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Free Roam at Night - What Age? I know that my Wally is still too young to not be in his kennel overnight (he's 3-1/2 months old right now), but I'm wondering at what age you started to allow your dog to sleep at night uncrated. Right now, Wally will sleep soundly for about 9 hours overnight in his kennel that we cover up with a blanket. He doesn't make a peep, and I am SO thankful that he's a good sleeper! I know many of my friends, though, do not kennel their older dogs at night. I don't want Wally sleeping in bed with us, but as he gets older, I don't have a problem with him being able to plop down wherever to sleep for the night. Does your dog sleep uncrated at night? If so, what was the procedure you used to transition him to that from being crated during the night? At what age would this be appropriate to start? Thanks! |
Mine sleep in our bed. But you could upgrade to an x-pen to give him more space and a bed. If you do this in your bedroom, then remove the pen, but keep the bedroom door closed or use a baby gate, until you're sure he won't wander too much or get into things. Depends on if he's a quiet type pup or a roamer night owl type. Try it, you'll know in a few days if it's working. Then, again, if what you're doing works, and he's happy, why change it? |
Mine have free roam of my bedroom and the en-suite bathroom during the night- they have from the time they stopped sleeping in the crate at about 6 months old. However, they spend almost the entire night in bed with me. |
I think you just have to play it by each dog. Jackson started sleeping in my bed overnight (I did have a baby gate in my door so he couldn't leave the bedroom) at 4 months old. He always proved to be trustworthy. Actually the first night I let him sleep in my bed, and not the crate, was the first night I had a full night sleep... so the rest is history! |
Each one is different. I got Sophie at 12 weeks, and she has slept in my bed since the 2nd night :) |
This thread caught me funny. I just realized night time is the ONLY time mine don't get free roam. That's for me though, not them. I am an incredibly light sleeper and if they are roaming around coming in or out on or off my bed, it wakes me up. I am kind of weird though, part of the reason I have dogs is to alert me if something is wrong, and for that reason, I want them close to me when I feel most vulnerable and that's when I sleep. So they come to bed with me and don't get off my bed until the alarm clock sounds unless something else is wrong. |
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Ruby has been sleeping with us since she was about 5 months old. We put a baby gate in our door, and close our bathroom door. I also put down piddle pads for her. She does get up and use them during the night. Also, at the end of our bed we have a bench and her bed is on that. So she's either sleeping in our bed or on the bench in hers. |
Princess has slept in my bed since day two, I wasn't strong enough to crate train her.:rolleyes: I kept the door shut & made sure the whole room was safe for her. Once she got out of her naughty puppy chewing I'd leave my door cracked so she can sleep else where in the beginning of the night. The house is still super puppy proofed so I don't worry too much about her getting into trouble. She always joins me at wee hours of the night though. It always makes me smile when I'm half asleep & feel her come plop down next to me, as she has to be touching me. |
ZoE has had complete free run of the house since she was 20 weeks old and has slept in my bed with me from the 3rd day I had her...cos I needed sleep :rolleyes:. I'm lucky that she is a really good pup. She was fully potty trained in less than a week and doesn't chew on my stuff, even though she's teething. If Wally sleeps so well in his crate and you don't want him sleeping in your bed, why not just leave the door to his crate open in an area that is safe for him. ZoE will just take herself off to her crate to sleep at times, even though all I use it for is traveling in the car. I made a cover for it, so it's covered on three sides & the top. She seems to view it as a little den and seem to like sleeping in there at times. Does Wally ever take himself off to go nap in his crate during the day? |
Our Cooper is 2 1/2 and still sleeps in his crate at night. When we travel, we take the crate with us - his little piece of "home". I sleep better knowing he is safe and not getting into anything. I doubt we will ever change this...if it aint broke don't fix it :) He does, however, get into bed with us after the first alarm goes off for some cuddle time to start the day :) |
My Moses is 7 months old. I still put him night- night in his crate. I have towels stuffed in the back of it from when he was potty training so he only had enough room to turn around and not potty in it. I just thought this morning that I should take a towel out as he doesn't curl up to sleep. But he lays beside me in bed each night until he is asleep and I am ready for bed. I take him potty then put him in his crate for the night. We do the same routine every night! |
I tried crate training with Lola, but I wasn't tough enough with her. My sleep deprived brain let her in my bed on night two :) I put down piddle-pads, and shut the door, so she has free roam of my bedroom. That works for the both of us :D |
Riley has had full run at night since about 9-months old.... Before that, I had him in an x-pen right beside my bed. He is actually usually ready to go to bed, before Me. He will sit in the living room staring at me and will start to whine..... I go to sleep with him on the bed and wake with him still on the bed. He is peepee pad trained so occassionally he will use them in the middle of the night. He doesn't have full run of the house, just yet, during the day, when I am at work. I am thinking that starting Monday I will give him full run of my bedroom, to start with. :) |
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I do agree with some other posters that say if it works well as is, don't change the system. Enjoy your sleep. :) |
I have a few questions. Where do you find your x pens? And has anyone found piddle marks around the house even though your pup is potty pad trained! The only time I use pottynpads is when I go to work and gate Moses. He does pretty good on them. But I haven't yet tried putting one down and letting him roam when we are gone. If I do, should I put it in the same place as when he is gated or do you think he will figure it out if I put it by the door we always use for potty time. As of right now, he barks to tell us he needs to potty. (or I just ask him every two hours if he needs to go, then he will bark.). So if I let him roam when we are gone for a few hours, should I put a potty pad down or will that encourage indoor tinkling? |
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ProSelect Suite Retreat Pet Pens | PetEdge.com Also with the peepee pads, I have never found any accidents, anywhere...... I am on the fifth floor of a building right in the middle of the city.... I take Riley outside and he goes outside, but if he Needs to go while I am not here or in the middle of the night.... or just in between going outside, he will use the peepee pads.......and I can put one down in the corner if I go over someone's house and he will use it. I got the bigger purina second nature doggie litter box and just put the peepee pads in it.... I also got a Diaper Genie for the used ones. |
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Duh me! I never thought of putting his potty pad in a doggie litter box. I have just been doubling up newspaper under the pad. Our last dog was a Lab who was just fine all day at home, so this is all new to me. Wish I had found YT early on! I will try getting a doggie litter box for his pads. Where are those found? I have never seen them at Petco. I would really like to be able to gate him in the kitchen on his non daycare days, but have been afraid of the potty pad leaking onto my hardwood. So this solves THAT worry, if he will use the pads in a litter box or some sort of holder. Thanks all! |
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I got the Mini Size....which is the bigger one.... I have one of each size. The Standard size I have in the corner of his Xpen....although he Never uses it.... The "Mini" size [Which is the Bigger one...] is the one I have out for him... as you can see.... the one longer side is a little lower for them to step over.  Amazon.com: Second Nature Dog Litter Pan Minature... I think I have seen the same size as the "Mini" at Petco.... I believe they are a cobalt blue color, there. They also do have the peepee pad holders that lay flat on the floor. I have seen them at both Petsmart and Petco. Also, the Best disposable peepee pads I have found are the Clean Go Puppy Pads. :thumbup: Good Luck!! :) |
Abby sleeps with us. She doesn't really like her play pen and would cry. She follows me all over the house and will sleep 2 feet from me wherever I am. Once I put her in the bed with me I have slept good, no more crying and she is always within 2 feet of me. lol |
I am a very light sleeper so the dogs have to be crated at night. I feel safer knowing that Ziva is not jumping off something and now that Lucy is getting older and has had some incontinence issues I am glad she is easy to clean up after.I wouldn't change a thing! |
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