crating at night.

[wags]

Ever since my 4-year old spent one night unconfined, he complains about night time crating. Does anyone here not crate at night? Thanks.

[bradl]

Two sleep on the bed; two sleep in crates.

[wags]

Mine was crying all night when he was crated again. And everyone says- Ignore him, so he won't get his own way. I don't think that's good for any of us. So we're going to have to make some changes. Thanks, Brad.

[Eliz222]

We used the crate when my two were younger. Scout was about 2 years old when she stopped using the crate, and Finch was about 1. I think it all depends on the dog. Finch didn't mind the crate, but Scout HATED it!

[Eliz222]

We used the crate when my two were younger. Scout was about 2 years old when she stopped using the crate, and Finch was about 1. I think it all depends on the dog. Finch didn't mind the crate, but Scout HATED it!

[Tuckersmom]

When I first got Tucker, I did not want to crate at all! My friend kindof talked me into it...boy am I glad I did! He likes it, he doesn't cry or anything. I was thinking about letting him free at night but I don't think I am... he likes it and, God forbid, if something would ever happen I know where he is.

[oregoncoast71]

Greta is only 3 months old and she loves her crate. She doesn't make a peep all night (so far so good). I dont' know if I will let her sleep in bed when she gets older, we will see.

I find it cute when I put her down in my door way of my room and say "night night". She high tails it right past her crate and then turns around and runs into her crate and then back out again as to check to make sure I have her biscuit in my hand. I give her biscuit on her stuffed toy that she sleeps on and all is well.

[Brody'sMom]

We used to crate Brody and Mia at night, but about six months ago we got them beds in our bedroom and they sleep in there. Sometimes we let them sleep with us. DH is out of town so I let them sleep with me last night, but Mia jumped right down and got in her bed.

We still use the crate during the day. And if they get up in the middle of the night we put them in the crate.

[Mollyrocker]

I am big on crating at night. Cricket has been crated at night since she arrived and she is 9 months old. She loves her crate. Runs right in when we go to bed (her crate is in our bedroom) often times she will put herself to bed and go before we are ready to retire. Same for Lucy, our Lab. She is 4 and she has been crated at night in our bedroom since we brought her home. She loves her crate.

I like it because they will both rake their paws on the metal crate if they need to go out...and when we travel with them, their crate is always "home" no matter where we are.

[Tracy A.]

We started taking the boys to bed with us on a regular basis last Sep, and by Oct Metty would run into the bedroom inadavace of bedtime- Now they sleep with us every night.

Since I have the babygates, ex-pen set-up with the dog doors to the dog run, I don't lock them in the Crate during the day since they were 6 months old. At night we still put the ex-pen acorss the family room- just incase someone get's booted from the bedroom for bad behvior. The crate in the Kitchen, has a piece of tee-shirt on the door by the hinge so it can't shut all the way- I need to get another baby gate for the bathroom off the kitchen, I have been using two pieces off the ex-pen for the last year to keep them out of there....

I love my ex-pen!

[Maddy's Max]

Max has a crate downstairs and loves it during the day. He goes in it at his leisure and I shut the door sometimes depending on the situation and if I'm not 100% attentive to him. He goes in his crate by himself usually 9pm and that's after he's laid upstairs with my 7 yr. old daughter until she's asleep and then I bring him down and he sleeps in his crate the rest of the evening until I'm ready to go to bed. I take him out to potty and then up to bed. He sleeps at the end of our bed on his blanket and he doesn't move until morning. It depends on the dog and what they are use to. Max will actually sleep in until 8am on the weekends or even later if I stay in bed. My husband is an early riser all the time and often Max doesn't move when he and my three kids get up. During the week he's up earlier but never wakes us up. I pick him up off the bed and down he goes. He's never left unattended on the bed. Our last Cairn slept on our bed for 13 yrs. I love it but remember I only have one dog but I also have three kids so it sometimes gets pretty cozy in our bed! Some people are against the dog in the bed but it's obviously a personal choice and not for everyone. I certainly don't think it hurts the dog as long as the dog knows his spot on the bed.

[bradl]

A couple of caveats for bed-sleepers. Prepare yourself mentally in advance for each of the following:

• At some time over the years, your dog will pee on the bed. Not just a mark, a full-fledged pee. Not often, but at some point.
  
• Your dog will vomit on your comforter at some point. Probably more than once. You'll learn to wake to the first sign of a retching noise and hope you can get them down to the floor to vomit on the carpet instead of the bedspread. You'll mostly fail.
  
• Finally, for any of a thousand reasons, at some point in your dog's life, it will experience explosive diarrhea. 'nuff said.
  

As mentioned above, we have two-on, two-off. I forgive them in advance.

[Darcy's Folks]

It's really all a personal preference and what you find works best for your family.

We got Darcy at 8 weeks old. She was crated up until she was about 6 or 7 months old. Then my husband went on a business trip one week and I decided to "treat" Darcy to sleeping with mommy in our bed. She never returned to the crate. Darcy will be 2 years old in a week.

Bailey we adopted 2 months ago. He is a little shy of 1.5 years old. He slept in his crate the first night we had him and was completely content. The second night he and Darcy curled up on our bed together and "retired" before we did. Once we decided to go to bed we were so happy they were curled up together and sleeping that we didn't want to disturb "a good thing".

Since that night, they have both slept on the bed with us.

If you like more "control" over your dog roaming at night, etc. crating is a great idea. We enclose ours into our bedroom with a dog gate at the bedroom door so they can only roam in the bedroom. But once they get into bed, they usually stay there.... unless someone needs to go out in the middle of the night which is every so often.

[goforette]

I wish I could let the girls sleep with us... but Hollie won't settle down unless she's in her crate -she instigates Brystal and then it's like road racing all night long... besides the bed is a little high for them and the way our house is designed it's not superior for quick potty trips. All the bedrooms are on the 3rd floor of the house so we have a lot of stairs to hit before the back door.... so crating in the kitchen is and probably will remain the option... (especially since the girls refuse to go down the stairs... pampered or could be a phobia... who knows....) HA!

[Nikki]

Angel sleeps in bed with us Scotty does not...and that mostly has to do with that I saved him from a pet store and right now he has no sense of potty training!!!

[AllAboutPetey]

Burke house sleeping arrangements = 1 on the bed (Petey) and 1 in the crate (Belle). The crate is in our bedroom, and she will often put herself to bed.

Like Hollie and Brystal, our 2 on the bed together = play time.

Out of Brad's list of 3 things...we've experienced #1 and #2. If #3 happens, I'm moving out of the bed.

[Tracy A.]

A couple of caveats for bed-sleepers. Prepare yourself mentally in advance for each of the following:

• a full-fledged pee Check- Mett
  
• vomit on your comforter at some point Check Mett & Bratt
  
• explosive diarrhea Not looking forward to this one
  

Thank goodness for our black, fully machine washable comforter

[TNA]

Digger sleeps in "his" room, which is our small laundry room off the kitchen. We have a baby gate up, and he has food, water toys, his bed, etc. He sleeps his best in there. However, on the weekends when he wakes up at the "weekday" normal time, we take him out to potty. After potty, he's in bed with us for the next hour to two. He curls up on the end of the bed and sleeps until we get up, or even longer.

[wags]

Wes won't settle down in our bed either- So at least we won't have the "presents" Brad mentioned.

Last night Wes slept in the pen in the kitchen with his blankies and stuffed animals. The crate was also in the pen, opened, just for "old times' sake," in case he changed his mind.

We had at first put Wes in the crate again. But he dragged in stuffed animals that were bigger than he is. He looked like he was in a crowded subway car, pushed up against the wall.

At least he could move around the pen. In the morning, he walked back into his open, stuffed-animal free crate and fell asleep again.

Wes thanks you for all your advice.

[hallswel]

All four of mine are in the crates at night. Every now and then I have tried different ways but the crate seems to work the best. The only one who really seems to mind is Sugar but after she gets her bed time cookie she will settle right down.

My main reason for crating has to do with other people watching my dogs. If I take them to my Mom's it makes it easier for her and they know to go in the crates at night. We also have crates in the camper and it helps them settle in better the first night, no wandering looking for the perfect place to sleep.

When I only had 2 gee that was a long time ago I did try the bed and Rebel liked under the bed and Hammurabi bless his heart would sleep on my feet and I would wake up and have to go to the bathroom and lie awake thinking I don't want to wake him up. Needless to say a couple of sleepless nights and back in the sunroom.

I think mine sleep better in the crates. Even my little Diva Sugar.

[kcsdogs]

I prefer to have mine confined at night especially the foster kids as I don't know them well enough to trust them yet. My almost 10 year old male will mark sometimes so he is crated at night. The only one I don't crate at night is my German Shepherd, we have never had any problems with her being loose at night.