Where Should A Puppy Sleep?

[Sticks1977]

We have had our chocolate labrador puppy for about two weeks now and over the weekend we thought we would trial him in our bedroom for sleeping at night.

The first two nights he was in the ensuite and separated from us by a baby gate but he was heaps noisy crying and whelping so we then moved him to the Laundry. At first he was unsure and still crying a little but since the Laundry was at the other end of the house we could not hear him as much. Lately when he was in the Laundry he would only make some noise once he knew we were awake and organising our breakfast.

His toilet training has been getting better when being inside so we thought with him getting a little bigger and being really good we would trial him in the bedroom. The two nights he has spent in there he has been very good and made little to no noise at all - but he seems to want to get into everything.

We have a pretty basic metal frame bed with wooden slats underneath that have a flat plastic tape that keeps them all together - and he seems to love chewing on them in the middle of the night... he has also had a few accidents with peeing in the bedroom even though there is newspaper down in the ensuite for him. I did not really expect him to go straight to the newspaper as he is not very familiar with our bedroom.

Should we persevere with him in the bedroom or wait until he is a few more months older? I feel like placing him back in the Laundry but it has been good having him in the bedroom and knowing that he is warm and comfortable. Last night when I was coming to bed (he was already in the bedroom asleep) I did not know where he was - sure enough I looked under the bed and he was fast asleep and looked as content and comfortable as a puppy could be.

Any advice would be welcome, we are not really looking to use a crate or any other method, he currently sleeps on a large pillow that has been wrapped in a fleece blanket. We also use this same bed to put in the garage when we are at work and we are looking to give him some shelter.

Regards,

Shaun (Sticks1977), Gaylene and Fraser ;)

Edited August 6, 2007 by Sticks1977

[laffi]

I think from the beginning you should stick to where you want him to be permanently. If you want him in the bedroom, stick to it. If you want him in the laundry, stick to it. The more you change the more he will get confused.

I know you said you don't want to crate. I didn't crate my golden when she was little and she still was house trained within a week. But I am crating her now and really recommend it. Makes life much easier (when we travel and have to leave her with a carer, when she is sick (injured, or after desexing) etc etc). Even my husband who was against the crate loves it now.

[Allerzeit]

The first two nights he was in the ensuite and separated from us by a baby gate but he was heaps noisy crying and whelping so we then moved him to the Laundry.

;)

Sorry - that sentence just struck me as really funny! "Whelping" is the term used for a dog giving birth I sure hope he wasn't doing too much whelping

I was going to suggest a crate, but then I got to the last paragraph.

I guess you have two choices:

1. Let him sleep in the bedroom, but accept that he could be getting into things and doing things he shouldn't - potentially starting a bad behaviour habit.

2. Continue to sleep him in a secure area such as the Laundry where he can't get into mischief.

I know you said you didn't want to crate him, but my strongest advice to you if you wanted to sleep him in your bedroom would be to crate him. That way you can keep him in a secure area, where he can't get into mischief and can't start learning any naughty behaviour (eg chewing on the bed).

Personally, if I was absolutely opposed to crating, then I would be containing him in a small area such as the Laundry - his own space, he can't get into trouble in.

[SueM]

I have a foster puppy at present and she sleeps in a large crate in my bedroom, it makes life so much easier and it only took her one night to get used to it and she sleeps right through ;)

[Sticks1977]

Sorry - that sentence just struck me as really funny! "Whelping" is the term used for a dog giving birth I sure hope he wasn't doing too much whelping

Whoops!

I thought whelping was basically another word for crying or making some noise... I guess though for a dog giving birth she would make a fair bit of noise! - my mistake... *makes a mental note not to use the term 'whelp' ever again*

Thanks to all for the replies so far, we are taking Fraser to Puppy School at Aust Dog Training on Saturday so I might ask a few questions there also about sleeping and if they would recommend getting a crate. After reading a few posts about the success some people have had with them I might have to look further into it.

I think we will place him back in the Laundry tonight as it is a much smaller area and there is nothing he can really get into. When he has been in the Laundry and I have let him out in the morning he seems to not want to go to the toilet in the Laundry at all, he will practically run out of the Laundry, say a quick hello to me and then go out the sliding door into the backyard to do his business!

;) Would any of you also recommend a doggy door for him to go in and out of the backyard from the Laundry?

[laffi]

;) Would any of you also recommend a doggy door for him to go in and out of the backyard from the Laundry?

Definitely (if the backyard is doggyproof).

[Mystiqview]

My puppies are crate trained.

The first few weeks, they are in a crate by the bed. The crate then gets moved to the lounge room. Love crate trained. Got one dog here.. If there is a crate in a house somewhere and the door is open.. thats where you will find her by choice..

Crate training is great if you travel, helps with toilet training, if the pup has to go to the vet... Shows, trials etc. A crate gives the dog their own little portable bedroom. In saying this.. My older dogs are just as happy outside in kennels as they are inside. The older dogs have moved from crates to mats on the floor. But if I go over to a friends place, I know I can always crate my dogs somewhere if I need to.

[kamuzz]

Another vote for crate training here.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I thought whelping was basically another word for crying or making some noise... I guess though for a dog giving birth she would make a fair bit of noise! - my mistake... *makes a mental note not to use the term 'whelp' ever again*

LOL Yelping was the term you where looking for. :p

My dogs sleep on the bed after they are toilet trained saves on electric blankets See thread on this topic elsewhere.