Question
We are getting a puppy and I'm find conflicting advice on if she should be in her crate the first night. Some people say to have her in the crate, closed (waking her up every couple of hours to use the bathroom) and others say to leave it open.
Any advice?
Answer
This depends on various factors which is probably why the advice is conflicting.
Factor 1: Is your puppy comfortable being in the crate open/closed? Some puppies take easier to crate training than others. If your puppy is still very uncertain or unhappy with being in the crate with the door closed, or being in the crate at all, then rather leave the door open and cordon off an area around the crate. What you don't want here is your puppy exploring your house to find some fun chew toys/ toilet areas.
Factor 2: How far away from you will the crate be and how easily do you wake up? The goal here is two fold - to be able to comfort the puppy on their first stressful night and to be able to hear if they start squirming to take them to the toilet area. If you will struggle to wake up then it might be better to leave the door open with newspaper or puppy pads just out side of the crate.
Conclusion: It's your puppies first night, there is no real right or wrong here. Try make them as comfortable as possible and not to go to the toilet all over your house. If they love their crate, then crate them! If they don't then cordon off an area and let them sleep there. There is no right or wrong for the crate but there might be for the puppy.
Answered By - nicV