# Quieting a dog crate?



## jeffsrealm (Sep 21, 2011)

This may sound weird, but I am looking to quiet down the dog crate. Every search I do gets thousands of results of how o quiet the dog in the crate. I want to quiet the crate itself some.

So I will explain more. My puppy is actually very good he will stay in his crate all night and not make a sound unless he needs to go out, which is rare as I make sure he is well pottied before bed. However he will wake up in the middle of the night and then chew on toys or something for a while then go back to sleep. He is teething so I make sure there are safe things for him to chew on. Anyway his crate is also in my bedroom and it is staying there. Just when he wakes up and chews on things in the middle of the night they drop and hit the crate and and nails scratching on the plastic etc, I am sure you all know what I am talking about. It is also a metal crate so those rattle quite a bit. So anyway I am just looking for any tips anyone has for quieting the crate down some. I can't put a towel down in the crate or a bed or anything because he will chew it up, I know I tried but it was peaceful for a while when there was a towel in there. I have heard of putting cardboard under the plastic crate but have yet to try it. 

Anyone with any suggestions?


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## Bordermom (Apr 28, 2010)

A folded towel under the tray would be a good start. What about a layer of cardboard cut to exactly the tray's bottom, and put in? Sprayed with bitter apple? I'd almost be tempted to skip the whole tray thing, put down a folded tarp and then folded blanket and then put the crate (no tray) on top of that so he couldn't pull anything up and it would be quiet. Not the most comfortable with the wires though...

Lana


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

You can put a carpet under the crate, put a cover over the crate, if he can't pull it inside. A little duct tape on the outside may help...


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

You could try a rubber stall mat. Look at a place like Tractor Supply or a farm store for a horse stall mat. Usually something like 4x6 feet and under $50. Cut with a box cutter/carpet knife to the size of the crate tray (to fit inside the crate tray). It should fit tightly to there are no loose edges for the pup to chew on. You should then have a piece slightly larger than the crate left over. You can set the whole crate on top of that. And of course, the rubber is waterproof.


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## jeffsrealm (Sep 21, 2011)

Shell said:


> You could try a rubber stall mat. Look at a place like Tractor Supply or a farm store for a horse stall mat. Usually something like 4x6 feet and under $50. Cut with a box cutter/carpet knife to the size of the crate tray (to fit inside the crate tray). It should fit tightly to there are no loose edges for the pup to chew on. You should then have a piece slightly larger than the crate left over. You can set the whole crate on top of that. And of course, the rubber is waterproof.


Thanks all for suggestions, I think Shell's might work the best in combination with the others. Something like carpet or cardboard under the tray and then the rubber on top so he can't chew it. I have a rubber mat out in the kitchen by the sink and he likes to lay on that so this might be just the thing. 

I don't want to put a cover over it. He needs to see me yet. He peeks at me when I am sleeping to make sure I am there. He is funny, if I am rolled over and he can't see me then he will whine. I roll over and he sees my face and is like "oh there you are" then lies down and goes back to sleep. So putting a cover over him I don't think would help.


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## Cheshire Cat (Aug 8, 2011)

Putting a cover 'over' the crate means just the top and sides mostly. It makes it more like a little cave. (If the thing you are using is more a cage type then those plastic travel kennel things.) Still even if it is a plastic on, it'll darken the holes in the sides making it feel more 'cozy'. You don't have to cover the front, so he can still peek out and see you.


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## storysunfolding (Aug 26, 2008)

I put zipties on my metal crates to hold them together better. Much less noisy when the dog moves around.


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