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.... 

[Tina McNerthney]

Thanks for all this very useful info. We're getting Baxter in two weeks and it sounds like crate training him for a few days in our bedroom and moving him out to his space pretty quickly is the best plan.

It is good for the puppy to have boundaries and a "safe place" and I definitely don't want a 40+ pound dog on the bed. It also causes issues when the dog gets older and can no longer jump up on the bed.

[Katie Ternes]

And you brought up another great point! A safe place!

I've got two little girls and we've already got the crate set up in our room so that our three year old could get used to it, and learn that she's simply not allowed to touch it. I really do want it to be where puppy can go and relax and not have to worry about being dressed up, strolled in a baby stroller, or stuff like that :)

I know in the long run it's what's best for everyone, but aghhhh. Poor sweet puppy just needs someone to love :p

[Sheryl & Safiy]

Safiy came home with a blanket and toy with his siblings scent. He kept his toy in the crate and I put rthe blanket over his crates to create his little den with the scents he knew. He loved his crate from the start... AND he loved me from the start too. The crate is always open for him and he still goes in when he wants to be cozy at night but he is not confined to it anymore... Unless I have to leave him home alone. When the Gardner comes he fines comfort being in his crate. That's pretty much the only thing that still gets him nervous. Maybe I just got lucky, but Safiy adjusted very well right a way. You'll know what will work best for your pup and you. Have fun!

[Julie, Eloise & Beasley]

I agree, it's a personal preference.  The crate was positive for us. I crated Eloise at night until she was about 8 mos old, when I felt sure she was trustworthy.  Now she sleeps on my bed or on her bed in my room.

Her first night home, she slept on a bed on the floor next to mine; she was leashed so she couldn't wander. (I'd read not to crate them that first night, and by the time we got home, I didn't want to introduce the crate after only being here a few hours...BUT my breeder hadn't started crating like yours will.)  She slept fine with her blankie with her mama's scent - I think she was super tired from playing all day and the drive home.

The second night (first time in the crate), she whimpered at first, but then zonked out and slept through the night.  I've been really fortunate because she was a great sleeper from day one.  However I know this is NOT the case with most puppies, and I know this is not what most experience.  But I do think having her crate next to my bed was comforting to her.  I felt the same as you, that it's hard for them to be away from the mama dog & siblings at first.  So, for Ellie, I think not being alone in another room made the transition easier for her.

Crate training during the day was a different story, though - ha!  She howled and howled, and it was the most pathetic sound ever.  :)  But I let her cry it out.  I followed the advice and never took her out when she was crying, and she got used to it within a few times going in - she grew to like her crate pretty quickly.  But again, all dogs are different.  I kept her crated while I was at work for her first year, then gave her more freedom using baby gates when I felt like she didn't need to be in the crate.  She quickly graduated to having full roam of the house.  Her crate is still there, just in case she ever wants to go in to feel more secure.

Good luck with your new little one, and be sure to post pics!  :)

[Kelly & Zoe]

Crates are simply one tool to use for training (usually for potty training) and for some reason, it now seems to be every trainers go to method - you must crate train!  We caved to the crate craze initially, but we ended up just confining Zoe to certain sections of the house until we were comfortable with her behavior (each week without an incident, potty or chewing, or,... she'd get access to one more room).  After she was potty trained (around 4 months), we put the crate away - it was never her go-to or safe place, she's much more comfortable at our feet, on the couch, near the bed, etc. and personally, I prefer that.

One thing to mention, if you let the dog sleep in the bed with you, there's no going back, so just be prepared.  We didn't let Zoe up in the bed until she was about 6 months, and I sort of regret not letting her up when she was a puppy, but perhaps that's a good thing.  Zoe's a big dog (60 lbs) so thankfully we have a big king sized bed or else there wouldnt be room!

One place I insist on using a crate is in the car.  Dog harnesses are unsafe and letting a dog roam around in the car is unsafe for you and the dog.  We always put Zoe in the crate in the car.

So, my $.02 - crate training is just one method - if we ever get another puppy, I do not plan to crate train.

[Susan and Bentley]

we put Bentley in his crate in my daughters room the first night home and he has slept there ever since.  The breeder gave him a blanket and bear that had the scent of his mama and litter mates.  He did fine - she barely cried and if he did, she just told him it was ok, and they really bonded from that.

[Abigail *George & Juno*]

We have George's crate next to our bed in our room, she has never cried when being put in there and actually loves it. When she gets overwhelmed or tired or we have a lot of people over she can be found hanging out napping in her crate. She goes there voluntarily so often that I'm very glad we got the crate. We leave it open most all the time, and she usually sleeps there or under my clothes rack in my closet (it's tile and cool).

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

I had a crate for Yarrow when I brought her home at 8 weeks.  I had read all the prerequisite materials advised by her breeder - about the importance of crate training and such.  I've had dogs all my life and never owned a crate before.  This time, I dutifully purchased one for Yarrow.

Her first night home, I slept downstairs, with Yarrow snuggled together on the futon near the door to outside for middle of the night potty needs.  She slept well.  Me, not so much but I was happy as a new mother.  We slept together on the futon for nearly a week then, after I was confident that she was clearly capable of letting me know when she had to go pee, we moved upstairs to my actual bed.  (I used to let my children sleep with me too.)

Once she was big enough to start jumping off the bed where I couldn't supervise her, I brought her crate into the room and she went into it tempted with a bully stick (and a gentle shove).  The first night in the crate, I prepared myself for a lot of whining, but she protested on and off for only a short while.  The second night was similar and the third night she walked into the crate and lay down right away. 

Yarrow outgrew what I thought was a very large crate rather quickly.  We bought an even larger one but it's downstairs in the kitchen.  She sleeps in a bed of her own near my bed.  I feed her in the big crate just so that she is familiar with it if I should ever need to lock her into it.  I'm pretty sure that day will ever come and I'm thinking I should fold it up and put it into storage.

We do have pet gates up all over the house and she has a senior dog to keep her company when we are out.  Not using a crate has not been a problem for me.  I do work from home though, so she has plenty of supervision.  That's my story on the subject of crate training or not.  In spite of my own way of doing things, Yarrow is a calm, confident, well behaved and happy dog. 

Good luck with your puppy.  I was exhausted for many weeks but it has paid off in spades.

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

I did the crate thing. I was prepared to do everything right. And like you I was a new puppy owner, only had one other dog that I got as an adult.

But I learned all dogs are different. I also learned if you pay attention sometimes, they will tell you what works and both of you will be happy. But it's a fine line between doing what works for both of you, and letting the dog run the show.

My pup came home and within 2 hours let me know she wanted to be on the sofa at all times if possible. It was strange. She couldn't even get up there on her own, but made it her life's mission to conquer that in just a few days.
So the first night, I put her in her crate and she whined and howled. I took her out of the crate and put her on the sofa with me and she fell asleep. An hour later I put my groggy pup into the crate and she fell asleep and didn't care, and slept the whole night. The following days and nights I had the crate near me at all times and she didn't put up a fuss. I purchased a medium crate off craigslist because I could move it around and take it places and it was small enough to handle. When she outgrew it I sold it for the same price I paid and purchased a larger crate.
We used the crate quite a bit at first, she seldom went in on her own, yet didn't make too much of a fuss if I put her in there. One day at about 4.5 months she was out of control whining and wanting attention and driving me crazy, so in an exasperated move I put her into the crate expecting to shut the door to the room to drown the noise. Not a peep. After 5 minutes I opened the door the the crate and walked away, and she stayed in the crate for 45 minutes.
She is 6 months old and we got rid of the crate. She was getting too big for it, seldom used it, and has not had any issues when leaving her alone for 4-5 hours. I do have a pen that I can use if I feel the need to section her off. I just have an extremely small house and no room for a giant sized crate. She still loves the sofa, but sometimes sleeps on the floor as well. I have a nice dog bed for her that seems like a waste of money and space.

[Kelly & Zoe]

Too true about the nice dog bed!  We bought a memory foam bed for sale at PetSmart and she hardly ever is in it!  She'd rather sleep on the tile or the carpet than the dog bed.  Ah well!

[Marie and Hoka]

I personally treat the crate as one of many socialization skills you may need over the course of your puppy's life. Our dogs do sleep in our room and often in the bed! but I need to know they can be in a crate so if they are ever sick and need to spend a night at the animal hospital, they will be ok. When we bring a new puppy, we confine it in the master bath with an open crate. I am a sucker- I slept on the floor for 2 nights! Then I moved out to where he can see/hear me.
Of our 2 older dogs we lost last year, the first was never in the crate as a puppy. She absolutely hated it. We made sure with her "brother" to start with the crate from day one. Of the 4 dogs currently in our house, all can go in the crate without a problem. Two love the crate and go in to relax. Two go in for meals and then come out if they are quiet.
Our little dog travels by plane as carry-on in her little travel crate and never makes a peep. If she couldn't do this, she'd miss out on lots of fun! It is just another skill for them to learn!

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Marie, it sounds like an ideal set up to me.  And you're not a sucker, your tender-hearted.  The world needs lots of tender-hearted people.