How old were your dogs when...

[veegan]

well brock was about 11 to 12 months old when I adopted him, and he has never been a destructive dog. he had been crate trained when I got him and was always good in the crate. one day I just thought, "well hey, Ill try letting him sleep on the bed with me just for tonight." the only reason I didnt do it previous, is because the cats always slept on the bed with me, and night time was kind of like my time with them. things went really well that first night and since that day hes slept on my bed with me (AND the cats!) every night. I basically just had to wait until he & the cats were comfortable with each other. Things went really smoothly for me, I was lucky. I didnt get a puppy for a reason! hehe

good luck with Elvis!

[lv4dogs]

I personally do not crate my dogs. So uhh.. they were allowed free roam since day one.

Just my personal way of raising them, not that crates are bad or good, just I don't see a need for them in my home w/ my pets yet.

[Amber]

Elvis did really well last night. He slept right through the night.

He slept all cuddle against me, it was so cute!

[DogLover9501]

Im glad the first night went well!! I bet he was happy to be able to sleep with you

Did he sleep longer? Or did you not notice? When Jasper slept in his crate, he would wake up around 6-8am, but when I let him sleep with me, he didn't stir until I did, I loved that part

[Amber]

Thats exactly same with Elvis!

When he slept in his crate he would be whining around 8-9, but today I woke up a 11:00 and Elvis was still asleep beside me!

[dappledoxie]

Rebel just now became a house dog when I finally got out on my own. He's been sleepin in my bed since that first night here, at the apartment. He's very good, he'll lay there till I get up. lol Claire stayed at Shannon's until I moved out and she'd sleep downstairs in the almost empty living room lol! Now, she sleeps in the bed with me, that started when Rebel and her moved in the apartment too. Rebel was 1 year 6 months and Claire was 6 months old. They both do great!

[veegan]

"When Jasper slept in his crate, he would wake up around 6-8am, but when I let him sleep with me, he didn't stir until I did"

hey yeah Brock did that too. Ive never really thought about that until now. lol In fact, most of the time he doesnt even get up when I do anymore- too early! sleepyhead puppy

[tikeyas_mom]

Tikeya, and Baby didnt go in a crate, Tikey and Baby started sleeping with us right away .. and they did their business all over the room..
Oscar slept in a crate till he was 3 months.

[Shelteez2]

Emily was about 5 or 6 months old... whenever she out grew the crate we had for her.

I got Clipse when he was 7 months old and he was already housetrained so he was allowed to sleep on my bed from the beginning. I did however shut him in my room for the first couple months

[wolf_Q]

Nebo slept in a crate in my room until he was at least 8 months or so. Then I put a dog bed in my room and allowed him to sleep there at night and he did fine. I had to BEG for him to be allowed to sleep on my bed. My parents have never let dogs sleep on beds. I think he was about 1 1/2 years when they finally said yes. So now he sleeps on my bed every night. That's the only piece of furniture in the house he's allowed on. He's a very good boy at night, never destroys things...he'll sleep in until I get up too.

[ParNone]

Well it's been quite awhile ago with Murph and Maddie, so I don't remember exactly, but it seems like they were both sleeping in my bed by 3 mos of age. Neither one ever went through a destructive stage and although Murph took until about 6 mos old to housebreak, I never really had a worry about him peeing on the bed for some reason.

It's been 2 years ago with Oz and it seems like he was around 4 mos, maybe 5 mos old. Mainly because he had a tendency to fall off the bed and I didn't want him to hurt himself and also Maddie would run him off the bed quite often.

Gully's 14 weeks old and I'm not letting him sleep on the bed yet, mainly because he and Oz will not stop playing with each other. So if I want any sleep, they have to be separated. I'm also afraid of him falling off the bed too and he doesn't get carpet to help cushion his landing. I've got wood floors now. I've a feeling he may be closer to 6 mos before he gets to sleep on the bed regularly.

Par...

[teenster3]

We let Wicket sleep with us right off the bat. He had a crate that he absolutely hated. (We got him when he was 8 months old)
In Feb., we got Waffles (a friend couldn't keep her) in which we tried crating for awhile. (she's now 8 months) I don't know that it works for her either. She used to go potty in her crate so, we let her sleep with us. Big mistake.....now she uses our carpeted living room floor to poop on. We've tried using the crate again & this time she whines when she has to go potty but, still poops on the floor. AGH....I don't get it & now I think they're both doing it but never catch them at the act!!!

I was hoping she would stop going in the house because we love having the dogs sleep with us!

[shais_mom]

Originally posted by teenster3
We let Wicket sleep with us right off the bat. He had a crate that he absolutely hated. (We got him when he was 8 months old)
In Feb., we got Waffles (a friend couldn't keep her) in which we tried crating for awhile. (she's now 8 months) I don't know that it works for her either. She used to go potty in her crate so, we let her sleep with us. Big mistake.....now she uses our carpeted living room floor to poop on. We've tried using the crate again & this time she whines when she has to go potty but, still poops on the floor. AGH....I don't get it & now I think they're both doing it but never catch them at the act!!!

I was hoping she would stop going in the house because we love having the dogs sleep with us!

I think it is crucial to start all over with the potty training. When they go potty where they aren't supposed to, don't scold them, they don't understand what they did was wrong b/c it didn't happen right then. They will think you scolding them for sitting there looking at you. If you catch them in the act simply say "NO" and take them out. If you find they have gone potty, take them out immediatly. I think crate training is cruicial, I have crate trained 2 dogs and wouldn't do it any other way. If need be re crate them. It is also advised to keep them tied to you if you are in the house. That would be putting them on a leash and tying it around your waist so they are always with you. I have an extremly small house, so I never did that. B/c usually where ever I went Keegan followed. I always tried to make the crate fun for Keegan, talk her into it in a really high voice, put an old blanket in there and give her treats when she goes in. I even fed her in the crate for awhile.