Guest phineas Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Merlin has been with us for four months now, and things have been going really well! The last 5-6 nights, though, he's taken up barking once in his crate for the night. We've been keeping the same routine: go outside to potty, go upstairs to my room, I say "go to bed," and he goes in his crate; he then chews on his bone while I read for a bit before turning out the light. None of that has changed, except that about five minutes into our quiet time, he drops the bone and starts barking: woof, woof - pause - woof, woof - pause - chew the bone for two minutes - woof, woof - pause. The first night, I tried to tell him to be quiet. Waste of breath - lol. This goes on for about 15-20 minutes, and it doesn't make for a relaxing time before turning out the light! My DH thinks that he might just need to have his crate moved back downstairs, to our finished basement, where we had his crate when he first came home. Merlin has been upstairs with us for 3+ months now, and I'm nervous that he'd feel put out down there and might start misbehaving in some way. Is there anything, other than moving his crate back to the basement, that I can do to encourage him to go back to being a quiet nighttime doggie? The barking is pretty darned annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 What about locking him loose in your room? I find that fosters really settle down once out of the crate. If you're worried about chewing, you can muzzle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phineas Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 We thought of that last night, and I let him out of the crate. He jumped up on the bed, and probably would have been happy sleeping with us. He's just too big for a whole night of sleeping on the bed, though (our other two dogs already sleep with us)! After my DH kicked him off three times, Merlin decided to go back in his crate. Even though I closed the door, he didn't bark any after that, thank goodness. Maybe he wants to walk around in the room a bit before settling down? I dunno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 I'd leave the crate door open and teach him he's not welcome on the bed with you. They can learn that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NJgrey Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 I'd leave the crate door open and teach him he's not welcome on the bed with you. They can learn that. Yup. Keep the crate in your room, leave the door open. Keep a squirt bottle next to the bed. When he jumps up with you, one quick squirt and he'll get the idea very quickly. Get him a dog bed for your room too, leave it out next to his crate door if possible. Over time, when you want to get rid of the crate in your bedroom, it'll help him transition to his own dog bed for the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Why is he still in the crate at night after four months? Crates are great for dogs that like them, for housebreaking, and for puppies. And adult dog who is housebroken doesn't need a crate. If he LIKED it, it would be a great place--but I think he's rather clearly telling you he doesn't! You need to train him to get "off" and "go lie down" if you don't want him on the bed. It'll take a few repetitions (or maybe many!) but it's not that hard for them to learn. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zombrie Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Why is he still in the crate at night after four months? Crates are great for dogs that like them, for housebreaking, and for puppies. And adult dog who is housebroken doesn't need a crate. If he LIKED it, it would be a great place--but I think he's rather clearly telling you he doesn't! You need to train him to get "off" and "go lie down" if you don't want him on the bed. It'll take a few repetitions (or maybe many!) but it's not that hard for them to learn. Ditto! Mira and all of my fosters learned that freedom was a great thing and no longer wanted anything to do with a crate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kelli123 Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 Why is he still in the crate at night after four months? Crates are great for dogs that like them, for housebreaking, and for puppies. And adult dog who is housebroken doesn't need a crate. If he LIKED it, it would be a great place--but I think he's rather clearly telling you he doesn't! You need to train him to get "off" and "go lie down" if you don't want him on the bed. It'll take a few repetitions (or maybe many!) but it's not that hard for them to learn. Ditto! Mira and all of my fosters learned that freedom was a great thing and no longer wanted anything to do with a crate. I feel the same as above posters, If he is good leave the door open so he can come and go or just lock him in the bedroom with you , Or leave the door open and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phineas Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 We may have figured out the problem! I walk our dogs each day, but due to an injury last week to my leg, they've only been getting run-around-in-the-backyard time for about a week. My DH walked Merlin and the other two yesterday, and he didn't bark last night! They got back from a walk just now, so we'll see tonight if that's the ticket. As for him sleeping in the crate at night (he's free roaming during the day), we're doing that for safety reasons, and because having an 80lb. dog with boney feet jump on your stomach in the middle of the night is painful. We started him out not in his crate (he was on his bed behind a gate in the corner next to me), until he figured out that he could jump on the bed in the middle of the night. When I pushed him off, he started going down the stairs (MB is an attic bedroom) to the pitch black of the living room. Big dog on stomach and big dog going downstairs in the middle of the night = not good! We can't close the door at night (need to be able to hear the kids downstairs), and the way that the stairs are made won't allow for a gate. If anyone has a suggestion for how to keep him free and safe at night, and not jumping on my stomach, I'm all ears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn8 Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 (edited) Aww, he wants to snuggle with his family. How about a night light at the stairway? Then give him some time to find his favorite spot. Jenn Edited November 5, 2010 by jenn8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phineas Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Aws, he wants to snuggle with his family. How about a night light at the stairway? Then give him some time to find his favorite spot. Jenn Oh, I know that he wants to snuggle, and I feel bad for him! He's such a sweetheart. ugh. If it were up to me, he'd probably sleep on the bed at night, but my DH says no. There's a nightlight at the top of the stairs, which is how he found his way over there that one night. There aren't any outlets at the bottom of the stairs, though. I'm trying to think of some other way to block the stairs that wouldn't be a safety hazard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest momofevie Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 what about an ex-pen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I agree with crate door open. Don't let him in your bed if you don't want him in your bed is fine. Offer a dobed on the floor beside your bed. Most dogs want to sleep in the room with the "pack". He's telling you he doesn't need the crate. Go with that. We're minimal craters at our house. Fosters get crated at night, for a few nights, to assess. After that - most dogs get "open crate" in the bedroom. Some choose to sleep in the open door crate - most choose to sleep on a dogbed on the floor by our bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 You cant close the door, what about a baby gate across the doorway with the door open? That is what I do. Also, as far as a night-light, there is no need. Dogs have very good night-vision and can see just fine with or without the lights on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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