Night Time Crating

[Guest MrsKuchta]

Hello again!

 

I have been lurking around the forums since my first post in an attempt to get as much information as possible before we adopt next month. I've seen that many of you say that your hounds sleep in your bedroom on a cushion or a bed.

 

We were planning on crating the dog in our spare bedroom because we have cats and I've read that crating them can help keep them calmer. Is this something we can do for the long term or in your experience do most dogs do pretty well sleeping on the floor in your room?

 

We want to avoid the cat/dog fights, and obviously if the cats aren't safe around the dog this isn't even an issue and we would keep the dog crated at night. We don't want the dog on the bed, but I'm just wondering if they mind being crated every night or not? Or how long we should crate him at night before we try to let him roam free for the first time?

[tydyelady]

Most greyhounds will prefer to sleep where you sleep. If you are not ready to leave the dog out because of the cats, then keep the crate in your room until you can transition it to a dog bed. I would not crate it at night in another room.

[Guest carriej]

I have three cats; and previously two greys. Right now I have a foster, though.

 

Our adoption group thinks dogs should be crated for at least 30 days; to ensure that they can be trusted in the house and make no accidents, not munch on kitties, etc. Plus the crate does offer them a sense of security. Our guy wasn't great with the crate at first, but he likes it now. I covered it, and that made a huge difference. He still doesn't like to be in there when we are home though; but he goes in at night to sleep and when we are out for now.

 

I never let my dogs in the bedroom; my husband and I work and we did make the mistake of letting one in early on. He was very needy, and while it took lots of effort and hard work to get him to gain independence again - we learned the hard way. There is no doubt the dog would love to sleep in the bedroom; but in my opinion it can possibly set them up for a bit of separation anxiety. Our adoption group also does not recommend having the dog(s) sleep in the bedroom.

 

I would recommend placing the crate in a busier area of the house though - not alone in a spare room. We keep our guy crated in the living room.

 

However, as per the cats.. Your grey needs to be cat safe; and you should request one. I don't want to imagine the things a non-cat safe grey would do to a cat.

 

I just brought this foster in; and he was "cat safe" and he didn't make any fusses over the cats yet. He showed mild fear at them a bit; but it's since worn off and he seems to pretend they are invisible.

[ramonaghan]

I've had Sweep 11 months now and she still sleeps in her closed crate in our bedroom every night. As long as she continues to crate easily, we'll keep doing it. It keeps her safe from our two cats (who sleep in our bed) and vice versa, and keeps her from trying to go downstairs in the dark, both of which give me peace of mind and a good night's sleep! But it totally depends on the dog--some don't crate well (an understatement in some cases), so you would need to use another solution like a baby gate. I also think it's very important that the dog can see you, so having its crate in the spare bedroom is not ideal when the dog's getting used to living in a home and new people. Greys are not accustomed to being alone, so at least for the initial acclimation period I'd keep the crate wherever you're sleeping. And make it a super-happy, cozy space: a blanket over it to make it den-like, treats when s/he goes in it, a comfy crate mat or stack of blankets inside. If you can find a hound that's been in a foster home (ideally one with cats), that will smooth the transition for both of you, and the foster will be able to let you know how well the dog crates.

By the way, Sweep's never tried to get on our furniture, so I don't think she'd suddenly decide to join us in bed if we left her out of her crate. You may have the same experience. Congrats on your upcoming adoption!

Edited October 14, 2013 by ramonaghan

[Brandiandwe]

We don't crate ours but they all sleep in our room in their beds. Two would love to sleep on ghe bed with us. One has had sleep startle in the past so he's allowed up only when we're awake and ready to cuddle, the other commando crawls up in ghe middle of the night if she gets cold. Extra blankets sort this out. The third insists on sleeping with us if she feels sick or insecure. She's allowed to sleep with us whenever as its usually only every six months.

 

We prefer them in the bedroom to stop them sleeping on our couch and do I know if something goes wrong.

 

To crate or not to crate is tricky. We don't crate because it doesn't seem to be the culture in Australia. You need to do what works best for you.

[OwnedBySummer]

I don't crate. It seems to be very popular these days but no one ever used to do it and everyone was fine. We simply teach our dogs what we want. That being said, greyhounds ARE used to it and, if a hound WANTS to be crated, I don't have a problem with doing it. I would, though, have my hound in my bedroom at night with me, one way or the other. I like my pets to sleep on my bed so I encourage that. But if I didn't want that, I would aim to have my dog sleeping beside me in a dog bed. They like company and usually want to be with you.

[Houndmommy03]

My first two greyhounds slept in crates downstairs (our bedrooms were upstairs). They liked their crates and this worked well for us for 4 years. Then Lucky died and we moved, all in the same month, and after the move Silver wouldn't crate anymore so he slept in our bedroom in a dog bed. Ever since then, our greyhounds sleep in our bedroom on their own beds (new dogs are crated in the bedroom until we are okay with them staying out). None have ever gotten in our bed, except for Holly who would sneak in after we were asleep (because she was cold). All this to say, you have to do what works for you and the dog. Personally I'd recommend crating the dog in your bedroom - cats are safe, dog is safe but still gets to be near you.

[krissy]

Our crate is always in the bedroom if someone is being crated. And the dogs always sleep in the bedroom. Right now Summit sleeps on a bed on the floor and Kili sleeps beside him in her crate. Our bedroom door is open at night so Summit is more than free to leave if he wants. But he prefers to sleep with the family and rarely gets up until I do in the morning. BD would love for the dogs to not sleep in our bedroom but that will never happen!

[a_daerr]

The dog will NOT like being crated in another room. I can almost guarantee that. It's best to either crate in your bedroom, or let them sleep on a dog bed in your bedroom at night.

[Acadianarose]

We crated Payton at night for the first couple of nights, but he has stayed out at night since then. We crated him during the day while we were gone for about a month but he started having accidents in his crate. I started leaving him out and he has not had an accident since. His crate is in the living room and he still sleeps in it often with the door open. I guess he likes having the option.

 

As far as sleeping in our room, he is totally welcome to sleep in our room (our lab does) he Payton prefers to sleep in the living room.

 

You will gets tons of different opinions, but I think you will have to play it by ear once your dog is home with you.

[Busderpuddle]

We have had Ruby over 3 years and she has slept in her crate every night, with the door closed. She actually runs in when I let her back in from pottying each night and stands there until I scratch her ears and lock the door. She also runs in there when there are scary things like thunder and lightning. She seems to love her crate and doesn't make a sound until I get up each morning. I don't think she would like being in a separate room however.

Congratulations on your new Couchbug.

[Guest OPointyDog]

Ours sleep downstairs in their crates in the library, and our bedroom is upstairs. We tried letting our first sleep uncrated, but she just wandered around whining and barking at things out the window. Put her back in the crate, and she went right to sleep. She had a broken leg when we got her, so there was no way to get her upstairs anyway. I think she prefers to sleep in the crate and goes in there readily. Our second dog is crated for his own protection, since he chews up and eats everything he can find. I think he'd prefer to be closer to us, but we crate them next to each other and they seem to do OK.

 

I think it depends on the dog. But it absolutely is possible to crate some dogs in another room.

[Guest jetska]

Our 'foster crate' is in the living area, I find when they come straight from the racing kennel they will retreat to it when everything is a bit too much. I only make them sleep in it a little while though, then they sleep on their own bed in my bedroom with Barbie. Bender sleeps on the couch in the living room because otherwise he tries to sleep on me and kick me in the face.

[Guest davijr84]

The dog will NOT like being crated in another room. I can almost guarantee that. It's best to either crate in your bedroom, or let them sleep on a dog bed in your bedroom at night.

Our guy seems to be an exception to this- although we've only had him for ~2 months so maybe that'll change, but we've been crating him since we had him (except for a brief 2 week period, which I have a tread about in here) in our living room on the main floor. After we observed that he was ok with the cats, we kept the crate but left the door open, and encouraged him to join us upstairs in our bedroom. For a couple nights, he came up on the bed and laid for a little, then casually jumped down and went and lied in his crate for the night. He'll occasionally come upstairs when were in bed and lie on the floor, but he always goes back down to his crate to sleep for the night. The rest of the crew (small dog and 2 cats) stay on the bed with us, and he gets along with all of them.

[Guest davijr84]

OP, another precaution we took with the cats was purchase one of these:

 

http://latchnvent.com/

 

We have a spare bedroom that we use as the cats room- has their litterbox, food, toys, etc. We put this on the door so they can get in, but the dogs can't. In case any fights break out, the cats can always retreat to this room without the dogs being able to get in. Luckily for us, our guy has shown no aggression/interest in the cats whatsoever.

[a_daerr]

Our guy seems to be an exception to this- although we've only had him for ~2 months so maybe that'll change, but we've been crating him since we had him (except for a brief 2 week period, which I have a tread about in here) in our living room on the main floor. After we observed that he was ok with the cats, we kept the crate but left the door open, and encouraged him to join us upstairs in our bedroom. For a couple nights, he came up on the bed and laid for a little, then casually jumped down and went and lied in his crate for the night. He'll occasionally come upstairs when were in bed and lie on the floor, but he always goes back down to his crate to sleep for the night. The rest of the crew (small dog and 2 cats) stay on the bed with us, and he gets along with all of them.

 

You're right. This can absolutely happen when the dog starts to settle in following the first few days/weeks. My Truman sleeps downstairs on the couch. But to OP, it's not a great idea to bring a brand new dog home and try to crate them in another room all alone. I had a foster who chipped teeth and bent the crate bars because I tried to crate her in a room by herself. It was awful. Most of the crating literature I've read (including Greyhounds for Dummies) recommends crating the dog wherever you spend most of your time, and allowing them to sleep either in a crate or on a dog bed next to your bed. During that initial transition, it's calming for them to see you and hear your breathing. Once your dog is fully settled in and housetrained, then you let them choose wherever it is they want to sleep at night.

[NeylasMom]

We were planning on crating the dog in our spare bedroom because we have cats and I've read that crating them can help keep them calmer.

Not sure about keeping them calmer, but certainly it keeps your cats safer until you are comfortable that your greyhound doesn't have any predatory interest in them. So no issues at all with the idea of crating your dog overnight. However, if you're going to, I strongly recommend you keep the crate in your bedroom. Your dog will be MUCH happier and I am almost certain you will sleep much more soundly.

[Guest mmreca]

I have had Niles for almost 4 months. We still crate him at night because I want to keep him crated while we are at work during the day. If someone is home, he is free to roam, but if we are gone for more than 30 minutes, I put him in the crate since we have cats. I've been tempted to let him sleep with the crate door open at night or sleep on his bed in our bedroom, but I've resisted since he needs to be locked up during the day and don't want to cause more anxiety by having him feel like he is punished or something. This way it is just more consistent for him to be crated at night and when nobody is home.

 

Our crate is in our living room, but we have a super small house and he can sort of see in to our bedroom from where he is located. It was far enough away that he was able to get on by himself, but not too far that he felt abandoned.

[winnie]

I'd say it depends on the dog. Some greys love their crates, others hate them. Our first grey, Celeste, used a crate for the first several months during the day when we were at work. Then, one day, she decided no more. Our second grey, Darcy, went nuts in the crate. After two days, we decided no more. Our subsequent greys were bounces who had long since stopped using crates. We've never crated any of our dogs at night. They all sleep in dog beds in our bedroom. All our greys tested safe with cats. We've never had a problem. We do use baby gates though - raised high enough for cats to get under them - in case the cats want their own space.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Your hound couldn't do stairs with a broken leg? That's funny, all I foster is broken leg hounds and they learn stairs (9 open faced wooden stairs) from day one in my house, casts and all. I also have had 3 legged amps use my stairs as well.

[labcoat22]

Dino isn't crated at night but that didn't happen over night pun intended.

 

We first got Dino he sleep in his crate at night down stares that lasted for a week or two. then the crying /complaining, my wife and I thought wait it out, after two night of no sleep at all we gave in it was a big deal he Dino had nto not figure out stares yet and he is XL racing at 85 lbs.

 

We had purchased a fordable soft crate, put it in the corner with a bed in it brought him up told him to crate up and zipped him in. Within two night happy Dino roaching in his crate. Fast forward a few months, door open Dino waits for us to wake up in the morning.

 

A few more months soft crate is down just a bed in the corner of our bedroom.

 

Dino loves his people and has never left the room at night.

 

We were real motivated to get him going up and down stars in a hurry

 

Ryan