# I can't take it anymore



## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

Jack & Jill have been sleeping in our bed ever since we got them. I've shared before how they claw at my arms to wake me up each morning, but now they've started clawing at my face - yes, Jill nearly took out one of my eyes! I look in the mirror in the mornings and I have claw marks on my face. :w00t: I need to have them sleep in a crate - I know it'll be tough, but I just can't take it anymore. Plus, we're in the adoption process, so I think this is the right time to make the change.
Here's my question: I'd like one crate for both Jack & Jill to sleep in together. Any recommendations? It's so hard for me to gauge the right size based on just dimensions. I want there to be ample room for the both of them, so it can double as a travel crate when we go to homes that are not the most dog-friendly.


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

I can only recommend what I have, which works great for us: 2 separate Precision Pet Deluxe  (19x12x15) crates side by side, with a cover that goes over both crates so they can see in each other's crate. The crate cover and bedding are from here, so it looks nice with our decor. Each crate has a dual water bottle attached. Separate crates is ideal if one of the dogs needs alone time for surgery recovery, yet they are together. We keep the crates in our bedroom, doors open unless we are sleeping or we leave the house. We live in earthquake country, so this is for their safety.

For traveling, we have the Sturdibag Large Divided bag. Its incognito and generic enough for a man to carry it and fits under the seat in coach.

HTH!


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## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

I'm glad this topic came up and can totally empathize. We've been lagging in crate training and let the 3 sleep with us on our bed since this summer. Both DH and I have terrible sleep but I just don't have the heart to put them back in their crate. Plus I'm afraid they'll whimper all night and keep us awake even more. May be this long weekend will be the time to do it. All I need is courage.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

It can take a week or two for adjustment, but dogs do adjust to sleeping in their crates. Remember to take the time to prime the crates as a happy place to be (eating in open crate, tossing in treat and toys, giving kongs to hang out in the crate with). Ignore any whining. Covering the crates like Tami helps some dogs chill. 

How big are they? Roo is 8 lbs, 11 1/4 in at the shoulder and he needs the next size up from Tami's.


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

QUOTE (JMM @ Dec 23 2009, 10:54 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=866107


> It can take a week or two for adjustment, but dogs do adjust to sleeping in their crates. Remember to take the time to prime the crates as a happy place to be (eating in open crate, tossing in treat and toys, giving kongs to hang out in the crate with). Ignore any whining. Covering the crates like Tami helps some dogs chill.
> 
> How big are they? Roo is 8 lbs, 11 1/4 in at the shoulder and he needs the next size up from Tami's.[/B]


That's why I thought this would be a good time - I'm off work until 1/4, so losing some sleep at night won't kill me the next couple of weeks. Jack is 13 lbs. and Jill is 10 lbs. I think I will get an extra large crate so they have ample space. I still want them together in the same crate.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

A 36 in would be plenty of room for them.


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## SugarBob62 (Nov 9, 2009)

Oh geez...yeah we are doing the crate training now. Nelson's breeders spoiled him because after his brothers left, he cried in his pen...and he felt bad so he'd let him out and sleep on the couch with him. So for about a week he had complete freedom.

Well we don't want that...so its been a tough few days. We've been taking shifts sleeping on the couch, with the crate next to it. He is fine like that, sleeps through the whole night. Hopefully soon we can all move back up to our beds. But the crate is really the best and safest way to go, especially for puppies. 
We crate trained Andy, and after he was about a year we just left it open permanately and he went in there every night for bed...it was his little den. They like having a place like that.

I'd be worried about them sleeping on the bed, falling off and stuff. And like you said, getting not very good sleep, or getting scratched in the morning haha. But we also put Nelson in his crate when we have to run out too, or say run to the basement and do laundry or something. THere is nowhere in our house he can be left alone. He tries to chew wires, the Christmas trees, the kitchen cabinets, and goes upstairs. So as much as he doesn't like to be in there, it's for his own safety really.
I just hope he gets to the point soon where he doesn't do that pitiful crying and barking when you put him in it. When he naps on the couch or falls asleep on your lap, we've been putting him in his crate just with the door open...so he gets used to sleeping in there...and to know it's HIS place, and not evil or something.


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

What about an expen with their own beds in it so they would have more space?


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Ours don't claw us in the morning mostly just sniff and snort on us and of course the infamous Maltese licking... We let them all sleep w/ us,yeah 5 dogs in a bed,a king size bed. We have carpet plus we have those eggcrate bed pads along each side of the bed in case they fall out in the night. We've only had one fall out in the 6 years they're slept w/ us,they mainly stay in the middle of the bed.I do worry we might roll on them but we're not restless sleepers so ,so far so good.
There's been a few nights we've crated them so we could sleep,then we found we couldn't sleep w/o them,pathetic aren't we?
Ours don't claw us in the morning but they will claw when they want held or begging,but only one of them really does that. We scold her and she sasses us....but she does quit clawing. They all claw the windows though...


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