Is Napping outside crate messing things up!?

[Sookie]

HI! It's so good to be here!

Our labradoodle Elly is 10 weeks old and the training is going great. Since we are home a lot and work from home, we've been letting her hang with us and nap outside of her crate...a lot! She sleeps in it at night like a champ and if I need to be doing something else and can't pay attention to her, she naps in her crate no problem. Since we do want her to be happily crate trained --so we can leave her in there for a few hours, when needed --should we be going against protocol? Is this a crucial time to give her as much time in the crate as possible and nap in there every time? I've never put her in there unless she's close to sleep, and peed/played etc but if she's not sleeping or licking the treats out of her kong, she's not happy to be in there and cries. Do I let her cry even if I don't need to? I never take her out of the crate if she's whining and make her sit before I let her out.

Thanks for your help!

Sookie

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I don't think it is a big deal at all. I crate trained both my pups, but mainly used it at night and when we left our house. If I was home, I let them nap in the room I was in. I did start leaving the house soon after I got my pups for short periods of time. I always gave a kong, turned on a fan to mute noises, and left the TV on. (Overkill, probably). I also let them cuddle in bed with me at night before putting them in the crate when we went to sleep. It sounds like she is fine with her crate and doing great at night. I always felt it was best to acclimate your dog to your schedule and what works for you. If she is fining napping in the room you are working, I see no problem with it. I just used the crate to keep them safe when I left the house and until they were completely potty trained at night.  Otherwise, they were out and about with me.

[Sookie]

Thank you! I think we are doing well then! I'm the same way with thee fan

[Sookie]

Whoops sent that before I was ready! (I'm slightly sleep deprived!) I always leave the fan and music on for her. :))
Thanks again

[Lisa & Sunny]

My experience is limited to the 5 month old puppy we have now, but since we brought her home we have only put her in the crate to sleep at night or when we had to leave her at home alone, plus occasionally when we need a breather from landshark mode (which thankfully isn't happening much anymore!)  She is fine with going in her crate and sometimes even chooses to nap in there when we are all at home.  At night, when I am going through the bedtime routine of turning off lights, the TV, etc. I only have to say her name, and she walks right into the crate. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I crate trained and used it for night and when we had to leave home. It worked out well for us.

[Dolly Dykhouse]

I had Henry in his crate at night and when I needed to leave the house. When he was about 14 weeks old I noticed that he was flopping around in the crate continuously at night trying to get comfortable which woke me up. I finally figured out that he was hot! One night he fell asleep on our master bath tile floor and was so comfortable I let him sleep there. I keep a baby gate on our bedroom door and he goes back and forth from the foot of our bed to the bathroom to cool down. I use the crate for when I leave the house still but keep it on the bottom floor of the house where it is coolest. He's okay with going in it, but know it's because I'm leaving and isn't happy about being left behind LOL.

[Sookie]

Elly gets hot in there too. Someone from this blog suggested a cooling mat for the crate. I'll look into it. Thanks everyone!