We've got a new pup who we'll pick up on March 1, so we are getting the house ready, buying supplies, etc.

We have a crate - the one the collapses flat, and you can section off for size. It'll work fine on our main floor. I intend to use this for when we go out (not for too long at first), or if we are home but want the pup to get used to it. I've read to throw treats in there, have the pup eat there, throw in a familiar blanket, etc. - all to get the pup used to it.

I work out of the house, so am confident I can spend a lot of time with the pup training, playing, taking it out so it learn where to go potty, etc.

Here's my question though - bedroom is upstairs. I'm not sure it's best to crate the pup downstairs for sleep time - I've read it should be crated in the same room as me. But being upstairs, do I then need another crate?

And if so, that crate will only be for night, so the pup may not love that environment as much as hopefully it will the crate on the main floor.

Any strategies around this? I know we have lots of great pet owners here, so any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance.

We only use the crate when we are leaving the house. At night, she's free to roam the main floor. As a puppy, we placed pet gates to limit her to the areas with tile floor to contain the accidents.

I wouldn't let him sleep upstairs unless you want that to continue. Consistency is key. If you don't want a dog to do something in the future (go upstairs, look for food at the table, etc.) don't EVER do it.

First of all, congrats! Looking forward to seeing pics.

Sounds like you need another crate unless you don't mind hauling the one you already have up and down the stairs daily.

My suggestion would be get another crate same as the current one, and move the bedding back and forth between the crates, at least for the first few nights.

The first 4 or 5 nights I had my new pup, I slept on the sofa so he wouldn't be scared of being alone. He was in his crate in eyeshot of me. After this trial period, I went back to sleeping upstairs and it has never been a problem. I'm blessed that he's not a whiny dog so the transition was easy. I also work from home so that gave me a lot more time to spend bonding with him.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
The first 4 or 5 nights I had my new pup, I slept on the sofa so he wouldn't be scared of being alone. He was in his crate in eyeshot of me. After this trial period, I went back to sleeping upstairs and it has never been a problem. I'm blessed that he's not a whiny dog so the transition was easy. I also work from home so that gave me a lot more time to spend bonding with him.

Thanks. I like that idea. It provides for only one crate, and keeps the pup downstairs only. Plus we're right by the door outside for those potty breaks during the night.

quote:

Originally posted by rusbro:
First of all, congrats! Looking forward to seeing pics.

Sounds like you need another crate unless you don't mind hauling the one you already have up and down the stairs daily.

My suggestion would be get another crate same as the current one, and move the bedding back and forth between the crates, at least for the first few nights.

I hand't thought of that. If i dont sleep on the couch for the first bit, this seems like a nice solution.

Crate is a crate, as long as you get the pup to view as a good place, it does not matter. I have a crate in the living room and one in the bedroom next to the bed. My dogs view the crate as positive place to be (especially with peanut butter kongs).

Here are a couple great videos on crate training:

I'd recommend NOT feeding in the crate. Keep that separate. Occasional treats are OK, but keep the food bowl away from there.

One thing I learned with my first crate trained dog...they like it smaller at first than you would think.
(at least my female did)
She raised holy hell in a full size crate then I got a small one. She was happy and would go in there on her own to nap.

I wouldn't overthink it. All dogs are a little different so just see how it goes with one crate first. Hopefully you have the wire type with the slide out tray in the bottom.
Get a lot of chew toys to keep him busy. When he tries to chew on you or something he shouldn't, put one in his mouth. Having a crate near your work during the day would be good for a start or he'll chew a lot of stuff while you're not looking including furniture legs.
Take him out every time he leaves the crate to establish that outside is the bathroom. Also 1st thing in the morning and when you get home.
Use his dry kibbles sparingly as treats to get him in the crate. No water in the crate.
I like a pinch collar for leash time. They look like a medieval torture device but dogs seem to change behavior as soon as you put it on. Pay attention to fitting it correctly as it
shouldn't be a choke collar. Get one sized for a full grown dog and remove some links to fit when he's smaller.

My aussie loves his crate. It's his own little fortress of solitude and I often find him in there taking naps with the door open.
We also have our bedrooms upstairs but felt it was best to crate him downstairs and close to the backdoor where he went out for potty time. This way we could get him outside as soon as he woke up and lessen the chance of a full puppy bladder emptying as I carry him all the way downstairs in the morning.
Once he was fully grown and past the puppy stage he got to move his crate upstairs into my room.

Congrats on the new addition!

Can't offer any advice because I'd fold like a cheap lawn chair and let the dog sleep in the bed with me

If its a caged crate put a towel over it. Dogs are denizens and that can help the get used to it.

The crates are something I've helped sell hundreds of at the Flea Market. Transporters as well. The fold down is as simple as they come. You didn't say what kind of pup. We've sold these for dogs all the way up to Danes and the like. The pinned corners are the strongest kind but take more to erect. Plus you can pinch your fingers assembling them. Check out the Kong brand on line. They offer the standard double door or a crate with rising doors. We had 1 large Kong with the rising doors and it sold in a couple hours. Dogs do seem to find comfort in crates. It becomes their own space.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
I'd recommend NOT feeding in the crate. Keep that separate. Occasional treats are OK, but keep the food bowl away from there.

Curiosity on why you say this?

Always fed my pups in their crates especially when I had two pups. It kept them out of each other’s food.
Also pups are far less likely to use the bathroom where they get their food.

I also only crated while gone.
Pups slept in the bedroom with me. Not in the bed but on the floor. Though they would sneak up in bed on occasion and get sent right back to the floor.

I sure miss having a dog.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
The first 4 or 5 nights I had my new pup, I slept on the sofa so he wouldn't be scared of being alone. He was in his crate in eyeshot of me. After this trial period, I went back to sleeping upstairs and it has never been a problem. I'm blessed that he's not a whiny dog so the transition was easy. I also work from home so that gave me a lot more time to spend bonding with him.

That's pretty much what I did. Worked great.

I have always left the crate in the same space.
Some times it was my laundry room. Wife griped, so I moved it to garage.
I started out feeding dog in crate with door open. I used to give milk bone to dog whenever I told him to go in the crate and they went in.
I did not want my dog in my bedroom.

Our GSD is 6 YO now. We have always used a crate to help train a dog. This dog had exactly one “accident” in the house—one. If you’re home with the dog, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be housebroken very quickly. Yeah, I would get a 2nd crate upstairs, and I would lock the pup in at night, making use of its instinctive desire to keep its sleeping place clean. Your job is to get the pup outside first thing in the morning. After awhile, the door can be left open, and after that, do away with the crate.

I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want your dog close at hand during the night. Our GSD is another layer of security for our house and we want her close by.

I remember sleeping the first night with Craz-E The Big Brown Dog down in the living room on the floor with him. I think it set the relationship off real good. The crate wasn't needed much, at his age, aside from his separation anxiety the first month. I would counsel that a bedroom crate will set a dog's expectation that he is to be with you always, which is the way I like it. Your preference may differ.

With the folding crates, close the little hook tabs which connect the front and back walls to the sides, with pliers. Dont collapse them all the way. If a pup gets playful inside, he may cause front or back wall to disconnect so close those tabs a bit when the crate is erected.