Does he have to sleep in the crate?

[Katie Ternes]

So our puppy will be coming home in a few weeks. And we've got pretty much everything set up for him, and I've trained lots of older dogs, but this is our first puppy...

Rumor has it the first few nights they're kind of sad and missing their littermates and Mama and are cold and lonely. And that thought just breaks my heart. Institutionally, I'd probably snuggle them close in bed so they didn't feel sad and could know that I'll take care of them...

BUT, our official trainer has warned me against it like a million times. Promises me that I'll just be making a mountain out of a mole hill, and in no time at all will regret not crate training the puppy. When I do start putting him in the crate, allegedly, the howls and whines will only get louder and craizer as time goes on.

Does anyone have any wisdom with this? Our first dog was a year old lab when we got her, and she never slept anywhere but on the floor next to my bed. She was such a good dog and we honestly never crated her once. And I liked that she had free roam of the house, and occasionally when the hubby wasn't home I"d let her snuggle on the bed with me. She wasn't much of a snuggler though, so she'd just lay on the husbands pillow and start snoring.... 

[Julie and Max]

Max is seven months old and I don't own a crate. He has always slept near me, but I think it's a personal choice. The main thing is will you be able to make sure he doesn't get into trouble without the crate. Like for accidents, chewing and other destructive behavior. How often will he be alone? Will you have a safe place for him when you are not there? We use baby gates and he stays in the kitchen which is safe from anything he can destroy really. I personally don't like crates, but I know that isn't a popular opinion.

[Kelly & Zoe]

I feel the same way.

[Melissa Bissell]

We have had our puppy for only 2 weeks.  We have crate trained him from day one (as was the breeder) and we are really happy with the way things are going.  We kept him in a crate in our room for the first 6 nights.  Once he had slept completely through the night for several nights we moved him to a crate downstairs in our cozy den, but you could still keep him in a crate in your room, personal preference.  I feel much more confident that he his safe when asleep in his crate.  Puppies get into absolutely everything!  There is nothing that they won't put in their mouths.  It has also made the times when I have to leave the house without him easier, like going to work.  He goes right in his crate.  He whines for a minute or two and is quiet by the time I have my coat on.  I think it has really helped with potty training also.  When puppies are up they need to go our to pee A LOT!!!  I think it is personal preference, but you will have to watch him constantly when not in a crate.

[Katie Ternes]

Our breeder also starts the crate training process, and sends a toy and a blankie with the littermates scent, and I've already bought a puppy bed buddy type thing that you can warm and put in with them... 

So, realistically I know that theres already a good thing going, but gahhhhh!!! 

And your right, initially I'll need to crate him while we're gone, really for his safety. With two little girls, I can't promise that a barbie shoe won't be on the floor, and I worry about choking and stuff when no one is home! 

[Katie Ternes]

I think I was spoiled with Daisy. She never chewed anything she shouldn't, slept on her bed in our room perfectly, and really the only "issue" we had was her helping herself to the couch to nap on when we were gone... The one thing I miss most is that she's not here to greet me at the door when I come in...

[Abby Christos]

Just be aware that whatever you start now will have to continue. Not sure how big he be? I was expecting bob to be 45-50 lbs. He will end up being closer to 80. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have not started with the bed thing. The first night bob spent the night in his crate on the kitchen. He cried off and on throughout the night. The second night, I moved his crate into our bedroom and he has been quiet ever since. If you can, drop off a blanket now or ask the breeder if she has one you can take with the litter mates and moms scent on it. I think that helped a lot too.

[Katie Ternes]

See, that's the thing. Daisy was 110lbs! That's a big dog! 

The breeder does send home a toy and a blankie with his littermates scents on it, and has promised me that it'll be a very short time before he knows my scent and is comforted by it. 

It may sound crazy, but I kind of feel bad for him :( If someone took me to a whole new house, with different everything, and the only thing that was the same was my food and I didn't know anyone, I'd be pretty bummed out... 

My trainer keeps telling me to remember that this is a dog, but for me, it's more like one of my own kids, you know?

[Abby Christos]

I know, I felt bad too. I couldn't stand hearing the little guy cry. I also would put in a shirt or a sock or something that smelled like my husband and I. He got used to our smell fairly quickly that way. In all honestly, dogs like crates and confined spaces for sleeping. They are den animals and like the confined space. It's even recommended to cover most of the crate with a sheet or thin blanket to seem more den like. Bob doesn't spend time during the day in his crate, we have an x pen in the kitchen he stays in while we are at work. But, boy oh boy he loves bedtime. I bring lots of treats and tell him to go to bed and he bolts for his crate.

[Katie Ternes]

You're right. And by all accounts, it seems like they settle down pretty quickly and enjoy having their comfy space to sleep at night.

Do you ever have to take bob potty in the middle of the night?

[Abby Christos]

Bob would go out 2-3 times a night for maybe 5-6 weeks. I read that you should set an alarm to get up every 2-3 hours (or however long he can hold it). It's better to get up and make him go out on your time instead of him learning that when he barks he gets let out. Keep as many lights off as possibly. Leash/carry him out to potty spot and right back to the crate. Nothing fun happens at night. :) Over time, increase the amount of time between potty breaks until he is going out twice a night, then once a night and soon he'll hold it all night. This was one of the hardest things for me. We don't have kids yet, so I was a huge baby about having to wake up so many times at night!

[Melissa Bissell]

I also use treats to make the crate extra exciting!  My friend adopted two dogs as adults, one 8 and one 6.  We have compared notes and there is just nothing at all similar in raising a puppy to having adult dogs, who are housebroken and have mellow routines.  With that being said, my friend who does not crate her dogs did end up with a very scary situation when her oldest dog started eating clothing he found lying around the house.  The vet essentially had to pump her stomach - she had eaten a pair of tights, underwear and shirts!!!  She could have died.  This dog had never done anything of the sort, but when the 6 year old came to live with them she started doing unusual (for her) things.  I was uncertain about the crate at first as well, but I now just feel so good knowing my little guy is safe whenever we aren't home or its sleeping time.

[Katie Ternes]

Yea, that's what worries me too. I was figuring on crating him for at least a year until we get through some of that more intense chewing phase, and also my three year old will be older and wiser and hopefully I won't keep stepping on my little pony brushes in the middle of the night. And you're right, I probably wouldn't sleep a wink wondering what the little stinker was eating or chewing on.

The breeder also said that they are far less likely to have a potty accident in their crate vs the bed. If they're in their crate they'll let you know, but if they're in your bed, it's apparently not such a big deal. My husband would go ballistic if we got dog pee in our sleep number. LOL