Crate - during the day and at night. Help please

Hi all,

we get our new 8 week old puppy in 11 days time (can't wait!)

We want out puppy to be with us downstairs during the day, but we also want him to stay with us in the bedroom at night.

While he is a puppy, would you say it is okay for us to bring the crate upstairs with us at night, to let him sleep in it, then take it back downstairs during the day.

When he is trained, we plan on keeping his crate downstairs, and we have a dog bed in our room for him to sleep on at night time.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for your help

Mark

Welcome to the board Mark!

Excited for you about your puppy, and we do hope that the forum has been helpful in your serach for a breeder carrying out health testing and following protocols.

Thre is lots of useful information on raising a puppy in the training section, and I would also recommend immediately downloading the free books, Before and After You Get Your Puppy by the well-known trainer Dr Ian Dunbar, here:

www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

Not only will it give you excellent advice on how to successfully house train a dog without going crazy , it also is an invaluable manual for every dog owner on puppy training, care, and behavior. There is no way anyone can end up with a problem dog, if they use this book!

Agree with Nicki, download After You Get Your Puppy now.


Sounds like you have a plan with the crate. Moving the crate might be a pain in the "tail" but it should be fine. If you really be watchful with your pup I'm sure house training will fly by. Fletcher had me trained (most the the training was mine not his- that part was easy) fairly quickly, I guess I always thought house training was very hard but it wasn't for me and Fletcher. Knock on wood, he has not had a potty accident in the house in 4 weeks!!!! Never, say never tho accident can and will happen sometimes.

Melissa

Definitely look at the Dunbar stuff recommended. It's excellent.
I am pretty sure I either moved my dog's crate when he was a puppy. I think I pretty quickly bought a second slightly larger crate for him so I wouldn't have to do that, and the first smaller one later became his car/travel crate when I started letting him sleep in my bed.

The Dunbar reading is a huge help and it is so much better to be prepared before they arrive. I think you are already off to the correct start with puppy being in your area at all times. We used Cody's crate for the living area during the day and at night I had an x-pen set up in the bedroom next to the bed. To be honest I was just to lazy to move the crate, so this worked out easier. It was great to have him so close at night as I was able to hear him up and moving so could easily get up and get him out for his potty break, when it was his time. Please post pics as soon as you can so we can enjoy your new addition. Good luck surviving the next 11 days, I know it will seem like a lifetime

We didn't use a crate but we carried Tail's dog bed into the bedroom at night which I guess is similar and it was fine... after about a week, we put a baby gate across the bedroom door and put the dog bed in the hallway so as Tails could see in but was actually in the hallway (obviously our hallway is dogproof). Then when Tails got a bit older and was able to go through the night without having to visit the boys room we let him sleep with us on our bed... now he alternates between the bed, the floor and his dog bed.

Oh yeah, the last few days of waiting before our puppy arrived where the longest days of my life as well! Cant wait to see pics!!

We moved Sonny's crate to different rooms all of the time when he was a puppy which I think really helped make it easy for him when he had to go to the dog sitters or stay at a friends house. He does just great no matter where he is at as long as he has his little den or crate.

I agree that the Ian Dunbar downloads are excellent!