How to train them to sleep in their crates..

nycbullymama

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When we got Wellie in September, it turned out he was never crate trained. But since he seemed very interested in Blues, we got a second crate. Well, it was pointless. He never spends any time in it.

Blue used to always sleep in his crate during the day, but at night, he would sleep with us. Since Wellie, that's all changed. He hardly ever uses his crate anymore and started sleeping on our bed even during the day.

None of this would be an issue, except that I can't sleep at night with two bulldogs on the bed. It's impossible even with a king size bed. There's just not enough room because of the way the spread out.
This last week has been pure hell and I started sleeping in the living room. But Blue needs to sleep with me at night. So he moves into the living room with me, and decides to annoy me on the couch.

This has to end. I'm a walking zombie. Yesterday, I lost my keys when walking Wellie. Chris had to rush home to give me his set. Then later yesterday, I was walking Wellie again and lost a pair of sunglasses. I'm starting to see things out of the corner of my eyes from lack of sleep. It's that bad.

So how do I train them to go to their crates at night? The crates are in our bedroom but I was thinking to move them to the living room, then close our bedroom door. It would be fine with Wellie, but Blue cries and cries and cries when I won't let him sleep with me and I always give in.

HELP please..
 

2BullyMama

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Oh boy --- wish I had some words of wisdom, but this is a tough one and I have no clue how to break that cycle. I had the same issue with all of ours, no matter where I went in the house they all followed me and Lewis wh=ould have the bed all to himself
 

Manydogs

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Well, do you think you could have Wellie sleep in the crate-and Blue still on the bed? Wellie might be okay in the crate in your room. One bulldog in the bed seemed to work for you. I'd say Blue has been "spoiled" longer than Wellie..........maybe? You could see if that would work.
 
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nycbullymama

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My husband, Chris- thinks it's unfair if we let one dog on the bed, and force the "adopted" one in the crate.
Yeah, he's crazy.
 

Manydogs

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Oh, well let Chris sleep on the couch then :whistle: [MENTION=7457]Blueberrys Mom[/MENTION]
 
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nycbullymama

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lol..
But I can't force him to sleep on the couch every night.. and I can't either..
 

Manydogs

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I would give Wellie a try-or you will be sickie.........................Or let Blue cry-but he may get too freaked out, if he has always slept with you.
 

brutus77

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There isn't anything wrong with Blue sleeping with you and Wellie in his crate. We did this with my guys. Brutus always sleeps on the couch. In the beginning when we first got Frankie he went in his crate every night for bed time. Just these last maybe three months Frankie also sleeps on the couch. Nobody was jealous or upset with the initial sleeping arrangements. It's just the way it had to be. You cannot walk around the city half asleep. You will get mowed down by a crazy cabbie :w00t:
 

Donnam

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That is a tough question. We sleep with our dogs in the bed with us. The last ime we tried to get a bully out of the bed when she'd become used to sleeping there, it was a disaster! She actually howled until we gave up and let her back in bed. I think she would have howled all night. She was VERY stubborn (imagine a stubborn bully!). She was crate trained, so she would go in the crate fine during the day, but once she slept with us, she wouldn't give it up! I would think you'd have to let Blue cry, maybe get some ear plugs? It didn't work for us, but maybe it would work for you. Good luck!
 

yulia

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If I were you, I would do pretty much what I am doing now with our new puppy. Her crate is in the living room (while our bedroom is upstairs and she is not allowed there).

So, I'd move your dog's crates to another room (where you want them to be). Use inflatable mattress to sleep next to the crates with them (for a month or so). Or maybe they would even do better sleeping in one large crate? After all, pack animals do sleep together in the wilderness, so it is important for them to feel the warmth, heartbeat, smell and presence of another life creature against them. Then lock the crate(s) while sleeping within two feet away from the crate(s) where they can easily see you. Once they get used to sleeping there locked, you can move your inflatable mattress further away where they can't see it but could still feel your smell or hear your calm voice if they get restless. Once this goes well, you can go back to your bed and leave them in their crate(s). At least this is my plan. Good luck to both of us ;)
 
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nycbullymama

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Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Chris' vacation starts the 29th. We were hoping to make it to the outerbanks NC this year, but it doesn't look like it's happening.

So we decided to move the crates into the living room that week and see how it goes. My biggest concern is Blue. Unlike Wellie, who doesn't care at all where he sleeps, Blue's a mamas boy that needs to be near me. I won't sleep on the floor with him though, he's two years old and there's nothing scary in the living room..lol..

Fingers crossed after a few nights he'll calm down. But considering his delicate mental state (he's paranoid and scared of everything), I don't see this ending well..
 

Vikinggirl

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Aww Ellie, it must be so hard when you don't get any sleep, I agree with others that it would be okay to allow blue to continue sleeping in your bed, and let Wellie sleep in the crate, since he doesn't mind. I'm sure he'll be fine with it, or you can maybe make a bed for him on the floor next to your bed and see if he'll sleep there, or put an ottoman beside and flush with your bed, so he's beside you but not in your bed? I hope you find a solution and you can get some sleep. Keep us posted and good luck.
 

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