Hi
Our whippet pup goes of his own accord to his crate at 9.00pm and sleeps right through until 7.30am without a peep all night,I know this probably sounds wonderful to people with pups who bark all night but he will only sleep in that room. I know we should just let him get on with it but we would like him to sleep on the sofa with us while we watch TV and relax as it feels terrible to think of him on his own in there even if we know he's really happy, but he just won't relax in any other room than the room where his crate is,if we sit in that room he comes straight over and sleeps on our laps we just wish he would do it in other rooms.I know it doesn't even sound like a problem really but it would nice to have him sitting in the living room with us, any ideas anyone?

Cheers
Steve

What does he do if you put his crate in the living room?

You cannot arrange a dog. All of mine have sorted out their own sleeping areas.

When I get a young puppy I usually start it off with a cardboard box as a bed. Dogs like small spaces and if you buy a bed which is small enough they will have outgrown it in a couple of weeks. When I got my old lucy I put her box beside Mandy's bed and put her in it. When I got up in the morning Lucy was in Mandy's bed and Mandy, A full grown Labrador was squashed up in a tiny cardboard box.

Anna started in the kitchen just like the other dogs but has made the point that the bottom of the stairs is the only place for her!

Best wishes, John

Hi again,
By pure coincidence we did bring his crate into the living room last night and sure enough he was fine and jumped straight onto my lap and fell asleep, I realise we can't arrange our pup how we want him and we wouldn't try ,if he wants to go to his crate we would never stop him which is funny ,as when we first heard of crating we were horrified by the idea but it really has been brilliant for him and he obviously loves it.
The question is what next ? It's not practical to have his crate in the living room permanently and when we woke him up he ran straight to where his crate used to be and was a bit spooked that it wasn't there anymore, so I think we will just have to let him get on with it because we certainly don't want to knock him out of his sleeping routine as we can't quite believe our luck to be honest.As I said it's not really a problem it's just it would be nice (and yes we do realise we sound like clingy first time owners) but we're not really honest.

Cheers everyone

Steve

Have you tried taking his blanket or whatever he sleeps on in his crate into the room with you as this is more practical than the crate. It might be worth a try because if he accepts that, then you should be able to introduce a permanent bed of sorts into your room where he feels secure? So you will end up having a bed/blanket as a permanent fixture in you room. Try putting it behind a sofa or under the table, somewhere where he feels quite safe like his crate.
My dog loves squeezing between the chairs to sleep under the table and it is the fist place she goes if we have visitors as she feels safe like a crate but at the same stage if we put her bed in front of the TV or where ever she will happily move to there when relaxed.

Crates are not cruel if used correctly. The minute someone orders their dog into the crate because it has done something wrong then it becomes a prison. Used with a little thought it is their den, their little (Or in the case of a larger dog, not so little) haven.

I had a small plastic bed which just fitted into the crate and all I did was to take the creat away and just leave the bed. In the living room I have a Bean Bag which initally they did not go on. It took me sitting on it and encouraging them onto it to start the ball rolling but now it is in constant use!

Funny things, dogs! ;)

John

Aaaahhhh, he sounds so perfect and cute! I suppose he has got used to every smell and scene in his crate room and that is his 'bedroom', it's a safe place for him to fall alseep.
I know what you mean though about wanting them to snuggle with you, especially when they are small and cuddly.
Also remember dogs tend to go to their 'places' when they have had enough interaction for the day and want some space! so he's perfectly normal!