stairs - no crate, no other beds. It was just ‘his space’

As long as there’s no door that you shut at night I think it’s a great idea

No of course we wouldn’t shut her in with the doors. We have two narrow doors on it at the moment that open like a wardrobe but all the way open so they lie flat against the walls. My thought process was that I’d leave the doors on so that I can shut the dog stuff away out of sight if we are trying to make the room look nice (obviously not when the dog was using it) and then most of the time the doors would just stay open with the baby gate sitting just behind the doors. We then have the best of both worlds. It’s a second living room but the one we use most on a day to day basis.

It’s quite a big cupboard so currently seems quite big for a puppy but she’s a rough collie so will get bigger.

I have a curtain I could also put up to block out some of the daytime light whilst she’s very little. I could easily attach a pole behind the doors.