Dutch Shepherd Forum

Hi All, I’ve just taken on my first rescue dog, a 16 month DS. I’m a pet dog trainer by trade and had weimaraners so this is a step up for me drive wise. Just wondered where everyone had their shepherds sleep? I have a crate currently however I’ve read mixed reviews re this breed being in one. Thoughts? Thanks.

Mine has slept peacefully all night long on a dog bed in our bedroom since she was 4 months old. She refused the dog crate.

Mine also sleeps in my bed. I will disclose that she is a MAJOR bed hog. Like...sleeps on top of me. Adorable, but incredibly uncomfortable sometimes. I don’t have the heart to put her in a crate all night

Mine eats and sleeps in a dog crate which is nice. Jay

Lovely thanks for all these replies. Do yours whine when you leave them? I know they’re a high drive breed renowned for attaching.

Perseverance with the crate is a good idea mine doesn't have any problems with her crate and I will go as far to say she treats it as her own little house and is a handy tool for me if I need to get her somewhere out the way for a while.Jay

WHen I had two, they could come on the bed but could not sleep there only because they take up too much room. My basset sleeps on the bed, Sadie gets too hot and opts for the bed on the floor.

Bramble started out sleeping in my son's bed....but she is a bed hog too, and she quickly discovered he wouldn't have that. So she sleeps in a soft sided crate at the foot of the bed, with the door open. She doesn't whine, and doesn't seem to mind at all. When he says night night she leads the way and goes right in.

For those that don't use crates, where do they sleep when you're in a hotel or staying somewhere else?

Our dogs slept in their crate until they become trusted members of the family. Early on, there was a lot of fuss, but eventually (within a few nights) it became routine - simply saying "time to go night-night," and they would go right to the crate.

After a few weeks of trial and no error, they were allowed to roam the house free at night.

They have become our bed partners insisting on belly rubs at first, and then settling in to switching places all night long - one sleeps at the end of the bed, while the other sleeps at the end of the hall.

This is what you want sleeps happily in here with door open, her own space which his hers it makes sense trust me. Jay

Sylvia spent her first 9 months sleeping in her crate and then "earned" bed privileges. She is still good in her crate for travelling.

Jaguar sleeps on the floor next to my bed on a blanket or on a dog bed. He also “crashes out” in his crate but the door is always left open.
He is now 7 months old has has earned free roam of the house at night. I still crate him if I have to go anywhere for more than 30 mins during the day. He goes willingly.

En resides in her crate during almost all of her down time. She sleeps in there during the day. Sleeps with me sometimes at night. Goes between the bed and her dog bed on the floor next to me.

Foxy sleeps on the bed for maybe the first hour then she moves to her bed on the floor for a few hours then into the living room into her crate and then back to the room in the morning.