Crating at night

[volker]

I have a question about using a crate at night for a 10 week old puppy. My setup is wire crate inside an exercise pen.
I have been told by the vet and read in books that I should put the puppy in the crate for the night instead of leaving it in the bigger exercise pen area. But I have also read that puppies can only hold it for so long and that they shouldn't be left in a crate for more than age in months+1 hours so this is confusing me. Unless I get up once or twice during the night to let the puppy out for a bit how is this going to work if I sleep say 7 or 8 hours and the puppy is in the crate ? I'm worried that it will go inside the crate the vet said "so? she'll do it once and then not again because she has to walk in it" but to me that sounds cruel I don't know?

 

[Saje]

The main idea for using a crate is to keep your pup out of trouble. If you have a safe pen/laundry room... that serves the same purpose. Some puppies will step in their pee and poo and they won't care at all. Especially if they come from a dirty kennel or shelter.

Personally, I think it's better to get up a few times during the night and let your dog have a potty break. I wouldn't like it if I had to go in the night and couldn't or had to sleep next to it!

Here are some good sites on house breaking. http://www.buckbasset.com/training.htm#House Breaking

Hope that helps. I know everyone else will have lots of useful advice too.

 

[Silver_wlf]

We got Wes when he was 11 weeks. I got up every four hours for the first two weeks then I started moving it back by one hour per week. So after 5 weeks we were up to 7 hours.

It's hard - but I just set my alarm, picked up the puppy, went for a pee, came back in and went back to bed. I was pretty tired at work but at least he was comfortable.

Good luck!

 

[Renee750il]

First: you don't HAVE to crate a puppy. It's just another tool, useful mainly if you don't have a puppy proof area. Puppies need room to move around though, for proper physical development, particularly in medium and large breeds.

The crate timing you read about is generally accepted as correct as far as everything I have ever heard or read about crating from people who actually know, and that includes night time crating.

 

[nohea]

Crate training can be a great tool, as I've used it with the last 6 dogs I've had, but no matter what you do, remember that puppies can't hold it very long, they have little tiny bladders! The quickest way to train them is to get up every 2-4 hours (depending on age) and take them out, it'll pay off!

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

First: you don't HAVE to crate a puppy. It's just another tool, useful mainly if you don't have a puppy proof area. Puppies need room to move around though, for proper physical development, particularly in medium and large breeds.

I agree. Crating isn't a must and won't work for every single dog out there.

Unless I get up once or twice during the night to let the puppy out for a bit how is this going to work if I sleep say 7 or 8 hours and the puppy is in the crate ? I'm worried that it will go inside the crate the vet said "so? she'll do it once and then not again because she has to walk in it" but to me that sounds cruel I don't know?

With a puppy, you will have to get up at least every few hours during the night to let it out, otherwise it will go potty inside. Puppies can't hold it for very long, just like human toddlers can't.

Most dogs have den instinct, which is why crating can be useful--a dog with den instict doesn't want to mess up it's den and will avoid going potty in the "den" at all costs. It's not cruel.