Dog sleeping habit …. ?

[Runrabbitrunss]

We adopted a 4 year old 3 weeks ago
she was crate trained , which suits us ( we visit relatives a lot and feel it wd suit when we are in new places as its her consistent place)
first few nites she cried
after that she went in , with a treat and the words good bed
over the last week , when in from her last walk she has shot upstairs wanting to be on our bed and had to be placed in crate ( stiff , resistant) but settled.
she also tried get out of crate bf door shut and jump on sofa
she has definitely been crate trained with cover overnite , but does Not go in it during day. We are gradually leaving her in the room its in .ut was uses at night only previous owner.

when we adopted her we know she was scared of fireworks.last night i took her to bed with me and held her during the fireworks.
I accidentally fell asleep as v tired as recovery from flu and woke up early hrs to find her snuggling me .
i didnt take her down to crate , which i now regret.
it was lovely but dont want lomg term.
so is it fair to re intro to crate? Or are we now done fot??
want to be fair to her. She seems ok in it , just not her
preference!! She loves human contact and cuddles all nite on sofa.
Thanks - am so tired - I would just appreciate help.
i am totally torn as it was so sweet , but the crate waa so useful and fits out life … eeek

HNY!

You can definitely get back into the crate sleeping. Try a light lead and guide her in with the word 'crate/bed' whatever word you use with a treat in the crate....then a treat once in, then close the door then open again, then increase the time the door is closed. Then walk away, increase time. We also use the word 'break' so that once the door is open he can't bolt out but has to wait until given his release word. Handy with visitors and extends to off lead and getting out of the car too. Good luck this is definitely doable and you have only undone it short term so dont worry!

Crate trained doesn't mean she likes it!! She's telling you quite clearly her preferences...

A dog who is stiff and resistant and needs to be "placed in the crate" isn't a dog that is happily crate trained.

Either you need to go back to basics and train her as if she were a puppy, or (my preference) just leave her free to sleep where she chooses.

It doesn’t sound like she’s been properly crate trained tbh

if you want her crate trained you’ll need to go right back with it

www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/crate-training

The first few nights we said ‘ bed ‘ and she went in no problem… she clearly understood. But prefer s human bed .

She 100% slept in crate before coming to us bynthe way she initially walked in

Can’t you just get her a suitable dog bed and train her to that rather than a crate? My dog is trained to go to her bed wherever I place that bed. She also is trained not to climb on furniture unless her blanket is on it. She travels well to hotel and holiday cottages and abides by these rules.

She came to us at about a year, supposedly crate trained. She hated the crate.

Our older dog showed us at about 4 months old that he preferred his bed to be in the open.

So my focus has been on behaviours that keep her ( and the surroundings) safe wherever we are.

Imo adult ddogs don't need a crate....
Or even dpuppies for long....

That might be habit or insecurity rather than a case of her actually being crate trained.

If she was truly comfortable in her crate she wouldn't go "stiff" and need to be placed in there, she'd happily trot in of her own accord.

Do you need her to be crated? I would much rather give an adult, non-destructive dog free range if possible.

Being used to a crate and being crate trained aren’t the same thing.

Properly crate trained dogs want to be in the crate, they choose to lie in it at other times because they associate it with good things, it’s where they go if they feel insecure as well.

I am confused . Initially when she came to us she happily walked intonthe crate on the word bed.
The last few nights , she had tried avoid it in favour of other options.
I just assumed that as she went in willingly initially, she just prefers another option that she realises exists

Not necessarily. She was in an unfamiliar place with strange people - she went to the only place she recognised (her crate). Now she knows you a bit better, she's more confident and prefers to be elsewhere.

she just prefers another option that she realises exists
Of course, what dog wouldn't? We only had ours in the crate overnight until she was dry at night. After that she has always slept in a bed in our room or on our bed. Nicer for everyone.

If you want to keep her in the crate at night you'll have to accept you are making her miserable. Why are you wanting to keep her there?

I’m not sure why an adult dog needs to be crated, get her a bed. We have 3 beds and she wanders from one to another.

I adopted a crate trained dog. Crate was up for one day then went in the shed. Has a bed upstairs and downstairs. Very happy dog.

Ive looked after lots of people’s dogs that are adult and crate trained at night and in daytime when owners out , for rest etc. which is why yhis confused me .

I guess i assumed she ws happy in the crate. She moved around a lot last night and i am recovering from flu- so i am very very tired and perhaps not best placed to think clearly.

I suspect the number of adult dogs who are routinely crated at night and when their owners are out is fairly small, really. Most adult dogs don't need to be locked in crates.

My rescue girl came to us at 18 months, we put a crate in the hall, the only time she uses it if she feels anxious, we have never closed the door, she has never slept in it. It’s just there, in case.

i really struggle with my dog is crate trained.
I’m not talking about puppies the worry of keeping them safe and your house walls and wiring in place. Or the dogs that genuinely feel safer in a cage that’s a whole other thread of therapy.
Try changing the word crate for small space/ cage and contemplate why your dog does not want to spend all night in one.

Id be happy not to crate her . I was told that is what happened in her home.
we need to decide whayntomdo this eve .. please see below!

The issue is we are just on a few minutes leaving her in the living room with the door shut which our dog trainer had been telling us to do and build up time , so that she can eventually be left when we leave the house.if i leave the room she notmally follows.
( our old dog had free rein)

so - just for now - if I don’t keep her in the living room, ( crate is in there) for which she has only built up to 3 mins ( we asked if we cd tale her after Christmas but were told no so we tool her home on day we met her - then relatives came for 9 days so this didnt happen in a very full household!
so - if no crate
the options are.
1.run of the house - she will definitely come in my bed
which if prefer not as light sleeper and she moved quite a bit
or
2.leave her in living room - for which she had had no practice for other than 3 mins

obviously if id seen this coming, i wd have been building the time up , but i haven’t as until last nite she was in the crate in the living room each nite so ive had no time and now need to make a decision what to do tonight.
i think its unfair to
let her in bed again if i dont intend to lomg term -but i have no time to
suddenly train her to
stay in the living room .
would she be ok in crate at nite , while we build up her time in living room?
or do i need to
gove in and let her sleep
onnmy bed ? Or try living room even tho she has only done 3 non crated / time by herself to practice being left.
I don’t wnat upset her , i also want time to think re future somehow ! Thanks

I think you're massively overthinking all this - she's not a puppy, she's an adult dog. Unless she's destructive, has separation anxiety or isn't toilet trained, she should be fine to be left in the living room overnight.

vanillalattes
I know I am 😀
So tired after being ill and christmas, struggling to think.

its also as she is new to us .
for example she is scared of fireworks and came with anti anxiety herb tablets.
She also never wore a coat.
She refuses to walk in it ( I carried her to an intense sniff spot were dogs wee to distract her - to no avail) she just stands woth legs braced!

As she has only been in crate since with us ( in living room) i dont know if she woll scratch at door / cry as this be new to
her.

I have no idea if she has separation anxiety. She does not cry in crate is all I kmow. We got her just before Christmas ( not out wish) then straight into a housefull so we have actually not left her yet !

She doesn’t need a coat, I’ve never put a coat on my dogs

Dogs don’t need to wear coats. They tend to be for human convenience rather that the need of the dog. Take a breath and let her be and just settle in.
I expect what she wants more than anything is to be loved and to feel safe.
think small child, food, warmth, love and security.