# Crate versus Bed



## JanetAnn (Jun 21, 2018)

Hi, We are getting our new cockapoo, Roxy, next week. She is an 8 week old puppy. We have purchased a crate and plan on using it for potty training and for when we are not at home. However, i don't love the idea of crating her all night. We have never used a crate before and all of our previous dogs were older and just slept in a bed next to ours. I have also purchased a dog bed and put in in a pen next to our bed for at night, ( and eventually getting rid of the pen). Do you think this will work or will it be confusing? I plan on getting up several times during the night to take her out. Any ideas? Thanks


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

I got a crate as a bed, kept it open and in a pen next to bed. Eventually moved downstairs in utility room. Crate was always open so only used as a bed. By 9 months he was sleeping in our bedroom. He never sleeps on a dog bed, more often than not he seems to prefer a cool tiled floor like in the bathrooms. 

Regularly taking out and use of a pen to control the environment worked great for me for potty training.


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## Leslie Dawson (Feb 14, 2018)

My thoughts too about crating all night but reluctantly I took the breeders advice and crated 8 week old Otto from the first night. He cried and kept us awake all night but we did not go to him, I felt awful! The second night he whined a little but settled until 6am when we unlocked the crate and took him outside where he did his business. We haven't looked back since. He's 18 weeks now, he knows when we're getting ready to go to bed, walks into his crate, we close behind him and he sleeps until we go down.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Chance slept in a crate in my bedroom. She was very settled from the first night and it meant I could take her out if she stirred in the night and first thing in the morning. When she got a bit older and I could trust her more I left the door of the crate open but she choose to continue to sleep in her crate for a long time. 

She was fed in her crate and had all good stuff happening there so was very happy being in her crate


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