Should I Lock My German Shepherd Puppy In His Crate At Night? 7 Factual Reasons To Know!!!

As good owners, we always want our dogs to live safely and contentedly, but the first thing a new owner should do is build a shelter for them. Most dog owners prefer crates for their pups but the main question here is should you lock your German Shepherd puppy at night?

The answer may surprise you but yes you should lock your German Shepherd puppy at night. They are very young and may wander here and there if left open. Crating your German Shepherd puppy also ensures the safety and is helpful in training also.

German Shepherd pups are very young and they do require a lot of care and attention from their owners so your GSD puppies will also realize soon about their crate is the safest place. However, crate training your German Shepherd pup is also important but most pet owners may think locking a German Shepherd puppy is a horrible idea.

That’s why this article to going to be fruitful as you will be able to get relevant ideas as we will discuss in detail:

Should you lock your German Shepherd puppy In his cage at night?

What should you do with your German Shepherd puppy at night?

7 Factual reasons why you should lock your German Shepherd puppy at night with pros and cons.
How long can you lock your German Shepherd puppy’s crate at night
Should you cover your puppy’s crate at night
What can happen when you do not lock their crate at night.

Let’s go through our post and discuss it in detail:

Table of Contents

Should A German Shepherd Puppy Be Locked In A Cage At Night?

Now you must be a proud German Shepherd owner if you have brought a new German Shepherd pup at home but it’s your responsibility to provide them full safety and a favorable environment. At the same time, there must be one query in your mind should a German shepherd puppy be locked in a cage at night?

The answer to this question is yes a German Shepherd puppy should be locked in a cage at night. Locking your GSD puppy in its cage at night ensures safety and it also helps them not to wander here and there at home.

Locking your young puppy is also helpful in training them for various purposes. But before locking your GSD pup in this cage you should crate train them as this allows them to be comfortable all the time.

Most dog owners may disagree to lock their pet in their crate the whole night but I also prefer to lock my GSD pup at night as locking them allows them to prevent them from escaping, and also it has some benefits.

Though there are some factual reasons to lock your puppy at night, let’s also take a quick look at those factual reasons:

7 Factual Reasons Why You Should Lock Your German Shepherd Puppy In Its Crate At Night

Most dog owners have a little bit of confusion about locking their little friends in their crates at night, but there are some factual reasons why your German shepherd puppy must be in a crate at night, and believe me locking them is a good idea.

Let’s take a quick look at 7 factual reasons to lock them In a crate at night:

1. Create A Proper Routine

German Shepherd puppies are just like our children they do require proper disciple from a very early stage of their life. Putting your GSD puppy in a crate allows them to follow your rule and help them in various training processes.

When you put your German Shepherd pup in a crate, you also want them to adhere to your household rules. This means that they should obey your commands to enter and exit their cage.

Having you repeat each order will help them comprehend it. Since German Shepherd pups are too young to control their bladders and require adequate training, crate training can also aid with toilet training.

2. Provides Safety

Your German Shepherd puppy will be completely protected at night when locked in its kennel. Being so young, they can wander around your home, chew on your useful items, and come in contact with any electrical cords that could seriously harm them.

When you bring this little mate home for the first time their safety must be your first preference as there are many other materials through which they can hurt themselves or in the worst condition they may lose their life.

To secure their safety as well as your own, you must teach your German Shepherd pup to sleep in its crate. They’ll discover that their box is the safest place to live after they become used to it.

3. Helpful In Potty Training

Your German Shepherd puppy is very young and they have a very small bladder as a result they pee or poo a lot. They are unable to wake you up for doing potty or peeing at night. As a result, they will often pee or poo in your house and if they are left open, especially during the night it is quite disgusting.

Keeping your GSD pup in its crate during the night will also help them to learn where to pee or poo as they are not able to pee or poo in its crate. It should also be noted that GSD puppies are social animals and they do not want to pee or poo in their bed.

The crate allows them to learn the appropriate area for doing potty or peeing rather this will also reinforce to them that they should not pee in their bed as it would be better to call someone for doing potty or peeing.

Nighttime is always going to be the finest time for crate training your German Shepherd pup as they should also realize to call you at night if they have to pee or poo, nevertheless it’s always crucial to provide correct potty training to your German Shepherd puppy.

4. Helpful in disciplining your German Shepherd Puppy

Your German Shepherd puppy will lack discipline at the initial stage of its life so putting them in their crate more often will help you a lot in disciplining your German Shepherd.

When you crate train your German Shepherd pup it also allows them to be patient as they are often distracted, thus it is going to be vital to discipline your German Shepherd that can only be done when you put them in their crate more regularly.

5. Your German Shepherd Puppy Needs Proper sleep

As a young puppy, your German Shepherd needs adequate sleep to aid in growth. They can only fall asleep soundly when they feel secure.

As a dog owner, you may lose sleep if your dog wanders around your place. However, if your dog sleeps in a cage, there will be no worries and you will be able to relax while they sleep in a crate

Again, teaching your dog to sleep in a crate will be crucial since they must understand where to go to sleep without waking their owners, and hence you must crate train your dog immediately.

6. For Comfort

German Shepherd puppies are highly active and they must be playing most of the time during the day time so they will require a more comfy place where they could get proper sleep.

Therefore, crates will be the ideal place for them to retreat to their own small den-like space after a hectic day of playing and exploring so they can get some peace.

You can be a good dog owner and have a cozy bedding arrangement in your dog’s crate so that it can sleep comfortably. Your German Shepherd’s crate must be bigger so that they could be comfortable stretching their whole body.

7. Separation Anxiety

Leaving your puppy alone during the day can cause it to develop separation anxiety if it doesn’t get used to being by itself slowly over time.

Confining it in its crate at night can help make it more comfortable with being alone for periods without you or anyone else around. You can also keep their crate nearby so that they could realize your presence.

However, as they should view this as punishment, teaching your German Shepherd pup to be in its crate will be essential.

How Long Can I Lock My German Shepherd Puppy In Crate At Night?

I understand that you must be enjoying your German Shepherd puppy’s company and that you must have provided them with a suitable shelter before locking them in their cage at night, but the real question here is: How long can you lock them in a crate at night?

German Shepherd puppies can sleep in their crates for 8 to 9 hours at a time, but you must keep an eye out for your dog to let him out for a toilet break.

Making them learn where to go potty or urinate will be the proper choice because they are still very young and cannot retain their bladder for long periods.

Because it will affect their mental health, your dog cannot spend most of its time confined to a crate. If you make them spend most of their time in a crate, they might start to experience separation anxiety.

As they are still very young, GSD puppies shouldn’t be left alone for more than two hours during the day because they are very active and like playing and exploring their new environment, both of which are beneficial to their development.

Also Read: 7 Best Dog Crates For German Shepherds You Should Not Miss In 2022

Should I Cover My German Shepherd Puppy’s Crate At Night?

We love watching German Shepherd pups sleep in front of our eyes because they are too precious to handle. The majority of you must be covering your pups’ crates at night to protect them since we too want to keep them safe from any harm.

The position in which you store your German Shepherd puppy’s cage and the surroundings they are living in determine whether you should cover their crate at night.

If you are at home, you shouldn’t cover their crate at night because it will allow you to check on your dog more frequently. However, if you are away from home, you should cover their crate at night since it will protect them.

It is also advised to use a conventional crate cover rather than covering crates with a blanket because doing so will make them too hot to handle and cause them to grip and start gnawing inside their crates, which can also pose a choking hazard.

What Happens If I Don’t Crate My German Shepherd Puppy At Night?

Without a doubt, crate training your German Shepherd dog is a smart option because it offers numerous benefits to you as a dog owner. However, if you do not crate them at night, there are a lot of other problems to watch out for.

Here are some of the consequences that you should look for if you do not put your GSD pup in its crate at night:

Be Ready For Potty Accidents

There is always a higher chance to experience potty accidents with your young puppies when you let them live in an open crate. Even adult dogs can do potty if they get locked in crates for longer periods and if they are not well potty trained.

If your dog is experiencing loose bowel movements and you leave the crate door open, it is evident that they can poop everywhere in your home, which could make the situation even worse.

However, it’s also crucial to pay attention to your dog’s behavior. If your dog whines or exhibits other signs, you should quickly let them out for a potty break.

In reality, whether your dog is an adult dog or a young puppy, you can after using a crate positively. Proper house training will help prevent accidents from occurring because no one wants their pet to poop inside their home.

Higher Chance to Get Injury

Putting your German Shepherd in the crate ensures protection, but if you leave the crate door open, you’re asking your dog to get hurt.

Keep in mind that they are very young puppy and has a strong desire to play, so if you leave the door open, your dog has a higher chance of suffering an injury.

May Disturb Whole Night

Another effect to watch out for is that your German Shepherd pup may irritate you by wandering the house, which may bother you. If you can provide crate training to your new pup they may develop destructive behaviors.

When your German Shepherd pup is well crate trained then they will not go outside the crate during the night. So it’s always important to crate train your German Shepherd pup and never leave the crate door open.

What should I do with my German Shepherd puppy at night?

When you bring a new German Shepherd pup home, the first thing you want to know is what to do with them at night. Although you must be eager to spend time with your animal companion, you may be a little uncertain about activities you can perform with them at night.

Let’s quickly examine what your German Shepherd pup can do at night:

The most important thing is that you provide a safe and comfortable environment for them.

Make sure your dog bed must be comfortable and give them plenty of toys to play with.

You should also create a routine bedtime for your pup, such as turning off the lights and playing some soothing music or reading a book before they drift off to sleep.

Additionally, providing adequate exercise during the day can help tire out your pup so they are ready to settle down at night.

Lastly, if possible try to keep consistent sleeping hours yourself so that your pup learns what is expected of them when it’s time for rest. Also, provide them large crate that suits their size and can

When should I stop locking my puppy in a crate overnight?

Ideally, your puppy should be locked in a crate overnight for their safety measures, though this can be quite stressful and uncomfortable for them. If they are used to sleeping in their crate during the day, then you may want to let them sleep in it at night with the door open.

You could also use a baby gate or other barrier to block off an area of your room at night so that your puppy will have their own space without being confined inside a small area.

It is important to remember that puppies should never be left alone for extended periods without access to food, water, and bathroom breaks.

If necessary, set an alarm to remind yourself when it’s time for your pup’s potty break during the night. This will prevent them from having accidents in their crate.

Ultimately, the decision as to when you should stop locking your puppy in a crate overnight will depend on how comfortable they are with sleeping outside of it, and whether or not they can stay in one spot without needing to go potty.

If your pup is still having difficulty staying in the crate at night as puppy crying is also common , then keep the door open until they realize that the crates are the safest place to live.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs):

Should German shepherds be crated at night?

German Shepherds should be crated at night, but first, you should train them to spend the first few nights there. Once they understand that their box is the safest area, they will feel at ease staying there. The crate, however, should be significantly larger than your German Shepherd.

Final Thoughts:

Most of you may disagree to put your German Shepherd young puppy in the crate at night but keeping your German Shepherd inside the crate at night provides safety and you will also not bother.

Before putting your furry friend in the crate overnight you should train them so that they can realize their crates are the safest place where they can sleep.

Always provide the right size crate with comfortable bedding so that they can get proper sleep during night time. Never put your pup in a locked crate for longer periods as it may affect their mental health.

You should keep a dog crate nearby so that you can get assistance right away if your dog starts crying at night.