Leaving toys in your puppy's crate is an excellent idea; it keeps your puppy busy and occupied. You must be mindful of what toys you leave in it, especially if your dog is a serious chewer. Apart from toys, you can also have bedding, blankets, and food in your crate.
Should You Put Anything in Your Puppy's Crate at Night? The short answer is, yes, of course you should. Your puppy—or even your mature dog—should view her crate as a safe haven, a place she associates with warmth, nurturing, and pleasure.
How long is it okay to leave a dog in a crate? Adult dogs shouldn't be left in crates for more than 6-8 hours. Puppies of 17 weeks and older can handle up to 4 or 5 hours in a crate at a time. Leaving a dog home alone in a crate longer than this can hurt their mental and physical health.
Keep a variety of types easily accessible. If your dog has a favorite, like a soft comfort toy, you may want to leave it out all the time. Provide toys that serve a variety of purposes — give your dog at least one toy to carry, one to shake, one to roll and one for comfort.
While the essentials like bedding, food, and water are important, that's not all you should consider including in your dog's crate. In fact, you might consider adding some toys and puzzles to their crate, particularly when they are puppies and need a lot of mental stimulation.
While your dog is in their crate, provide them with safe chews, like a bully stick or rubber food-stuffed toy. Dogs love to chew, so this will keep them busy and help prevent boredom. It will also build positive associations with the crate, even more so if you only provide certain special items inside.
Dogs who are crate trained feel comfortable and relaxed having a secure den-like space of their own. Some people feel that a dog would be sad in a crate, or think it's like prison. But the truth is that most dogs who are left out of the crate are far more anxious and stressed out.
Having a huge assortment of toys can actually have an adverse effect on your dog. He can easily become overwhelmed and overstimulated, resulting in a lack of excitement around playtime.
Dogs sometimes act in odd ways and although it may seem peculiar to pet owners, it is what brings them comfort. If your dog needs to sleep with his toys, there is no harm in it. Just make sure your dog doesn't think you are going to rob them of their belongings.
Just like you, dogs do get bored and can grow tired of even their favorite toys.
If you have a family emergency and need to leave your dog in a crate for 12 hours, he will be just fine. However, if you plan to do this as a general management every weekday as you are at work, this is too long! The same applies for car rides. In a car your dog is safest if he rides in a crate.
If your puppy cries in the crate at night, your instinct will be to help him—and that's the right thing to do. Although sometimes people worry that getting him out of the crate might teach him to cry, that shouldn't deter you. In fact, you want him to know that you will help him if he's crying.
Always provide water for your dog anytime he is in the crate. Spill proof bowls or bowls that attach to the kennel gate work best.
You should never completely cover your dog's crate as it can block airflow. Keep blankets away from heat sources, ensure the fabric is breathable, and avoid using knit blankets that may snag or unravel. Monitor the conditions inside the crate in humid summer weather to ensure it doesn't get too hot.
Keep a nice bed in the crate and always give a special treat when he gets in it. Food puzzle toys or hollow toys stuffed with food will keep him busy for a while. Put the crate in a quiet place – not completely isolated but not in front of a window or busy doorway.
“Ignoring the whining is your best option,” says Dr. Coates. “Any type of attention will just reinforce the behavior.” Campbell says that pet parents should avoid giving attention or taking a puppy out of the crate until he is quiet.
They should be able to survive the night if they have access to clean, fresh water during the day. The only time you would need to give your adult dog crate water is if it was in the crate for more than 4 hours straight during the day. Water can be left in the crate, as long as your pet is healthy and housebroken.
Carrying around and sleeping with a stuffed animal are signs that your canine companion is tapping into her maternal instincts. She may also want to make sure that she has a friend when you're not around and she becomes anxious.
Should dogs sleep on the floor? Regularly sleeping on the floor isn't ideal for your pet. He can develop structural issues from sleeping on such a hard surface. Rapidly growing puppies and elderly dogs especially need the soft, yet firm, support of an orthopedic dog bed that will protect their bones and joints.
What are signs of overstimulation? Biting or being snappy is one of the signs - others can include barking, chasing their tail or spinning and being hypervigilant.
Caged dog syndrome occurs when dogs are confined to small, cramped spaces without interaction for prolonged periods of time without any relief. This can lead to severe physical and mental trauma, including a lack of socialization, mental stimulation, and proper training.
Don't crate your dog
“Dogs with separation anxiety shouldn't be crated,” explained Dr. Bright. “This is important. It's dangerous – they're already panicking, so they may try to escape and hurt themselves.”
Although many dog owners may feel guilty for crate training their canine companion, enclosed spaces create a shelter for your dog to rest and relax. In fact, dogs instinctively seek small spaces to create protective shelters for themselves.