Need some BPO opinions...

[GR8DAME]

I am having a problem with Strider at night.
Since the kiddies are back in school, Strider is caged more during the day while we are all at school and work. He is actually only  in there for a couple of hours, then has a break for an hour or so because I go home for lunch to let him out and let them all run and be crazy, then back in for a couple of hours. When Casey gets home from school at 3pm he is free until we all go to school/work in the AM.
He has been free at night for the last couple of months, and would just go to sleep on the blanket bed on my bedroom floor until my alarm went off at 5:30 AM and I would let them all out. Until this last week.
Now he wakes me or Dale up at least every hour to hour and a half wanting attention, or he is in the living room harrassing Merlin, barking and growling, or after Raven, who then noisily tries to end his life in my son's bedroom. The only thing he does not do is sleep. So niether does anyone else.
We have tried long walks and runs in the forest preserves and play sessions in the evening to tire him out...to no avail.
Finally, at 3:30 this morning in desperation, I put him back in his crate and locked the door. There was blessed silence, and I actually got  two hours of uninterrupted slumber.
I really don't want to cage him at night in addition to during the day, but we have to sleep, and Raven or Merlin are going to kill him if he doesn't leave them alone too.
In your opinion, if I start caging him again at night is it a punishment or behavior modification?
Tell me that I am a bad MOM if you have to, don't pull any punches, I can take it and I want to know what you really think.
Stella

[Anakalia]

I'm sorry to hear you're having sleepless nights, that's not good when you have to get up early to go to work!!  I think things will calm down a bit when he gets into the new routine.  It's probably a big change for him, but I do think he will get used to it soon.  You may want to try crating him at night tonight and see how he does.  He may feel safe and secure in there, and I really don't think you're a bad person for crating.  I crate Koby a lot of times and he actually doesn't hesitate to go in there, I always have something for him to chew on when I do crate to keep him busy if he's not tired.  Sometimes he'll just go in his crate to sleep with the door open!  I hope things get better for you soon!


Andi

[brigid67]

I agree - he will need to get use to the new routine...how about some really great exercise later in the evening?  Just to tire him out a bit.  My daughter took Willow out to the dog park and to the farmers market last night.  She ran and played..came home passed out for the whole night....

[GR8DAME]

We tried the nice long walk, the run in the forest preserves and the play til Mom dropped in the backyard/park. Still no change once we all went to bed.
Stella

[lins_saving_grace]

That's a hard decision and he can't tell you what will work for him.  It seems like punishment because he looks at you and you "feel" he thinks it is.  Routines change...dogs adapt.     Six of one 1/2 a dozen of another.  It hurts your feelings and his.   Strider will have to go with flow.

[Nina]

I still have to crate Dilbert at night, It is the only way he will sleep, if not he is the same as your pup, plays is loud, does evrything but sleep. He doesn't mind it at all, and they are both crated when we are at work. Dilbert will go in his carte to sleep with the door open now. Don't feel bad, dogs by nature love to sleep in dens, it makes them feel safe. He knows that you are not punishing him, and you are not being mean by crating him, I think he is confused because his rountine is all messed up now that school is started and now you just have to start a new one with him 

[tonyc]

ugh. i hate to agree, but i'm gonna hafta start crating nikki at nite too... she gets up at 3/4am, and wants to play, even tho she was out running hard / being chased by cody just 4 hrs earlier... cody ignores her, she gets bored, then starts chewing on furniture/cell phone, et al... 

[GR8DAME]

Thanks guys, I really needed the support and confirmation that I was going to do the right thing.
Stella

[greek4]

Maia loves to crate at night.  If it is dark and I let them out to go potty she comes back in and goes to bed.  Rocco will sleep in his crate but prefers my bed where he snores the night away.

Do whatever keeps the family sane!

[brigid67]

Willow is doing great with crating...took a little while and a lot of howling...It was much better after I put a sheet on it...She sometimes goes in during the day on her own...It is very nice not to have to worry about her.  When she 1st came home...I kept her harness on and leash and she slept in my bed so I would know when she was up and pooping/playing in the house...I was exhasuted...fi nally the crate came in the mail and things have been great since.  My mojos don't have crates and now I wounder if they are jealous...shou ld I get them their own dens?    Not sure...  I want another big dog so bad but not sure where I will put the other crate....it is si huge.  consumes half my family room.  I am waiting for the day my son will move out (I know it is a fantasy) and then the crates can go in his room....

[Moni]

If you feel too bad about crating him(which you shouldn't ), then how about putting a gate up and giving him run of a certain area?  One that is AWAY from the other dogs and sleeping people, that is.

My younger pups used to be crated at nights.  However their crates were in the basement, and this basement floods now.  It is constantly wet and icky(and the owners don't seem to want to fix it), so they are no longer crated.  Now there is no where in the house to fit all their crates except the attic, and that is WAY too hot.  Our solution was to instead, gate the boys and Ol'Gyrl in the computer room and let Zeo and Kida sleep in Tori's room.  Occasionally Faust and Mojo will sleep in Spencer's room, but lately he likes his door open, so usually there are no dogs in his room for the night.   

Out of all the dogs, Tenchi especially needs to be stationed somewhere.  Otherwise he works himself up by walking up and down the stairs and trying to scratch our bedroom doors, looking for company.  Since he is now gated off, he can choose to play with his toys or sleep on his couch or twin mattress(no he's not spoiled :p).  Sometimes a little containment is good.  Iit can help calm them down and feel safer I guess?

[Carolyn]

Kiya went thru something that she would jump up on the bed in the middle of the night & wake us up. At first I though she had to go out. Well that wasnt why cause I would find a puddle on the rug anyway. I don't have room for crates so I use the panels of an exercise pen to gate the 2 girls off at night next to my bed. The funny thing is Apache (the only trust worthy one in the crew) will lay in the girls beds, to get to Chazzys bed he has to squeeze by the gate to get in, so I guess he wouldnt mind being crated again. The girls go right to their beds at night no fuss no muss. Then I know I won't wake up to any mishaps on the rug.
Carolyn

[GR8DAME]

I'll go back to crating him I guess. It's just frustrating that he did so well all summer and now it feels like a step backwards. Sigh. I guess that's more the issue for me and not him.
Stella

[Sullivan]

I've actually heard that dogs NEED to have a place like a crate to go to.  Dogs are naturally den animals and I've heard that when a dog is left to his own devices in a big space they can sometimes get overwhelmed and get anxiety.  Perhaps thats why he isn't sleeping? 
Maybe it is even a really good thing that you are crating him at night.  I'm sure it makes him feel safe and secure.  Don't feel bad about crating him.  He doesn't need a ton of space while sleeping, so it doesn't matter if he is in a crate or not.  You sound like a very concerned and loving pet owner.  Don't feel guilty!

[GR8DAME]

Got an update for everyone kind enough to respond here and set my mind at ease...Silent night..... That's what I had last night. Put Strider in his cage and didn't hear a peep out of him til the alarm went off this AM. Guess we'll leave it at that for another couple of months then try again. He is as smart as can be, figures stuff out as well as my dobies ever did, but he is the first dog that I've had to crate at night after being housebroken. That'll teach me to make assumptions.
Stella