I need some advice...

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Hi everyone! I'm kind of frustrated with Albus right now. He sleeps in a crate at night, both for his safety (so he doesn't get into something he shouldn't) and to ease my mind so I know where he is. He absolutely loves his crate, so no problems there. I just want him to be more comfortable than just have him laying on the plastic tray.

I have tried putting blankets, carpet pads, carpet rugs on top of padding, beds, you name it, but he never fails in chewing it to pieces. I know dogs chew and it's their instinct, but I don't understand why he doesn't like sleeping with all the comfy stuff I give him! I'd like to find something that will last long-term so I don't keep throwing away my money on things he will destroy... I am a college student, you know.

I realize NOTHING is completely indestructible, but I'm sure there is something better out there that I'm just not thinking of. Can anyone give me suggestions on this please? Thanks in advance! :)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I think it is safe to say you can save your money and put it towards your education!!! ha ha Gracie Doodle no longer has a crate but when she did she would push everything aside to get to the cool tray. Now she will hang out on our bed all day under a ceiling fan cooling her tummy. During the evening she hangs out in the hall on the carpet but we have tight hard carpet. Her most favorite place is what we call "the baby spot" and that is the limestone entry. It is very cold on bare feet so I can only imagine what it is like on a Doodle tummy. I will watch her during the evening change spots every so often as the tile heats up from her body heat. Occasionally she will sleep all night with us but usually she leaves us the minute we get into bed and sleeps in the living room or on the tile. Early evening she will go out to the patio and lay on the cement. I used to have pads all over the house and patio but she has never taken to them. I think Doodles prefer hard surfaces and cool. She will even sleep on her back on the hard surfaces. Bottom line...let him sleep on the crate tray!

[Adina P]

My Rosco, while he was still crated, preferred to sleep without any bedding. But his moving around DID make noise so what I did was put a towel between the crate and the liner (so it was under the liner where your dog wouldn't get to it). Maybe a carpet pad or rug would do better as a sound buffer (again between the crate liner and the crate.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Yeah, this sounds really familiar. Three blankets and two towels later, we just let him sleep on the plastic tray. He loves it. He must have been too hot and couldn't sleep or something...

[Natasha]

Hi Caitlin,

If he is a chewer, it's probably best to avoid putting a mat in his crate. Accidentally swallowing an inorganic material might wind up costing you a lot of money at the vet's office.

Instead, try putting a towel or blanket under the plastic tray so that it doesn't rattle around.

If he likes his crate, then he apparently doesn't need to have a blanket to be comfortable. But you definitely deserve to sleep without the noise!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Yes, Peri rotates from her plush bed to our bathroom floor at night. It matters how hot she is I think.
In her crate, one day I will come home and she is loving the bed. Another - she has pushed it aside and is laying on the cool tray.
I would use a towel??? I just ordered a Sleep Ezz bed that is supposedly very durable for crates - will let you know. It is arriving today. It looks deliciously comfy.

[Sheri & Murphy]

Muphy did the same thing. He just does not want anything to sleep on. Get over it. I also tried several things and at different ages. I thought at two he would have forgotten it, but he chewed up the bed I got him for Christmas. Some dogs just don't like that kind of thing. That being said, when Murphy is laying outside by the pool he will pester you to put his cushion on his favorite lounge chair. ????Go figure:o)

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Your dog ROCKS!! I am still laughing about this. (SORRY). I know your maternal instincts are kicking in, but I think the other gals are right. He is hot. How about putting some tile pieces in the crate and see if he likes that better?

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Oh geez, now I'M OBSESSING. Thinking the tiles might pinch him. If it makes you feel better, my mini ALD puppy who weighs about 8 lbs. soaking wet has decided she like our last dog, Sandy the labrador's bed. It is hairy, dirty and was stored under the bed. She drug it out and now the ugly thing is in my life again. And like you, I have all kinds of cute dog beds. And the idea was to get rid of DOGHAIR. Sheesh, we can't win.

[Donna K & Quincy]

My doodle has his cushy dog bed, a lovely soft blanket and he is welcome on the bed and where does he sleep, on the bare hardwood floor and when he's warmed one spot he moves to a cooler one. So don't stress, just leave out the blankets and let him sleep on the plastic crate, they seem to like it that way.

[Heidi]

I think he gets hot too. Bear's in a kennel too but when he's out all day he prefers the tile over the carpet. And in the family room we have carpet, he prefers to lay on top of the coffee table. Weird, I know. Bear had all the comfy cozy pads and blankets, but he would spends a lot of time knocking around the kennel pushing them to the back or front so he wouldn't have to lay on them. He hasn't chewed any up just moves them away. So when it seemed to cold I put a beach towel at the bottom. That was for me and not him, but he was able to move it without it taking too much room.