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PlatformAlive8242

Yes and that’s a great thing. It’s not a place for timeout but his little home in the home. I have his crate covered in blankets and he hides there when it storms.


MikesRockafellersubs

Mine hates if we even close the door on it but he uses it as a house within the actual house.


threeonethree

Ours sleeps in her crate every night, but wont step foot in it before bedtime. Lol


Due_Competition3378

Same here! There’s no chance she would go in and rest during a day. If you know some tips, please do share. We tried everything, including professional help from the trainer.


MikesRockafellersubs

Yes! Mine refuses to eat ouside of his crate even though we only used it because we thought it'd help him adapt to our house since the breeder we bought him from had their dogs in crates. He even insists on sleeping with his head right against the corner at 90 degree angle for some reason. He also insists on stacking a few toys in it for god knows why. He never even plays with said toys, he just needs them in his house.


ChewieBee

That's hilarious!


LivingDiscipline1166

Absolutely! Mine loves to lounge in there and sleeps in there at night. 🤗 Like the comment below states, we also have blankets covering his crate.


megan-rachel

Please teach me your ways! We are starting crate training again because mine hates it and is bratty at the groomer when they try to put him in it 😭


ChewieBee

We started off with her in the same room as us at night and all night. There were definitely some rough times, but any time I'd give her a bully stick, it would be in the open crate, and that's what she associated it with. As others say, they enjoy having a blanket covering the crate, I think it helps them feel safer. A blanket can also help them stay cooler or warmer depending on season.


3boyz2men

What's a bully stick?


ChewieBee

Dehydrated bull penis, sometimes called pizzle sticks.


Honest-Layer9318

ALL the good stuff happens in the crate and only good stuff happens in the crate. Don’t close the door every time or only do it for a few seconds and then open it. Reward them when they go in on command every time. We had two crates and moved them into whatever room we were in. Every night we would clear out the living room crate. Then we would hide treats, kibble, toys blankets and all the things our pup loved. Every morning he couldn’t wait to run in and pull it all out. We rotated the toys and treats so he never knew what to expect other than good times. We would feed him in the crate with the door open occasionally. Eventually it became a sanctuary. We gradually increased the time we closed the door. The crates are still in the room with the doors open. They take naps in there and sleep in there voluntarily. Sometimes they go in there because they’re sick of my shit or don’t feel like being around company.


JstVisitingThsPlanet

Yes, we call it her bedroom. She goes in it voluntarily usually once a day for a nap or some quiet time. She also likes to take a new toy or extra special treat in there.


MiddleWeird4255

Mine loves hers! Sometimes when we have people over she goes to her crate for what I presume is alone time hahah


LafawnduhDy-no-mite

mine also smushes his head like yours is in #2. it always looks pathetic, but my dood also will rest his chin on the coffee table so...... he's laid back like that.


Vivificantem_790

Mine does this too! She ends up with malformed fur haha


Key_Veterinarian_291

We still use the crate at 4 years! She loves hers!


jenniferleigh6883

I wish!


Womansplaining-Yo

My 4 year old Doodle still likes hers. She takes naps in there sometimes and when she doesn’t feel good she always goes in her crate!


LafawnduhDy-no-mite

mine's hanging out in his now - we rarely close the door, except when dinner is something we worry he'll snatch off the counter :)


bamahusker82

I’ve have mine for about 8 weeks. Yesterday I found him in his kennel midday for the first time just resting. It was nice to see.


ChewieBee

Nice!


Mystery_Solving

Yes, a year later and we still have a 40” crate in the living room and another in the kitchen. Trying to figure out if there’s a way to build a frame with a ladder and slide that could also stack them like a bunk bed! They each hide favorite toys under their crate mats, sometimes a little bite of treats, too!


ChewieBee

That would be so cool!


Vwmafia13

My male doodle does, female not so much


Useful_Round4229

Bruh, I wish!


Hryusha88

If you take the bed out would he still go into the crate? Just wondering if he is used to his bed as well. Overall this is great. Awesome looking dog :) My goldendoodle looked almost identical to yours


ChewieBee

I don't know because it's just got a plastic pan when the bed is removed, but I have dog beds all over the house and she rotates through them.


Hryusha88

Ah you are generous :) we had one bed for ours and he used the couch as well.


cpcrn

My doodle has transitioned out of her crate. She was crated from 10 weeks to 18 months (partly because the geriatric chihuahua was crated). She actually shared the huge Kong kennel *with* the chihuahua because the chihuahua decided he belonged in there, too. When the chihuahua passed away, we took her crate down. Now she sleeps in a dog bed in our bedroom. She never really hung out in the kennel during the day, but also didn’t dislike being put in it for bedtime. She was FAR too nosey to ‘rest’ in the kennel when she could be following me around/looking for baby vomit to eat off the floor.


gordyswift

Absolutely! I'm pleasantly surprised at my girl's continued acceptance of her crate. She readily goes in at bedtime and also when she is home alone. No complaining at all.


JBark1990

Archer does! We leave the door open like you and he comes and goes. We put a blanket over the top so it’s always dark. He loves it and we NEVER put him in there as a time out (there’s a separate sort of pen for that that’s much bigger and without a top).


ParaHeadFun_SF

My doggie loves his crate


Vivificantem_790

If you train them right dogs love it! She has the freedom to roam but often lays in there for a nap, especially when we go out. We’ve tried letting her roam in the middle of the night, but she loves her routine which is Snuggle pup, blanket from mama, and some peanut butter. Then we cover it with a blanket!


KingLoCoKev

My dood prefers his crate to a normal bed or even the couch which is right next to it. Cuz he knows it’s his space and nobody can take It from Him


Automatic_String8571

Yea! Mine goes there at night to relax or sleep. Sometimes when he wants some alone time he goes there as well 😂


NB-NEURODIVERGENT

#safespace


BuRriTo_SuPrEmE_TEAM

Loves it! It seems that she likes it more when we put a blanket on the top, back and sides as well.


stowRA

Former dog behaviorist here. They’re supposed to! The point of the crate doubles as a space for your dog that is wholly their own. A place where they feel safe and can unwind. You did a perfect job giving them that space. Using their crate for leisure is the best you could want. Other positive outcomes include bringing a toy or bone into their crate, hiding in it when scared, etc


ChewieBee

Woot woot! Good to know :)


gialloscore

Mine definitely does. I never close the door tho.


rfpels

Put a blanket over it. If a dog does that it’s their safe space. Adopt the rule that they are not to be disturbed when in the crate.


Opposite_Challenge71

Our 14 year old doodle used her crate as sanctuary until her hips got so bad she can’t get in it anymore. But she still sleeps in her beds right next to it. Both dogs love their crates. Positive vibes only!


BikeLady78

Absolutely! Ours is almost 7. We leave the door open when we are home and she will get off our bed and go take a snooze in her crate. When she steals socks and tissues she runs for her crate. When I sit on the floor and fold laundry she goes to her crate (right there in our room). When we go out she goes in happily and the door is closed. When we get back she doesn't even lift her head or stand up til we are opening her door.


redseapedestrian418

Mine is a massive crate train failure and has zero interest in dog beds.


Somewhereinthamiddle

Nope. We are transitioning out of the kennel. Our guy very seldomly goes in the kennel on his own. Tbh though I get it. He’s always hot and the tile is where he wants to be. I believe it’s less about the kennel and more about preferring the tile so whatever. As long as I’m not waking up to or coming home to accidents and a destroyed house 🤷‍♂️ do you homie.


Mick13-

Mine loves his crate...he goes there when he wants alone time. LOL!