To crate or Not to Crate; that is the "?"

[Hopes Affection]

I am looking for suggestions regarding to crate my 12 week old at night or what works for others. My Hope HATED her little kennel - we picked Hope up at 8 months. I think she was in it a lot- during the day and night, so never blamed her and I threw it out ...
So now, we will pickup our little 12 week old Lily Grace on Tuesday. I really don't know what to do. I am not opposed to it IF I know she would like it..? I have heard puppies feel safe in their little area - not to mention the convenience while she's alone approx 4 hours a day. The breeder doesn't quite believe in kennels, so Lily hasn't experienced kennelling thus yet.
H E L P YT and what would YOU do

[JenniferLeigh]

There are a lot of benefits to crate training and I would recommend introducing Lily to a kennel while she is still a puppy. It will be easier to kennel train her at 12 weeks than it would be at 8 months.

Kennel training can help housebreak Lily, usually dogs will avoid soiling their den. It motivates them to wait until they are taken outside.

If she is going to be alone for 4 hours a day, a kennel will provide you with peace of mind knowing that nothing is being destroyed, or that she is not peeing on your new rug Also keeps them from developing bad habits that you are not around to catch.

She may not like it at first, but she'll get used to it. Give her lots of excercise before putting her in the kennel and if she is whinning done reward her by giving her attention.

Lexi doesn't like her kennel but she is kennel trained. She has no problem going in if I need her too but doesn't generally go in on her own to hang out.

[Hopes Affection]

Do you let her sleep with you though? I love cuddling at night with them. Who knows, maybe Lily won't get into that? I'm such a whimp when I must be strong. Hope could just look at me and know - what she wants is going to happen in about 15-20 seconds... I just think once I hear her whine, whimper and bark - she's going to end up in bed at nights with me... But, during the days, and for the very reasons you listed - it would be nice to know she's in it, but not crying the whole time she's alone. That kills me to think about.

[Patti]

I got Cali at 9 weeks and she loved being in her doggie playpen and would run into it when I said I was going out. It was in my bedroom and she could see me from it. Sometimes during the night I would put her in a small crate on my bed next to me and she would go back to sleep till morning. Pixie I got at 13 months untrained and she hated the crate so I let her sleep on the bed but put pee pads everywhere in my room. I got Roxie at 4 months and she would stay in it when I wasn't home and at night for the first few weeks, but she pad trained pretty quick so she started sleeping with us after that. I trained then how to use the ramp on the side of the bed first thing so they could get up and down and use the pad. So I woud do what works best for you and them

[JenniferLeigh]

Originally Posted by Hopes Affection

Do you let her sleep with you though? I love cuddling at night with them. Who knows, maybe Lily won't get into that? I'm such a whimp when I must be strong. Hope could just look at me and know - what she wants is going to happen in about 15-20 seconds... I just think once I hear her whine, whimper and bark - she's going to end up in bed at nights with me... But, during the days, and for the very reasons you listed - it would be nice to know she's in it, but not crying the whole time she's alone. That kills me to think about.

I picked up Lexi at 3.5 months, she was kennel trained, by 4.5 months I had her sleeping in the bed with me. For the most part she sleeps in the bed with me but will also sleep in the kennel without whinning.

Whinning gets to me too. We are trying to crate train our doberman right now, at over a year old she has a little fit everynight. Thank goodness for earplugs. She'll cry for about 1/2 tops.

[JesBred]

I personally am all for crate training. But in a way for it to be a fun safe place for the dog. It helps a lot with potty training too! Both my dogs sleep with me at night but always are in their "bedrooms" when I wake in the morning.

[Hopes Affection]

Thank you, ALL OF YOU! Just knowing that crate training and night snuggling wouldn't off-set each other does help a lot. I will probably have to get another crate and give it a whirl...
You guys are great

[lucyaboo]

When I'm in Petsmart, I hear them tell everyone to use crates for training, etc. I guess it is up to the individual.

My pup's safely sleep with me. When I got Pebbles in July, she came with a travel carrier (as her crate), a sheared towel, a tennis ball, a kids stuffed toy & some Ol' Roy dog food. All that, except her kids stuffed toy, was gone within the first day!! The stuffed toy is gone now, it wasn't safe either......

[AVERYxo]

Congrats on the new baby!

for us.. Avie never had to be crate trained.. she has slept with us, since we brought her home.. and she was GREAT about telling us she needed down, if it was the middle of the night/morning, etc

Gemma.. we had a playpen for her.. and she slept in there (next to our bed) until she was potty trained, which really didn't take long at all! she is so little we were afraid of rolling over or something, as well! but we introduced the bed to her and she did great..... so she has been in bed with us, ever since!
hope that helps!
good luck.. and congrats again!!

[bildio]

I used the playpen for Gus when he was a pup.

Paper at one end and bed at the other end.

I still put him in the pen when I am away from the house. I think this is better than letting him get into trouble roaming the house.

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

I too recommend crate training..hehe

[mkawczak]

I wish I stuck to it. Aiden is 8 mo now and he's not trained yet. I've been putting him in his crate along with the new puppy in his own. They cry and bark and whine,but it's not hurting them and they need to learn to hold it for a few hours at a time. Aiden was going all over the house all the time. I cant clean my rugs every other day like I was. Trust me ,don't give up you'll regret it.

[Moses]

I found the only way to potty train my baby was to crate and pen train. Finally he got it. Now that he is 3 I no longer have to crate at all. He acutally has use of the full house. It took almost 2 years of hard work to get to that point. But now he is just a good little boy. He only chews on his toys and knows he must potty outside.
Once your baby gets used to his crate it will be his/her safe haven.

Good Luck!

[Hopes Affection]

Thank you for all your support!! You know, reading earlier, I wasn't even thinking about the "play pen" theory... I have an old one downstairs from my kids who have long past those years... Again - I really needed to hear all your thoughts and suggestions.

[Hopes Affection]

Oh, and "thanks" for all the good luck with my little Lily! Just approx 20 more hours... but who's counting tee hee
GOSH, I'm so excited!