To crate or not to crate...

[Pug Leroux]

Wow, who knew it was illegal to crate dogs in Sweden!

Julian has slept in bed with us from the first night he's come home, and we've never had a broken leg. I can see how that could be a concern for a very tiny puppy. Thankfully, we've been spared such a thing. He really doesn't want to get out of bed at night anyway. We love and use crates when we have to leave the dogs alone. My adult golden never needed a crate, but my two little dogs (Jules and Gracie) are both young and get into mischief. The crate is for their protection, comfort, and security, as well as to give the cats a time-out from the active little dogs. I love crates, when used properly and within a reasonable time frame. Overnight would be too long for me, personally, but I know many people crate overnight with no issues. I don't think overnight bed-sleepers or craters are forever damaging their dogs! It's a choice. I just love having my little pug in bed, he's very cuddly, and he loves being there too.

[Niki01]

Right now the biggest problem is she whines and sleeps terribly in there. . . I think it is because it is actually a cat traveler cage. . . So it is almost all the way covered on the top and I think that scares her. She will sleep in her basket but really will only do it when she is already asleep... So I do mainly let her sleep with us. She only woke up once last night and I'm not sure i can give that up for her to scream and cry, and she sure has a set of lungs on her. I haven't tested how loud she can cry because we can only listen for so long. Plus she would keep our son up all night with that crying.. I'm not sure i can handle that . . .

[tall grass pugs]

Yesterday I was at Atwoods, a local farm and ranch store with a nice line of crates. And noticed they are marketing a new crate shape, half again as wide with a broad door with lots of room to sleep, stretch and watch. And at ninety-nine dollars, not particularly more expensive than other crates at Petsmart. Since I have never willingly purchased a puppy older than six weeks, I have never experimented having a puppy in bed. On the whole, a bad idea I think as a puppy can get tangled up in bedding and suffocate as we roll over, much less falling on the floor with consequent head, leg or back injury.

[Melody]

I spent $300 on Bose noise reducing earphones and listened to white noise to drown out the crying. Within a week the crying stopped. I now use the earphones for relaxation and meditation. I know it's an expensive solution, but I don't regret it. I was losing my sanity. My husband could sleep through the crying.

[tall grass pugs]

QVC sells Bose nose reducing earphones for use on air flights----you might write them that they also drown out puppy noise. That just tickles me.

[Pug Leroux]

I still am struggling that so many people sleep without your pugs! I'll bet your backs feel better than mine does most mornings, though. Still, I can't imagine waking up without his little head against my chin. I say, hey little guy! quietly in his ear. Then he stretches his front legs and squeak-yawns, goes belly up and wiggles excitedly as we start the day..... then he seeks under the covers where our frenchie/boston nestles, stirring her up, and then both get our golden retriever going. They're so warm and cuddly, and I've never had a problem with blanket tangles, rolling over onto them, anyone falling out of bed and breaking anything... I guess we've just been really lucky that way. (I agree that at 6 weeks, a puppy can much more easily be suffocated or injured, and really shouldn't be away from momma anyway!)

[Pugs-R-MandyBait]

**They're so warm and cuddly, and I've never had a problem with blanket tangles, rolling over onto them, anyone falling out of bed and breaking anything... I guess we've just been really lucky that way.**

I could not sleep without critters ;-) never have
I have had DOxie people yell at me for letting the DD & M in the Big Bed - jumping can hurt their back. But I keep my guys pretty trim and they stay in shape and we are fortunate they are not the fashionable loooong Doxies, but the old fashioned compact dogs. They ask for help up and hop down on the fly - scaring me to pieces sometimes. Baxter the Dalbadore sleeps on the top part of the BB and I usually wake up using him as a pillow. Mandy wakes me up over and over trying to herd the kittens. KC likes a bed at the foot, DiNo Under the covers, Nemo & Peggy wherever they flop.
Crates are for when I go to work, and when I need fewer dogs in bed. Hasn't worked with the cats .... yet.

[tall grass pugs]

And then there are the midnight drive by markers, silent as smoke and since unseen--unpunished. Currently Smidgen cannot get along with anyone, and since I cannot bring myself to go through The Night of the Bitten Tail again, Smidg sleeps in bed, everyone else crashes on the quilts in the computer area.

[Buddy'smom]

When I gort Buddy I also got a nice crate for him to sleepn at night. As it turns out the breeder trained thenm to "go" in the crate so as soon as I put him in there he would go. I did not have much experience on how to rid this habit I just decided not to put him in the crate at all. Now he is fine and never really soils.
I hear I am luck since many Pugs do.