Like newborns, puppies don’t come with manuals. Pet parents frequently have to learn by doing in order to get the hang of things.
Everyone has their own method of approaching the crucial process of pet ownership; for instance, how do you know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to crate training?
A puppy feels lost, confused, and terrified during the initial weeks in a new home. He has just been disconnected from his actual family. He can neither see his mom nor his siblings.
He feels more at ease knowing that he is not alone by having his crate in the bedroom. Because he can hear your breathing, he feels a little more secure.
You might keep your pet in the bedroom for an excessively long time in an effort to keep him comfortable and content. It turns into a huge struggle to get them out when the time comes.
However, some pet owners are so afraid of the hassle involved in removing the puppy from the bedroom that they delay doing so.
Pros and Cons Of Placing The Dog Crate in the Living Room
The benefits and drawbacks of having a dog crate in the living room will be discussed first.
Keeping your dog’s crate in the living room gives them access to everything that happens in the room and lets them participate in your daily activities.
Placing your pup’s crate in the living room could be a great way help socialize a young puppy or help an anxious dog get more exposure to different things. The living room is often the prime location in the household where family members and friends gather, and most dogs would also enjoy being a part of those gatherings.
You are assisting your dog in meeting their social and emotional needs and enabling them to truly be a member of the family by keeping their crate in the living room.
Placing the crate in the living room gives you easy access to let the dog in and out of the crate if you have a young puppy still learning how to go potty or a sick dog who needs special care. This is especially important if you don’t have much time and may only have a short lunch break to let your dog out to use the restroom and stretch his legs before you have to put him back in the crate to finish your workday.
It’s also likely that the dog’s crate, which is in the living room, is close to the entrance to your backyard, the front door, and the dog’s leash. This makes it simple to quickly release the dog from the crate and either direct them to use the restroom in the backyard or take them for a walk outside while attaching their leash.
Additionally, having your dog’s crate in the living room makes it easier for you to keep an eye on them. This is useful if you have a young puppy who requires more frequent potty breaks, a dog who is just starting the process of learning to use a crate, or a dog who is injured or ill and may need to be watched for health reasons.
You can ensure your dog is safe and isn’t getting into anything by placing their crate in what is typically a busy area of your house. Additionally, it’s much simpler for you to put them in their crate with a chew toy or treat so that you can complete your household chores and still keep an eye on them.
For shy or anxious dogs, or for dogs who are easily overstimulated and overexcited, keeping their crate within the living room might be too much for them mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Depending on your specific living situation, having a lot of activity going on at all times of the day in your living room may be harmful to your puppy or dog if they are unable to take a break from the activity.
Just like people, it’s important for dogs to be able to take breaks from things that are exciting or stressful so that they can relax. If the dog’s crate is in the living room, it’s most likely very difficult for them to truly relax and de-stress.
Having your puppy’s crate in the living room while you work to train him may actually make the process more difficult and, in some cases, result in crate training regression.
The puppy will have a harder time adjusting to their crate if they are constantly able to see or hear you (even if it’s just visually). This is because they will probably be trying to get your attention. This means more barking, crying, or shuffling around their crate.
While it would be ideal to have your dog with you constantly, the majority of people find it to be very challenging to do so. If you have never taught your puppy to feel secure while you are gone, there is a chance that the dog may later experience separation anxiety.
Your puppy will struggle to gain self-confidence if you or your family are always around and in view of him while he is in his crate in the living room. He will also be more fearful or anxious if he is ever left alone for an extended period of time.
The size of the crate and your particular living situation will determine this drawback, but many dog crates can be bulky and take up a lot of space.
It might be difficult and laborious to try and position the crate so that it doesn’t take up your entire living room area if you have a smaller living room or a larger dog crate. Although there are more options for crates that resemble furniture and ways to conceal wire or plastic crates, standard dog crates also don’t usually go with most décor.
The dog’s crate in the living room may also be a health hazard if it’s situated in a heavily trafficked area of the room if you frequently have visitors, elderly family members, or young children living in the house. When deciding whether to put the dog’s crate in the living room, potential hazards to take into account include tripping over it, bumping your knee into it while moving around the room, and a child getting their finger caught in the crate’s wire.
Pros and Cons Of Placing The Dog Crate in the Bedroom
Let’s now discuss the benefits and drawbacks of keeping your dog’s crate in the bedroom.
You can monitor your dog’s nighttime activities better if you keep your dog’s crate in your bedroom.
This is useful if you are working on potty training a young puppy who needs to be let out every couple of hours or if you have a dog who is ill or injured and you need to check on them occasionally or give them medication throughout the night.
Your dog can alert you to any potential problems by barking or growling in their crate, which is close to your bed, if you keep it in your bedroom.
Keeping your dog’s crate in your bedroom may aid in strengthening your bond with them and fostering a positive relationship if you recently adopted them or if you have a dog who experiences anxiety or fear.
Allowing your anxious dog to be in close proximity to you in a tranquil setting like the bedroom may help them relax and learn that your presence is calming rather than tense.
You can make the most of the available space in the rest of your house by putting your dog’s crate in your bedroom. This is especially important if you live in a tiny house or apartment and must make use of any available space.
Keeping your dog’s crate in your bedroom means that you only have to worry about avoiding it or tripping over it right before going to sleep or right after waking up in the morning (much easier to deal with than worrying about visitors tripping over it in the living room!)
Keeping your dog’s crate in your bedroom likely keeps it out of sight of guests to your home and eliminates any concerns you may have about the crate compromising the aesthetic of your home, if you are particular about everything matching well with your home’s décor.
You might experience some training problems if you decide to keep your dog’s crate in your bedroom.
Similar to having your dog’s crate in the living room, if your puppy or dog has access to you constantly throughout the night, they might be content to keep barking, whining, or scratching at their crate until you let them out. This can obviously interrupt your sleep schedule quite a bit.
This may also lead to separation anxiety later on if you have to leave your puppy or dog alone at night or if you suddenly move the crate to a different location where they can no longer see, smell, or hear you.
An irate partner or spouse may result from keeping your dog’s crate in your bedroom, which is an unintended consequence!
If your spouse or partner is adamant about getting a full night’s sleep every single night, they might not be able to handle that part of the crate training process because puppies or dogs that are still in the process of learning to sleep in a crate can be quite noisy throughout the night.
If your bedroom is small, keeping your dog’s crate there may have a significant impact on how easily you can move around and navigate your bedroom.
If you have to get up in the middle of the night (or you’ve just woken up in the morning and haven’t had your coffee yet! ), keeping your dog’s crate in your bedroom could also put you at risk for injury if you trip and fall over it or run into it.
Advantages
A dog is a man’s best friend as they say. Bonding plays a significance in the life of a dog. They develop a close friendship because it makes them feel loved and special. Sharing time enables the dogs to understand that they are not alone and are a part of a family. Many people consider dogs to be members of their family. See what benefits there are to keeping the dog crate in the bedroom.
Making your dog well acquainted with you as early as their puppy years is crucial for developing a relationship with them. This makes them easier to train and be followed around. As soon as the dog is a few months old, it should be possible to establish who is in charge. When it comes to your dog’s health and welfare, it is your responsibility to understand what your dog is attempting to communicate to you, to assist in interpreting what they need, and to make the appropriate decisions.
To define your relationship with your furry child, socialize, train, and care for your dog. Taking a rescue or adopted dog, however, may present more of a challenge. But they already possess knowledge from training and even fundamental house commands. All you have to do is gain their trust in order to determine who is the alpha. Help them become familiar with you, your interests, and your daily routines too, whether they are puppies or dogs. They are more understanding than you think. Talking and developing a relationship with them will bring them nearer to you.
They will be familiar with your daily routine from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed if their crate is kept inside your bedroom. It establishes the amount of time they must wait before being fed, bathed, and potty trained. They’ll be able to nest inside if you give them the opportunity to learn when it’s appropriate to get on and off the crate. When they need a place to rest, they’ll think of the crate as being just like their bedroom, where they find comfort and peace. It will be easier to get them inside the crate whenever you need to contain them once they are accustomed to your daily routine.
They will learn to be quiet if the crate is kept in the bedroom. This works best, especially if your dog is around someone they don’t know. Additionally, when they go to bed at night, they only have a limited view. This won’t cause them to bark constantly or when they hear something new. Let us face it. It can be annoying to be sound asleep and discover that the dog is barking loudly in the living room due to the wind or other small irritations that make them feel uncomfortable.
FAQ
Should you crate your dog at night in your bedroom?
In order to give the dog the impression that it is in safe company while sleeping, the owner’s bedroom is typically the best place for dog crates at night. The dog’s crate being in your bedroom also makes it possible for you to hear if your dog needs to go potty in the middle of the night.
Where should you put a dog crate in the house?
Ideal locations include a corner of the family room or the kitchen. Make sure the crate isn’t in direct sunlight, close to a heat source like a fireplace or radiator, or in a drafty area wherever you decide to put it. There must be little chance of becoming uncomfortablely hot or cold.
How long should puppy crate be in bedroom?
You have two options for when to remove your puppy’s crate from the bedroom: follow the suggested 1-2 week window or ignore all advice and pick the time that suits you best. In the end, you should only make the switch if your furry friend is at ease.
When should you not use a dog crate?
You Should Not Crate Your Dog When. You don’t have the right size crate. Your dog gets separation anxiety when you are away. Your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea. If you have a puppy, you’ll be gone for longer than four to five hours; if you have an adult dog, it’ll be longer than eight hours.