# Changing from overnight crate to normal dog bed?



## jasper21 (May 26, 2011)

Hello folks, I need your advice again. Jasper is 12 months. He sleeps in his crate at the end of our bed, he likes it and goes in willingly and is quiet all night. Now that he's older I would like to get rid of the crate and just have him sleep on a dog bed at the end of our bed. How best to make the transition?

We made a tentative start by just not locking the crate door but after less than an hour he was out wandering the room, scratching around. 

Should we continue doing this and just keep getting up to put him back in the crate until he gets it or just go cold turkey and remove the crate altogether? I also wondered about tethering him with collar and leash to the bed post until he gets the idea - would that work?


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## kitley2001 (Aug 11, 2010)

What we did with our Ginny, was to buy a huge pillow type bed at Costco. We kept the bedroom door closed. Within a week or so she was very quiet at night. Once she was good with that, we kept the bedroom door open which gave her freedom of the main floor, where our bedroom is. When she started misbehaving, the bedroom door was closed again, then opened again etc. Maybe your dog just needs to check things out for a bit in order to feel comfortable with his new freedom.


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## luvmyfurballs (Mar 5, 2012)

I've had my 6 month old german shepherd out of the crate at night since she was about 4 months old. It took her about two weeks to actually sleep and not get into anything. I keep the door open but have a gate up. My problem was the cats, they kept her busy at night Now she is used to them coming and going and she sleeps until the alarm goes off...God forbid if I hit snooze


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I've been thinking about doing the same thing with Obi. I think what I would do is teach him to go to the bed on cue, and then reward for being on it, and then just build value for being on the bed, without using it at night. Then after a while put the bed where the crate used to be and tell him to go on it at night. If he gets off it, put him back on it. Repeat until he gets it. I've accepted I might not get much sleep the first night or two.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I started by putting the bed inside the crate and then after a week or so I left the crate door open. Once I saw that they knew where the bed was and stayed out of trouble ... I removed the crate. I do however always shut my bedroom door at night. I make sure I keep a bowl of water in my room also in case they are thirsty.


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## kitley2001 (Aug 11, 2010)

I like your idea Abbylynn.


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## luvmyfurballs (Mar 5, 2012)

Abbylynn said:


> I started by putting the bed inside the crate and then after a week or so I left the crate door open. Once I saw that they knew where the bed was and stayed out of trouble ... I removed the crate. I do however always shut my bedroom door at night. I make sure I keep a bowl of water in my room also in case they are thirsty.



Water might not be such a good idea, especially in the middle of the night....that might trigger a pee pee attack


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

We always have the bedroom door closed. Pixie sleeps on a dog bed, since she's not really crate trained. She's never had access to water at night.


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## jasper21 (May 26, 2011)

I think I might go with Abbylynn's suggestion. We left the crate door closed but unlocked last night, I guess he didn't notice as he didn't move until 7am. I am off work for the Easter holidays so that might be a good time to start.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

jasper21 said:


> I think I might go with Abbylynn's suggestion. We left the crate door closed but unlocked last night, I guess he didn't notice as he didn't move until 7am. I am off work for the Easter holidays so that might be a good time to start.


Yes ... water could mean an accident ... I only do this because mine are completely potty trained and older. Lol! If my dogs go potty in the house I know they are ill.


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## kitley2001 (Aug 11, 2010)

Let us know how it goes Jasper.


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## jasper21 (May 26, 2011)

Well.... last night we left the crate door open - he came out right away but we decided to stick it out. (I had puppy proofed the room already). So I put in my ear plugs and ignored him. It seemed to go fine, there was no destruction and he didn't try to jump on the bed or lick us. I'm not sure how much sleep he got as he's been really sleepy today. So far so good.

It's his first birthday today.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Awwwwe .... Happy Birthday to him!  Glad all went well so far.


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## Furry Little Friend (Mar 29, 2012)

You are so lucky you can graduate him from the crate to a bed! Truly a nice thing...

I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions for me? My dog is a female spayed 10 month old, and she has to pee two times a night, and I'm getting a lot of sleep deprivation - If I wasn't a light sleeper she would (and has) peed right in her crate - it's very small, has no blanket in it -then she will growl to let me know she peed in there and wants out. 

Any thoughts? The sleep deprivation is really affecting my mood at work, and I thought this was something you only had to do when they're younger, so I don't know why she needs to go 2 times  I walk her at least an hour a day, and she goes potty around 11pm, right before bed and water is taken up around 9pm.

Thank you!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Furry Little Friend said:


> You are so lucky you can graduate him from the crate to a bed! Truly a nice thing...
> 
> I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions for me? My dog is a female spayed 10 month old, and she has to pee two times a night, and I'm getting a lot of sleep deprivation - If I wasn't a light sleeper she would (and has) peed right in her crate - it's very small, has no blanket in it -then she will growl to let me know she peed in there and wants out.
> 
> ...


I am not real sure about that one ... but since she is still going in her crate this tells me she is not completely potty trained yet. Abbylynn still had some accidents at that age ... just when I thought she was done. :/ I personally would take her for a walk before bedtime and after you have put the water up. She may have a better chance of emptying her bladder more fully. Dogs do not completely empty their bladder as they keep some for marking. :/

I no loner put water up because I know mine are 99.9% housebroken ... except for the new rescue, Lucy ... so far so good .... working on it!  Who knows ... I may be asking the same question at the end of the week! Lol!


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