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.

[Jess & Stewart]

Thanks BG! Ironically, I'm sitting at my kitchen table right now & Stew is sitting on his bed staring at me! I'm definitely reinforcing that!

I've put him in his crate twice today, when I wanted to sleep & when he was tired, both times he was pretty zonked out. He also went from 9:45 until 12 without needing to go to the bathroom. He's sleeping on his bed right now. I still surprised how much he sleeps, I guess they really are like babies!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Ahhh.....the life of a puppy.  Eat, sleep, drink, sleep,play, sleep.pee,sleep, poop, sleep, repeat!

As long as they have plenty of fresh water, food and toys  and their "pack" around them, they seem to be happy!

[Jess & Stewart]

I keep expecting crazy puppy energy, but he's just hanging out! He doesn't seem to be drinking much water, but he has access to plenty. Maybe he knows that it's Sunday? LOL. I don't want to make him play if he's more content to sleep!

[Jess & Stewart]

BG, how did you train that routine of sitting on their bed when you're eating? Yesterday & today when I was eating lunch, Stew just happened to be sitting nicely on his dog bed. He didn't come up to me or beg, but that could be because he was just hanging out, a little tired. I guess if he did beg, I'd say "no, go to your bed", as a command?

[BG and Gavin]

You have to teach the down/stay command first, which takes time.  You build the stay from seconds to minutes to a half hour.  Once they are reliable with that you put them in a down stay on their bed.  I put Gavin in the living room where he can still see us and be part of the family, but away from the table.  For the first few meals you have to be prepared to be interrupted as once he breaks you have to go replace him in his spot.  After the meal is over he get a reward (treat or reward of choice).  I also generally feed him after he is released.  Once the routine is established you will find that when you sit down to dinner, he will automatically go to his bed.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

BG, as usual, nailed it.  Down Stay with time is a hard one, and don't expect a young puppy to catch on immediately. 

[BG and Gavin]

:)

[Jess & Stewart]

That's what I was thinking but it was nice to know how you trained it!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I am in agreement with all the advice and especially following your own instincts and do what works best for you. Some enjoy having their bed to themselves and not having to share with their doodles, and others like me, and Joann, had our kids in bed with us, (which is still a big No-No). So having the dogs in bed with us is not a stretch at all and we miss them when they are not there, as they hop on and off all night. And like Lynne, I never used a crate, and only used one when traveling with Murphy in our RV for the first 4-5 months. Im sure potty training may have taken me longer with out the crate and I know I would have had much less damaged, ruined or completely consumed personal property by my Bella if she had been crated when we left the house, but in our case, that can be 10-12 hours a day. So not something I am comfortable with nor did I want a pet that couldn't live with us, or learn the behavior that is expected of them while cohabitating with humans. I can teach them to go lay down when we are eating dinner, but they are still there part of the family time. And until they make crates that look like Ethan Allen furniture, I don't want them in my living space or bedroom. also, I'd have to be convinced that crates are ABSOLUTELY in the best interest of all dogs before I would use one. And there is no one who can really say that. So it really is a personal preference and whatever works best for you and your dog's cohabitation.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

[Seamus & Haidee]

I like the look of these wooden crates but Seamus would chew the wood:-( Lovely alternative to metal crate!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

ENGLISH COCKER, Karen!