Pepper LOVES her crate. She spends almost all her time in there, unless she is eating or outside. The crate has no door, and she has free access to all areas of the house, like all the dogs. No one bullies her, the temperature is the same. She just loves it. She takes a toy and a chewie in there with her, and hangs out about 22 hours per day in the crate. If I wash her bed, she is FRANTIC until I put it back in her crate. She is an odd duck, it's just her personality. NOTHING gets her out of that crate until she is ready, I don't even try anymore.

Keito, my old dog, stopped sleeping on his comfy bed in the bedroom about a year ago. No reason - not a new bed, no illness, nothing - he just started sleeping on the floor one night. I tried washing the bed, moving it, buying new beds of different types ... nothing worked. He just curls up on the floor in a ball looking forlorn ... until you see his big comfy bed a few feet away. I have no idea what it's about, but he's not changing his mind.

How about putting Chipper's crate in the bedroom, with the door open? Then he gets to sleep in it, where maybe he feels more safe and secure, and also he gets to be with everyone else at night.