Advice about puppy being in crate a lot?!

[Jess & Stewart]

Hi all,

Stew is great. Slept all night the first night from 10:30 pm to 5 am, didn't make a sound after barking for 10 minutes. Went pee/poop at 5, then slept until 6. Today, I did some crate games, kibble/treats in crate, Stew walked in & out. I have a snuggle puppy with the litter mates scent on it, he snuggled with it all night & plays with it during the day.

I got NO sleep last night, I tossed, turned, couldn't get comfortable & my stomach felt bad. I thought it was just nerves. Today, when I put him in the crate to take a nap, I didn't get a nap, I had diarrhea & a headache.

Today, after peering, playing hard with family, walking in the crate himself to get treats, I thought I'd put Stew in for a little so I could nap. He went down fine was quiet for 20-30 minutes, then I had to go to the bathroom & go past crate. Barking started & didn't really stop for another 30 minutes, I finally took him out after 2 minutes of quiet & he peed. He then ate, played a little. He's now been asleep since 6:30 on the floor under my feet. It's 8 pm now. Unfortunately my stomach is acting up & I can't fall asleep. I'm trying to relax though.

My question is that my breeder said most of the time for the first few weeks, the pup should be in the crate & only let out for potty & play times. Stew loves laying on his dog bed outside of the crate in the living room, should I be putting him in the crate during all of those down time, sitting or napping moments, like once he fell asleep?

I don't want the crate to just be for nighttime, but if he doesn't lay on it like he does the bed, I'm not sure if should ever place him in the crate? I thought they should go in on their terms each time, even if bribed with treats.

I'm hoping last night wasn't a fluke & if it stay end as long as I can to tire him out, it'll really tire me out so I'm able to sleep well.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I don't agree with your breeder. When I was home, my pups were with me. I used the crate at night and when we left the house, and once in awhile for a time out, but otherwise they were out with me, near me, and being supervised. If I took a nap, I would just let them snuggle up in bed with me. Every dog owner has to find what works for them. Good luck!!

Just wanted to add. My dogs always went in their crates nicely, but Fudge never goes in the crate now and never went in on her own just for the heck of it.   I will find Vern in it sleeping from time to time, but both prefer their dog beds or the cold, hard floor.

[Jess & Stewart]

Yes, I have him with me, my apartment is small, so if he stays in the living room, I don't tether him to me since I can get to him quickly. He's still sleeping so I might try & get some sleep as well. Since he slept so much & is still sleeping, I'm not sure if he'll go to bed at a reasonable hour without a lot of playtime, so I might try to get my sleep now!

I'm hoping I only have a 24 hour bug!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I also disagree with your breeder. The crate should be used when you cannot supervise the dog. Otherwise, he shouldn't be in there unless he wants to be. My last puppy loved her crate and chose to go into it for naps during the day. I think she felt safe in there. if you can keep your eyes on him, there is no reason to crate him if you are at home and able to watch him.  

[Jess & Stewart]

I know to breeder said that's seemed to work with her last few new dogs. They were all poodles, so maybe it's a poodle thing? I originally thought I'd try it, but I think I'd rather have him sleep & play & be out with me.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It has nothing to do with the dog's breed. 

[Ginny Nightingale]

I think the breeder's advice had to do with house breaking--a lot of people avoid any potty accidents by using the crate when you are not in close contact with the dog--playing with them or training them--I agree that to put him in the crate WHENEVER that is not happening is a bit extreme and i am sure you can find a happy medium--but here is an example of what can happen when you do not use the crate the way the breeder suggested--the pup falls asleep at your feet and you decide to nap--both of you are peacefully slumbering....the pup wakes up because he has to pee (they usually go potty within minutes of waking up) and he quietly sneaks over to the nice rug to go (hey! it LOOKS like grass!). In a few seconds, it is over and you are just waking up and it is too late.

It doesn't have to be a nap that distracts you--you could be answering the phone, going to the bathroom, getting a cup of tea...you get the idea. It is exhausting to watch over a pup every second and if they are in the crate, they won't pee---which makes house breaking easier.

If the pup is on his bed and chewing on a toy, by all means leave him there to play quietly, but if he nods off, I suggest he go into the crate--at least for the first few months so that they learn how to go potty outside. But the crate can be where ever you are.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

That sure rings true with our experience with Oscar as a young pup. It was exhausting to watch him continuously, and with Lucy wanting to play and entertain him constantly, he was out of his crate during the day a lot. It's no surprise it took him 3 times longer to house train than Lucy. Once I got more disciplined about utilizing the crate during the day, Oscar's potty training really took off in the right direction.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I should add, that it wasn't just crate training that helped us turn the corner, but also tethering Oscar to me when he was out of his crate. Both if which, BTY, did not please Lucy one bit!

[Wendy and Myla]

I also disagree with the breeder.  I think Stew has to get to know you and your routine!  I think you should always keep the crate open so that whenever Stew wants to go in, he can but otherwise, he should be with you.  When you go to bed, he goes into the crate, when you go to work, he goes into the crate but otherwise he's with you.  If you're sick, and need to sleep, you just put him in the crate - he'll figure out that if you're in bed, he goes in the crate and if you're out of the house, he goes in the crate but otherwise, he's with you.  He just has to figure it out and that might take a bit.  I'm so sorry you're sick - that's just awful when it's your first few days with the puppy, but if he's near you, whether in the crate or by your feet, he will figure it out!  Get better soon and Stew is a smart puppy - he will figure it out very quickly!!!!!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Add me to the list who absolutely, 110%, disagrees with your breeder. All my dogs have been crate trained and they all have loved their crates. As adults, doors were taken off and they went on and out freely. As pups, and with Enzo, it was first used only at night and when we were out of the house. Enzo has been sleeping out of it...or at least not being locked into it since she was about 4 1/2 months. We only lock her on when we need to be out for a few hrs. The rest of the time she is with us, underfoot. Dogs are pack animals and want to be with their families. Crating them constantly, is cruel, in my opinion.

Ps...hoping you feel better soon!

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

I'm not sure what the answer is. We've had yogi going on 4 weeks. He has been great sleeping in the crate at night. I stayed home with him for the first week, so he never was in the crate during the day. My husband works from home, so he just kept him tethered near him him on a leash when I went back to work.

So now what few times we've needed to crate during the day, it's like he's beside himself, whining and barking. So I personally think a little crate time each day might have been better to help train him for the periods we would be be away, because I'm sure eventually it will be for several hours at a time.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree that the dog should spend a little time in the crate during the day; but this breeder said the dog should always be in the crate except for potty and play time. There's a big difference there. I couldn't watch my puppy when I showered, or carried a load of laundry upstairs or downstairs, so the pup was crated at those times, because it is important for housebreaking to never give them a chance to potty in the house without your seeing it. That's a missed opportunity for teaching AND reinforcement for 'going" indoors...a double whammy, and it really does impede your progress with housebreaking. There needs to be a happy medium between crate time and out-of-crate time.