# Dog crate bedroom or downstairs



## vizsla (Nov 3, 2010)

I have been keeping my crate downstairs, have had no accidents in there so far as have been setting my alarm and getting up in the night or when she cries I will tend to her. My pup cries for about 10-20 min in the night when she goes back in but then settles.

I keep reading that if it's in your bedroom then you can bond with the puppy more is this true? And also is it cruel to keep an 8 week puppy downstairs in the crate?


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2011)

vizsla said:


> I have been keeping my crate downstairs, have had no accidents in there so far as have been setting my alarm and getting up in the night or when she cries I will tend to her. My pup cries for about 10-20 min in the night when she goes back in but then settles.
> 
> I keep reading that if it's in your bedroom then you can bond with the puppy more is this true? And also is it cruel to keep an 8 week puppy downstairs in the crate?


I think it's personal preference as to where your puppy sleeps. Many people don't have dogs in the bedroom, and equally lots of people do. It's not cruel keeping the puppy downstairs in a crate during the night at all. If you want your dog when it is older to sleep downstairs then I wouldn't move the crate.

As for bonding, I'm not really sure about this as both you and the puppy will be asleep!


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Purely personal choice. I've never had a dog in the bedroom. Poppy was the first dog I used a crate for and it was just used for her sleep in as I didn't want to risk her chewing anything during the night but she came to look upon it as her den and would go in and out at will during the day. 

If you're pup's only 8 weeks old then you can only have had her for a few days. The crying will soon stop as she gets used to it, it took Poppy about 5 days to stop altogether, each night it got less.

As long as you spend time playing and training your pup then you shouldn't have any problems bonding with her.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

vizsla said:


> I keep reading that if it's in your bedroom then you can bond with the puppy more - is this true?
> And also is it cruel to keep an 8 week puppy downstairs in the crate?


i think the biggest difference is that the pup is reassured to have adults nearby - it's their biggest separation 
to date, losing dam & siblings, & i think they settle more quickly in the same room [tho crated] with the adults. 
the pup can hear, see & smell the humans, & everybody is sleeping as a group; this also encourages the pup 
to settle & sleep, since nothing exciting is happening, & they imitate the people who are present.

i've had plenty of folks who choose to have the pup in the bedroom while they're being housetrained, 
then move them elsewhere by the time the pup is 5 or 6-MO; it doesn't seem to be a huge problem, the pup 
is now older & less dependent than they were on arrival. Most pups can sleep on their own without fussing 
by 4 to 5-MO, but until they're dry overnight [15 to 16-WO, IME] i prefer to have them in my bedroom.

i put the crate within arm's-reach of the bed, too - if the pup fusses, i wake immediately. The alarm clock, lamp, 
my book, the leash, a bag of treats [for potty trips] are all ready to use, on the roof of the shipping-crate.


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## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

DirtyGertie said:


> Purely personal choice. I've never had a dog in the bedroom.


But she's so cuuuuuuuuuuute! Don't you just want to snuggle her in bed?
:001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1:


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

I had mine in the bedroom next to the bed - I would of gotten to upset if they had messed in thir beds because I didn't hear them to take them out in the night.
I found it a lot easier and within a few weeks they could hold all night and then I moved the crates to the lounge.
To me it was just like having my human babies - they were in their cots by ny bed until they slept through the night aswell, I'd never of left them to get distressed in the night and I promise you they don't need to sleep in mt bedroom now 

As for bonding - I don't think it makes any difference.


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## Jowan (Dec 14, 2009)

Mine have all slept downstairs and had no problems with them. However we treat them to an hour in bed on a sunday morning as we read the papers. I go down and make a drink as they go out for a wee and I dont know how they know but they bounce upstairs and are on the bed with my other half before the kettle has boiled lol.


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## Puppy Love (Jan 10, 2008)

We had both of our girls in a crate next to our bed for the first 4/5 weeks when we brought them home. When we got our 2nd pup we allowed our older girl to come up too so as not to leave her out, then moved them both down to their own room. Never had any problems and loved having them close. We can here them if there is any problems.


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

bearcub said:


> But she's so cuuuuuuuuuuute! Don't you just want to snuggle her in bed?
> :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1:


Awww, thank you . She was almost 4 months old in the picture I've used for my avatar. She's lost the fluffy puppy cute look and this is her now at 14 months:










We'd just come back from a run on the beach where she met up with her doggie friends and got enticed into the sea then rolled in the sand. She is so easily led :lol:.

Can't explain why but I've never wanted a dog in or on my bed before but with Poppy it would be because she is always full of sand . If she snored I'd kick her out anyway, I like a nice quiet bedroom . (She doesn't snore BTW.)


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