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  1. #1
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    2 more important questions...

    Hey again all....

    Ok, first off, We are allowing Baron to sleep up on our bed with us at night, or else we will never get any sleep with him not being crate trained yet. Is this ok? If not, should we try the kennel even though he will keep the whole house awake all night?

    Secondly, when Baron gets totally nuts, as happens sometimes during his energy stages (biting and lunging at me and growling as well, constant for probably 5 to 15 minutes, depending)...Is it ok to put him into the kennel when he gets uncontrollable, even if only for 2 or 3 minutes just so I can get a break? I've tried leaving the room, but he doesn't mind when he is in his energy stages. He just starts chewing on something.

    Thanks all..so much.

    Bubbz

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Well as far as sleeping, you really need to put him in the crate for a while. It only takes a couple nights. There are a ton of debates on letting the pup sleep with you, however my only warning is once you let them do it, then it is a forever thing. So, if you let him sleep in your bed now be prepared to have 90lbs and 4 legs stretched out next to you in a year. Not that there is anything wrong with that. My boy sleeps with me and I enjoy it. Just saying be careful what you do as a puppy because they are incredibly intelligent and they do not forget.

    I let my boy sleep in my lap as a little pup and well now it is expected.


    Then yes it is perfectly fine to put him in his kennel. I also recommend getting this Amazon.com : North States Superyard Play Yard, Grey, 6 Panel : Pet Kennels : Baby

    A playpen is great, it gave me a lot of free time and a lot of enjoyment. We could both sit out on the deck together him in his playpen and me at the grill. Then bring it right inside. It comes apart and separates so when he got a little older and teething, I gave him more room but I used this to block off the TV and the wires so he wouldn't get into them. It can be useful for a lot of different things when you just need a break.

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Where is his crate located? If it is not in the bedroom, you need to put it there. Make sure he is really tired. And then, yes, let him scream and eventually he'll relent. Now that he is sleeping in the bed at night, it will be harder as he now knows there are other options. So, it might take longer than a night or two.

    As far as the energy stages, is he tired when this is happening? Some dogs, like kids, get ornery or overstimulated when they need a nap. If that is the case, then putting him in his crate would be appropriate. The crate can be a timeout, but not when you are upset or angry and not as punishment. More of a re-start button. Often, stuffing a toy in their mouth and re-directing works.

    My friend just got a puppy who she brings to my house for playdates with my big boys, and he does this biting, lunging, growling thing, too. My puppies were never so "aggressive". This puppy lunges for tight sleeves and ends up biting. He growls and shakes his head and, while I know he is playing (in his own, special, painful way), it's pretty awful and he is relentless. What has worked is redirecting him with a toy by shaking it near his face and letting him get that instead, and if that does not work, I pry his little mouth off of me and put his gum over his tooth saying "no bite" and press until he lets go, usually with a little yelp. At this point, he kinda sits there like I hurt his feelings for two seconds, and then plays with the toy. Consistency is key.

  5. #4
    House Broken rochie427's Avatar
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    Letting Baron sleep in your bed is a personal choice. Our first dog wasn't allowed but we let our second dog sleep with us at times. Our current dog we do not at this point in time.

    I would try putting the crate in your bedroom and see how it goes. We did this with our current dog and at first she would whine but eventually fell asleep. How old is Baron?


    When our Rosie gets into one of her energy stages and won't calm down, we put her in her crate for 5 - 10 minutes and she calms down and then we let her out.


    Make sure Baron is getting enough exercise (long walks at a minimum of 40 minutes) and do short training sessions thru out the day. Make sure he has enough chew toys and when he tries to bite/lunge redirect him with a toy.

  6. #5
    Senior Dog Doreen Davis's Avatar
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    Ours are in their crates in the bedroom. They come up on the bed in the morning after breakfast and snuggle down for a bit. I know it's hard but you have to gut it out a few nights (and now a few nights more because he'll miss that bed). There is a hilarious thread somewhere on the board about where the dogs go if there is a need for 'privacy'. The crate acceptance is not only about sleeping but the break time you'll need, boarding if needed or an overnight stay at the vets.

  7. #6
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    It only takes a few nights to get the sleeping in a crate down ....... and some are a lot easier than others. I elevated the crate to my level (when I had a box spring) so I could put my fingers right in the crate at night and the crate was right by my face. Dogs after all are pack animals and like to be with their peeps. We have 2 dogs now and soon a 3rd. One gets to sleep in the bed, the other has to sleep on their bed right next to ours (we don't have a frame and when we do buy a frame it will be low to the ground - just because we want the dogs right by us).

    I am not for crating a dog all night and then all day when at work. It is either one or the other. Puppies you don't really have a choice though, they are not potty trained (mine are not crated at home ever anymore - no chewers (at the moment)).

    I am not sure how to answer your other question except I would make sure he is getting plenty of play time with you and plenty of training .... sounds like he has more energy to burn and he needs to release that energy. Obviously playing with him when he instigates it with roughness isn't a good idea. But maybe put him in the crate with a chew until he has calmed down and then take his message to heart and burn some of that energy and play with him .... tug, ball tossing, training, running around the yard, go for an age appropriate walk. And in the summer you can take him swimming - that is good exercise.

  8. #7
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Another note on crating. It's something you want your pup comfortable with. If, for instance, he needs to stay at the vet for a few hours, you don't want the added stress of not being familiar with a crate on top of any medical issue. Also, Archie travels in the car in a crate; much safer. Some use car harnesses but Archie is so comfortable in his crate, I've chosen to go that route.

    I agree with crating in the bedroom beside the bed. It won't take long. After he is comfortable with crating, the decision is up to you whether he sleeps in the bed with you.

  9. #8
    Senior Dog MightyThor's Avatar
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    I always repeat here what one of my friends told me when Thor started sleeping with us - "best worst decision of your life".

    We didn't let him join us until he was solidly crate trained. It means we can travel with a crate and leave him in it (in a hotel room, for example) and he's perfectly happy. The next step was letting him roam free at night - he would mostly sleep on the floor of our bedroom when he had freedom. When he got big enough to jump into the bed we were suckers and never told him no.

    My morning cuddles with Thor is one of the best parts of the day! Makes it hard to get out of bed, though!
    Mighty Thor, "So Much Dog", born 1/6/2014
    And baby Barley, born 3/9/2018

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  10. #9
    Real Retriever
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    My labs have always been allowed to sleep on the bed with me. All had different views on it. First one did not like me being on her bed with her. She would hop up and snooze. As soon as I came in and got in bed she would hop down on the floor and lie down with a big sigh. Second one would always lie at the foot of the bed, cross wise. I would have to wriggle my feet around her to get stretched out. My current companion, Sunshine, is the occasional bed sleeper now. In cold weather she would start on the bed, beside me, and end up on the floor by morning. Last winter she took to waiting until I got in (rules) and then curl around my head on the pillow. In the summer, she only comes up in the morning to let me know it HAS to be near feeding time. So, could be a good decision or a bad decision, depending on how Baron sees to deal with it. OH, with Sunshine we also had to initiate a new rule "NO NO NO licking on the bed!" No licking herself, no licking me, no licking the pillow..... Rolling over in bed and finding a wet spot on the pillow, then realizing your head is also wet, is not my idea of a sleeping companion activity.

    For the biting/being a pain issue. I would keep track of when this happens: is it about the same time every day? What were you doing just before it? You might be able to tackle it by changing his routine. Like just before he starts, take him for a walk or a little outside free running time. Wear his little butt out before it happens and see if that helps.

  11. #10
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    A dog sleeping on the bed is a personal decision. But I would be concerned that he isn't crate trained yet. it doesn't happen over night but something that should be addressed asap.

    what have you been doing to make the crate a good place and how much (and when) are you crating him now?

    It is ok to put a dog in a crate to chill but my concern with the scenario is you are asking if you can put a dog in the middle of a crazy phase who si said to "not like the crate" into the crate - that coudl become an issue. forcing the dog in a crate in that situation will likely create issues with him hating the crate even more. What I would do - if you can predict when he gets to "crazy hour" - send him in the crate with a yummy treat (bone, stuffed kong) but BEFORE he goes nuts. A pre-emptive strike. Persoanlly I just let my dogs go crazy but it doesn't happen often at my house

    ESPECIALLY if the dog still hates the crate, you do not want to force them in, push them in or put them in as punishment. it is TOTALLY ok to encourage them in a crate for a force break with a high valu reward but you don't want a dog already in the middle of crazy hour to be pushed/forced into the crate.

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