Crate Training & Sleep

Hi Guys,
Just wanting to get some advice around crate training and sleep for my 8 month old.
She was crate trained as soon as we got her @ 8 weeks and was basically toilet trained within the first couple of days, which worked very well!

My issue is that she doesn’t seem to voluntarily sleep at all… She’s just always so full of energy and wants to play – but when she’s tired, she just gets super cheeky and won’t sleep until we put her into her crate ourselves and put a blanket over the crate. Once she’s in she never complains and goes straight to sleep. This is always regardless of how much play and exercise we give her…

I can’t speak to what she does during the day as we’re not home, but I used to put her crate in the room where she stays – however lately she’s been taking her bed and blanket out and laying it out on the other side of the room. So no more crate there, just the bed and blanket – but no idea if she actually sleeps or not!

We had her at a dog hotel for a night a little while back and I don’t think she slept a wink… she fell asleep in the car on the way home and then didn’t get up for 16 hours! Poor thing…

I feel bad because we’ve obviously mucked up her initial crate training a bit… but then she’s also a very over excitable dog that always wants to be around us and play.

Just not sure what the best next steps would be? Is this something that could change as she gets older?

Is the crate to stop her messing about, to give you a break? Or does she amuse herself when out of the crate?

The crate's for her to sleep or if we go out for a short period of time and don't want to have her running free.

On occasions when she's completely over-tired and out of control... we'll per her in there to settle and go to sleep.

But otherwise she's always playing with her toys around the house or outside and amusing herself - although she does have a short attention span and can get bored quickly!

hi she sounds the same as my Buddy - he will not go to sleep unless I tell him to go to his crate to sleep - he is 8 months old and he has just started following me to the crate and getting in rather than me leading him there.. he never cries when in , a few minutes and he is snoring his head off , he is always on the go and is super naughty when tired ! I too cover the crate when he is in there but only doing this at night now- Buddy is still crated when I go to work as I have an opened planned house and as he is still in chewing mode its too dangerous with electrical wires etc to leave him - when I am home the crate is open and he has a bed in front of the fire he lays and plays on but never sleeps - I am just letting him do his thing, as long as they are happy dogs natural sleep will come I am sure ,they are still learning and being stimulated - its good you can leave her out during the day - I am hoping to do this soon with Buddy - he is getting better but still mischievous when on his own I spy on him through the door when I am at home LOL

Definitely sounds similar, I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Just seemed strange and had me worried as I always hear of dogs falling asleep after walks and play etc but definitely not my girl!!

It's all go go go till I put her to sleep.

it might also be what you feed? certain additives in some dog food can cause hyperactivity.

yes do check her behaviour against what she has eaten , some treats make Buddy run round like a loon- I try and stick with natural treats if I can Pigs ears, pork strings etc. I get a hamper every few months from Millies Wolfheart and it lasts him about 2-3 months have a look at the Xmas hamper offers on their website , at the minute good value or you can buy separately if you want to try them first .. make sure when you put her in the crate you tell her its for sleep or bedtime whatever word you use and not because she is being naughty don't turn the crate into punishment -..let us know how she does...

What treats do you feed your dog? Some treats are too high in certain things that make your dog hyper such as cereals additives and preservatives pedigree treats and food is one to avoid or any supermarket brand. Imo

Hi AK85,

Can I ask how you toilet trained your pup in a couple of days? Thanks

Thanks for the tips, she generally doesn't eat too many treats. Usually she just has dried livers or chicken milk sticks... But may take her off them for a bit and see if it makes a difference.

For toilet training, if she was in her crate and started to cry we'd take her straight outside to where we want her to go and tell her toilet. Otherwise if she had been running around in the house for a little while or we saw her sniffing - we'd do the same thing.

I think since we've had her she's only had a handful of accidents in the house in total.