# Sleeping



## Bobster (Aug 20, 2021)

Hi guys, picked up 9 week old Bobby on Tuesday and so far have slept downstairs with him by the crate - he won't sleep if he's not either right by me or on top of me! He's OKish in the crate in the day, will nap in there with the door open, but haven't managed to get him to sleep in there during the night. We are working on crate training in the day. Any advice? Its only be a few days but worry that letting him sleep with me (on an airbed) might cause issues down the line - don't want him upstairs but I do want to sleep in my own bed at some point 🤣. The minute I close the crate door at night he barks the whole street down, even if I'm right there next to him. He doesn't need to pee overnight which is great. Any advice welcomed! Even if its that I'm only a couple days in and need some patience! Thanks x


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I don't believe there is a tried and trusted method, the 3 dogs that I have sat around me at the moment were all different in different scenarios,,,, Ruby ( the eldest) wasn't crate trained and apart from the first night, nightmare, I forgot we had a one way catflap that she managed to get out of and couldn't get back in!! ( I thought it was just howling, no she was trapped outside!, hey-ho **** happens..Elvis was a dream in the crate, covered it over to make it feel like a den and a "safe place" not ever a whimper....now to the present, little Sausage, he's been with us a week now, first 3 nights he nearly howled the neighbourhood down (luckily we live in a rural location), so we took the blanket off his crate so he could see/hear the other two dogs and that worked, settled right down, been that for the last four nights now, and like the other dogs, bright eyed and bushy tailed when I come down stairs at about 4:15 am....so in my experience I actually don't know what works best


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

It seems the easiest way to crate train especially during night for sleep is to have the crate in your bedroom to start off with. It's not a hard and fast rule, just what I surmised from reading stories here and on the interwebs in general. Once they sleep quiet in the crate in your bedroom, then move the crate to just outside the door, and keep getting further away until it is in its permanent place.

Ellie took a few weeks of carrying on like a banshee for bedtime. I had earplugs by my bed that helped some, but still couldn't sleep till she settled. We were zombies during this time as sometimes she'd carry on for 45min-1:30hr at the extreme. Eventually the crying would get less and less and one day it "clicks" for them.

I find it hard to believe a 9 week old doesn't need at least one potty break in the middle of the morning. If not you are some lucky people!


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## Bobster (Aug 20, 2021)

Thanks for these. We only have one crate and it's a full size one with a divider so lugging it up and downstairs for bedtime/daytime isn't really an option. Might think about an upstairs option. We live on a residential street so while I would cope with all night noise I think my neighbours may well have something to say if I let him scream the house down in the middle of the night! I think I'm going to concentrate on day crate training for if we ever need to leave him for a bit, and just let him sleep on a doggy bed at night for now and try and wean him off the need to be on my face while sleeping! As for the pee breaks - we're on night 4 with no accidents and no whining to go out in the night (he's not fully house trained either, so it is a bit confusing! Not looking a gift horse in the mouth though!! )


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I’m a firm believer in dragging crates around is a chore. I have 3 dogs, and about 7 or 8 dog crates. I like to keep 3 crates in the living area, another three in my vehicle. Plus a huge wire crate, if one if the dogs winds up in the cone of shame. It’s a lot easier for them to turn around in it.
Spares are for if I pickup a foster, got to have that new puppy, or I want a dog that’s under the weather in the bedroom.


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## Dan_A (Jan 19, 2021)

@texasred I agree, we had used two crates one in the bedroom for nightime and one in the livingroom for day naps. Now we evolved to only needing the livingroom crate as Ellie is super comfey sleeping there. A crate cover really helped her feel safe and we cover all sides but one less wide sides at nighttime. The wire crates are fold-able and are easy to store and take out when needed like if you are going over to visit family for a weekend , etc.


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## Mrs M (Jul 21, 2021)

We had Oscar’s crate in the living room for daytime naps.
I slept on the sofa then gave up and took the crate into the spare room. Went well and Oscar only stirred occasionally. December so maybe cold, covered him up with his fur blanket then he slept until 6.30 Moved his crate between rooms as required.
Silly me let him up on the spare bed one time, never in his crate again!
No regrets though as his company and warmth is a great comfort.


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