Puppy cries in crate. Can she sleep in my bed despite potty training?

Question

Its been about 5 days since I brought my 9 week old Shihtzu home and I think things are going pretty well but I have a concern, she cries for hours in her crate before she finally falls asleep before she wakes up 30 mins after crying again but when I put her in my bed to play with her she falls asleep instantly and sleeps for hours and but shes not potty trained. So my question is can I just let her start sleeping with me in my bed at night and skip the crate? Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | 2 lbs

Ana M, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mimi. Congratulations on your new puppy! As far as your crate training dilemma, where she sleeps now depends on where you intend for her to sleep as an adult. If you do not want her in your bed a few months or years from now, then do not allow her there now. You need to set up longterm expectations now. Sleeping in your bed will make potty training more difficult for her as she can go potty one side of the bed and sleep on the other. When she is a bit bigger, she will jump down in the middle of the night. This allows her the opportunity to be destructive or have accidents while you are sleeping. That being said, the crate does not work for every puppy. Keep it as a happy place. Do not use it for punishment or time out. Keep special treats or toys that she only has in the crate or you can even feed her meals in there to build a positive associations. I hope this information helps!

Puppy cries in crate. Can she sleep in my bed despite potty training?

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