Is it cruel to crate a dog at night?
A Safe Space For Your Pet
Crating is useful for training because it draws on your dog’s natural instinct to be in a den. For that reason, if your dog is properly crate trained, the crate will be a comfortable place that he likes spending time and where he feels safe. … It is not cruel to crate your dog at night.
A good general rule to follow is one hour in the crate for each month of age. A three-month-old puppy should be fine in the crate for three hours. Puppies should sleep in their crates at night, as this helps them learn to sleep through the night.
Your dog is sick or has a health condition
If your dog is sick and suffering from Cushing’s disease, Addison’s disease, kidney disease, diabetes or any other illness that makes it excessively thirsty, you may want to leave a little water in the crate.
Not too much, as this may increase the likelihood of an accident.
It is important to note that pets with chronic medical conditions should never be left alone in a crate for extended periods of time.
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Cathy is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, holding both the CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA designations. Cathy is a Fear Free Certified Certified Professional, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the Pet Professional Guild, and the Dog Writers Association of America.
As Preventive Vets dog behavior expert and lead trainer at Pupstanding Academy, Cathy focuses on helping humans and their pets build a strong relationship based on trust, clear communication, and the use of positive reinforcement and force-free methods. With over 13 years of experience, she has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of dogs on a wide variety of training and behavior issues. Beyond her one-on-one consultations through Pupstanding Academy, she also teaches group dog training classes at Seattle Humane. Her specialties include dog aggression, resource guarding, separation anxiety, and puppy socialization.
When shes not geeking out about dogs, you can find her reading, hiking with her two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, or paddleboarding.
A note for our readers: If you have an urgent question and are unable to ask your veterinarian, you can use the Ask a Vet service that will give you access to a veterinarian for 7 days for $1.
Should I leave water in dog crate at night?
Ready access to water is as essential for keeping dogs hydrated as it is for people. But crating your dog complicates things. A water bowl inside a crate can spill and leave your dog uncomfortable—in what should be her cozy, inviting den. During housetraining, the ramifications are even worse.
Your priority is always giving your dog easy access to fresh water. Keeping that goal top of mind, you can wisely determine whether to crate her without water, how long you can leave her crated without water, and the instances where water in the dog crate is a good idea.
