How to stop a Kong crate clonking? Or alternatives?

[Workhomework]

Hi all,

Moved our 7mth cocker spaniel upstairs as he was still waking through the night and not resettling well. He sleeps through now and doesn't need the loo.

But he fidgets and his crate makes a lot of noise. I can see him, he's not pawing at it he's just moving. It is a medium crate, he has room to turn around etc.

Is it the kong crate? Should we size up? Any alternative suggestions? Having him on the bed or on a bed on the floor won't work as we have a elderly cat and the puppy can be over zealous. The cat sleeps on the bed.

I'm so tired. Not had a full night sleep since we got him in January (bar one night when we first moved crate upstairs)

Thank you

I put an old towel under the crate tray between the bars and the tray

why have you got him upstairs? The logical answer is to move him down which you can do gradually.
Either move crate to the landing first of all, if there’s space, then further away from your room. If you don’t have space to do this keep the crate downstairs and sleep close to it initially, and gradually move further away (if he is crying and needs you to shush him to get him to settle). If he isn’t crying and is just moving to get comfy, he might be fine straight away.

Our cocker is on a crate mattress thing, it fits the entire size of the crate. It only rattles when he needs the toilet and bashed the sides (only when he has a stomach upset)

Did you cover the crate when it was downstairs?

He was downstairs but he was waking several times and someone suggested being a cocker he probably needed to be nearer us. So we moved him, he sleeps better but we don't!

Yeah, he has a crate cover. I moved him as I was desperate for sleep! At least I'm awake in my own bed rather than getting up and down I guess 🤦

We have a crate mat, I might try to pad it out and see if it helps.

Does he need to be in a crate?

Yes I think so, he would annoy the cat. And he still picks up things he shouldn't. He is getting better but definitely not there yet.

Sounds silly but it is definitely all properly clicked in, especially around the top of the short ends where it meets the roof? Other than that I’d just get a deeper mattress and shove extra blankets in.

Will investigate this. My teenage (17) put it together and he obviously knows everything 🤣🤣 so you may be right

You might be surprised how well he settles overnight without - our beagle was still stealing stuff during the day but at night he just slept and snored

Obviously it’s up to you, but if you’re really not sleeping it may be worth trialling it at least. Otherwise you can get canvas style crates too.

Thanks. Definitely worth a try. I'm so tired!

It doesn't sound like he's sleeping well. If he's sleeping then he won't annoy the cat or pick things up ;)

I suggest trying him in the crate open in your room so he can choose - it's getting warmer now and the crate can get hot. My dog sleeps in our room in an open crate and often she's out on the floor beside it in the mornings as she has got hot.

Replace the crate with a dog bed?

tbf I'm assuming he'd be a monster, but he may just sleep. He always gets off chairs to sleep on the floor in the day so he does get hot.

Looking like a plan. Just need to work out logistics with the elderly cat

I.have fleece blankets rolled up at the crate edges stops some of ths rattle and doubles as spaniel cushions.

I’m not surprised you’re tired!

Lots of dogs just don’t settle in crates - I know they’re often marketed as an essential but in my experience of working with dogs, it’s just down to the individual animal.

I know some who need their crates to settle alone, and others that are much happier curled up on a sofa or sprawled out on the floor. Mine loves a blanket on the sofa or to bury himself under our duvet - his breeder had him crated and he is trained to be in one but he’s infinitely happier when he can move around and be close to us.

I'd try him out of the cage and see how you get on. He might surprise you. Mine has slept on my bed since 5 months old and she's been very good and settles well.

Or try a soft crate instead of a metal one.
Or a dog bed surrounded by a play pen type thing.