sleeping outside of the crate at night?

[kmann]

For those of you who allow your dogs to have free reign of the house during the night, when/how did you know it was time to let your dogs have this right?

Griffin isn't quite trust-worthy to be out of his crate during the day unsupervised but I think he might be at night time. He usually crashes every night between 8:30 & 9:30 and DOES NOT want to get up to go in his crate when we go to bed. It's at least a 15-20 minute coaxing session to get him to go in. During the day he's much more willing to go into his crate. One night a few weeks ago my boyfriend actually forgot to put him in his crate before he headed to bed. Griffin was passed out in the corner of the dark living room and my boyfriend was so tired it just didn't occur to him that Griffin wasn't in his crate. What a surprise the next morning when I came downstairs and Griffin greeted me at the foot of the stairs! He hadn't touched a thing all night. I'd be surprised if he even moved from where he originally fell asleep. He usually starts wining/grumbling/barking every morning around 6 to be let out of his crate and eat breakfast. However, the night he slept out of his crate he didn't make a peep until I came downstairs.

Is it best to just give it another trial run and see how it goes, removing all potential "this looks interesting, I think I'll eat it, even though I'm not supposed to" items? He will only have access to the living room, hallway, and kitchen.

 

[charlieinnj]

Looks like he's almost a year old, so you may want to move forward with your plan.

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

I think Mila was 10 months old when she got free rein at night, but I always was sure to pick up everything and anything that might be tempting to her (shoes, toys, etc.) to set her up for success. If you're anything like me, for the first few weeks, you'll wake up a half dozen times during the night, in a bit of a panic (What was that noise?!) and check on him :lol: Good luck!

 

[lmfoltyn]

Jake only has our bedroom, bathroom and office to go into at night. He usually moves from each place during the night but doesn't do any damage. He is still not allowed free roam of the entire house either day or night.

 

[Whybu1]

Ours got outside the kennel rights once they spent the day without issues. Our Danes and pom have no kennel anymore but they are all over 5yrs. Little Ms Crycket at 5 months still sleeps on her kennel.

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

Just leave the door to his crate open. Elvis still sleeps in his crate every night - even thought we haven't shut the door in years. He puts himself to bed at 9:30 and doesn't move until at least 9:30am the next morning.

 

[Jager's Mom]

Whenever you decide the time is right...Be sure that your house is "doggie" proof. Be sure nothing is left out that he can possibly get into.

Also, if he starts grumbling/barking around 6am, be sure to head down to him around 5:45am (at least until you trust him more)... reason: if he wakes before you, he may choose to use the potty inside since he's no longer in his crate.

 

[CMDRTED]

Tigger was about a year, the other vary from 6 months, to 3 years

 

[R Taft]

Katy was 15 weeks and slept outside her crate..Most my pups are 16 plus weeks when we start to trust them. basically when they are potty trained. But I do get up at least once a night to let them out

 

[Alicia]

Just leave the door to his crate open. Elvis still sleeps in his crate every night - even thought we haven't shut the door in years. He puts himself to bed at 9:30 and doesn't move until at least 9:30am the next morning.

Oh Elvis...you sure do like your rest! 12 hours?!!! Love him!

 

[cmorgan.1505]

Thor is 11 months as we have not really trusted him to be out of the crate yet. When our air was messed up a few months ago we did let him sleep outside of his crate two nights when we went upstairs to sleep in the ac. We use to let him stay out if we went to dinner, but came home one night and he had somehow got to his flea and tick and trashed it. I freaked out checking for breaks in the package and that was the last we allowed him out again till last night when we went out.

We are going to try allowing him out of his crate at night after Christmas so that he will be a year old, but what we will do for the first few nights is only allow him in our room with the door close, which is where is crate is.

Good luck!

 

[kmann]

First night was a success! After running downstairs 4 times to check on him before we even crawled into bed I finally took a chill pill and told myself every breath he takes doesn't mean he's being naughty. Around 4am though I think he heard something outside and started barking like mad, aside from giving us a heart attack, it makes me wonder if he'll be on the alert more outside of his crate. And that is a-ok by me. When I came downstairs this morning he was so happy to greet me, and I asked him if he sang "let freedom ring" to himself all night.

Also, after breakfast and a potty trip, he's usually a little rambunctious, but dare I say, he was practically perfect and calm this morning! Lied right down in the kitchen and didn't move.

Just leave the door to his crate open. Elvis still sleeps in his crate every night - even thought we haven't shut the door in years. He puts himself to bed at 9:30 and doesn't move until at least 9:30am the next morning.

I envy you so!

 

[TerriW]

Never crated my Newf pups. No accidents come to mind....there must have been some, but I don't remember them.

But I also let them sleep in our room on their beds, beside our bed. Since they're pack animals I assumed they would want to sleep with the pack. That may have helped me wake up when they needed to go out.

 

[NinaA]

Moonlight sleeps in her crate every night, even though she hasn't been locked in for years. If she gets hot, she just gets out and lays on the kitchen floor. Guess this started at about a year. So, it is time for you. The labs lay in the family room on the carpet until the TV is turned off, then they head for the kitchen too.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

I never crated either, for potty training I used a baby gate and the plastic runners around my bed (I could hear each time they got up and moved) once potty training was complete it was free reign, I only ever had one incident and that happened when I was in the shower. Zeke managed to pick up two lines by the front door out of my Berber carpeting. Oh and he chewed a few corners off the bathroom rugs, so they would come up at night. Sounds like your guy is doing well!

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

Oh yea, Elvis is big into beauty rest. If we dare try to get him up before 9:30 it's a big event requiring cheese, peanut butter, or something else enticing enough to rouse him from his slumber. One semester my husband taught an 8am class (I leave the house by 7am) so every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning there was a struggle to get him moving at 6:45.

 

[takemebacktotulsa]

Around 9 months we started closing the door to the living area of the house at night and giving Willis free reign to the back half where our bedroom is located. He had access to a cool tile floor. He would spend part of the night at the foot of our bed and part of the night on the tile.

It's great to hear Griffin had such a successful night. While I think crate training is important, I felt so much better when I didn't HAVE to put him in the crate at night. He tolerates his crate, but he'd rather be out of it. I'm happy to oblige knowing he's trustworthy and won't hurt himself.

 

[Milliejb]

This is the ONE time I actually get to brag about my girl! HAHA! She is usually the one causing a ruckus but Millie was actually out of her crate and sleeping beside me at 4 months. I guess I was lucky she much rather chew on a bone or "nurse" on her baby then cause terror throughout the house!!! Good luck! I do have to say I kept her confined to one room for a while before letting her roam the whole house so maybe that is your best bet. Give the guy a try

Oh and the strangest part of all this, is Millie is obviously crated a lot since her surgery and she loves it! LOl She's such a goof!

 

[R Taft]

Never crated my Newf pups. No accidents come to mind....there must have been some, but I don't remember them.

But I also let them sleep in our room on their beds, beside our bed. Since they're pack animals I assumed they would want to sleep with the pack. That may have helped me wake up when they needed to go out.

"like"...mine are only crated for potty training and when they have had surgery LOL.........

 

[new_2_newf]

Sulley has slept in my room with me since he came to me at 9 months old and we've not had issues...I can sleep with my door open and he'll migrate down the hall and into the bathroom, but he's normally not far from me at bedtime. I didn't give him free reign during the day until he was almost two and a half....he can be a very naughty newf when he puts his mind to it.