Most dogs love to sleep in their crates, it is their own little haven away from everything. Unfortunately this is also where they are forced to retreat back into when the world outside breaks. So if you are thinking about crate dog at night, think again. Crates offer dogs not only a place to sleep, but also a safe place to rest. Dogs that spend most of their time in their crates sleeping soundly throughout the night would not likely be feeling very welcoming to any visitors, especially visitors with no intentions of taking them out.
But is it cruel to crate a dog at night? Many people feel that while a new dog is in its crate, it is still its owner’s property. They argue that dogs deserve a little bit of privacy as they get older. So maybe it is OK to leave a new dog in its crate at night while you go to sleep. This may not make sense to you depending on your circumstances and the breed of your dog.
The main thing to remember is that dogs need to be able to relax. Getting them into the right mindset for crate training is as important as getting them there in the first place. So how can you properly crate train your dog at night? The answer depends on a few things; your house, the type of dog, and your schedule. Here are some tips to help you crate train your dog at night.
If you don’t have the time to properly crate train your dog at night, then you may want to consider getting him or her a doggy bed or something similar. A dog bed will give him or her a very comfortable spot to go to when it’s time to get up. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you get him or her a dog bed that is big enough to accommodate the dog. When you take your puppy outside, think about where you’ll want to put your dog bed so he or she can easily turn around and lay down. A dog bed is a great way to crate train your dog at night.
Another option is to use a crate or an indoor confined space for your dog. Just like with the bed idea, think about where you want to put your dog bed when you take him or her out to go potty. Many dogs look forward to going outside just before they’re due to potty. So by putting them into their crate or confined space, you can crate train your dog at night by keeping him or her in their room until they need to go. Then when they get to the door, they can immediately roll up in their dog bed and go.
When you decide to crate train your puppy at night, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, don’t confine the dog too close to the light. Since dogs don’t like to be exposed to bright lights, you should do best to not let them stay in their crate past ten PM. Also, you should crate train your dog by using different areas of the house rather than placing them all in one room. Think about how far away from the main living area you’d like to place your dog’s crate. Most dogs will quickly adapt to any number of rooms, but if you have a big house, it might be best to keep him or her in their own individual room until they are fully housetrained.
While you may be tempted to let your dog roam freely when you first start to crate train him or her, many dogs suffer because they don’t get enough exercise. So be sure to allot time out of each day for them to run and play. Even if you have a dog that whines during the night, don’t feel bad about leaving him or her alone for long periods of time. Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and will either bark incessantly or whine even when they are the only dog in the house. You can’t help all the times that your dog suffers from separation anxiety, but you can make sure he or she is taken to play often enough that it is not a major problem.
One final thing to be aware of is that dogs love sleepovers. So when it is time for your dog to go to sleep, don’t leave him or her alone in the crate all night. If you must leave the dog alone for longer periods of time, give him or her some extra snacks and supplements while you are gone so that he or she won’t become too hungry while you are gone. Many dogs sleep much longer when they have some extra food before they go to bed. This way, you can be assured that your dog is getting the rest he or she needs for a good night’s sleep.