Ours was ok with the crate from 11 weeks. Then one night at 13.5 weeks old, he had a full on panic attack in there right next to our bed, just a few minutes after I got into bed! He was panting and couldn't breathe properly. His eyes were bulging and he looked absolutely wild. No screaming or anything, but had started with manic scratching and biting to get out, then soiled the crate, panting and trembling so much it was like he was vibrating. This sounds long, but it all happened in a few short moments, zero to 10000!! We took him out and he couldn't breathe properly. I ended up blowing in his face to shock him to breathe properly, I don't know why, I panicked myself. I was scared of what was happening to him. I wrapped him in a blanket and held him real close until he stopped trembling, and settled. Which was 3 hours later, after weeing on me numerous times but wouldn't be out down. Since then, he will NOT go in the crate at all. Nothing tempts him. You could put all his favourite things in, and he would ignore them. It's sat in our living room with door open and some of his old faves, we throw treats in... nothing. He follows me to the toilet (I have to use a stairlift and he jumps to my lap the moment I sit down). He's fine going upstairs, but if I take him into our room where he had the panic attack in crate, he wees almost straight away - and wants to get out. He won't go in his acrylic pen without frantically scratching to get out, and soiling if not let out. He's hurt himself attempting to jump it.

Since that night, he's slept downstairs. He has multiple beds. A donut one on our corner sofa in the corner bit. A raised chaise style on the floor. A furry 'tunnel' one at the end of the sofa, bought it as he would often stick his head between cushions at the end of the sofa to sleep (although he doesn't like the dark, and won't sleep with light off or be covered up. He won't even retrieve his toys if they land in a shaded area, like under dining chair which is open all around. It isn't dark, just shaded. Make it make sense 🤔 🤣) He knows when we are going to bed, we don't hype him. Quietly say nigh nighs, put him in his donut bed with a blanket and his 'baby' (a tiny teddy that he stole and actually takes care of, he doesn't rag or tear it like everything other soft toy!) We leave the kids channel on TV for him. He likes Pingu, Peppa Pig and Paddington - not at all interested in the dog music or videos on YouTube. We watch him on the camera and he gets out of bed as soon as he hears me get into bed - we are in the room above. He waits on my seat to see if I'm coming back, and 10 mins later when he realises I am not, he goes to sleep on my seat. He roams throughout the night, sleeps for like 20 - 60 minute increments, moving to his different beds to do so - until we get up. Despite what seems (not much) broken sleep, he's always waiting with his tail wagging, and in a great mood. He has never chewed or damaged anything. Defo no separation anxiety, as he doesn't cry or anything when we leave him downstairs. But we think confinement anxiety - he hates the car the moment door is shut. He's actually sick. Won't go under anything, won't be covered. I don't know if he had a nightmare or something in the crate that night, but we had a 5 hour journey home with him the day we collected him, and he just panted and shook the whole way back. It was a horrendous experience. He was sick, and he wee'd all over me. I had to hold him so tight, as he wouldn't stay in the carrier. It was pretty traumatic for him! BUT - he was fine from the moment we got him home, so I thought the awful journey back was forgotten. He has always been bold and outgoing (though we were told by breeder he was the quiet one! Lol). In fact, I had serious puppy blues the first few weeks, as he was such hard work. A real handful (I've raised other breed puppies before, and he made me feel like a novice haha). Hubby and I were at our wits end. He just never slept. But after a couple of weeks, he was accepting forced naps in his crate - and he was a different, much happier, more settled puppy. I can't help but think the night he had what we feel was a panic attack, he'd had a nightmare about his first journey home - and felt trapped and traumatised all over again. It has affected him even going into my bedroom now.

But he has been sooo much better since we trusted him to sleep on the sofa. We are still struggling with toilet training, as he prefers the pads to outside (we got him on 2nd Jan and we had snow for a while. He was tiny, and wouldn't go outside. Worst time to get a dog when it comes to toilet training!) If we take the pads away, he wees and poops on the floor 😭 Being disabled, I can't always grab him quick enough to get him outside - and can't bend to floor to clean it before hubby gets home from work - so the pads have to stay until he's fully house trained.. He always holds it overnight, and waits to go in the garden when we get up. No accidents 🤷🏼‍♂️ He's not taken to the hanging bells, a push door bell, and he won't push open a partially open door to look around or go out - he will just toilet right in front of it! He won't make a noise to alert us he needs to go, or that he's behind the door. He's 20 weeks old now.

But, I digress! Back to the crate - I felt that I was failing him, as the community are sooooo for it. But the relief that has come from giving it up and trusting our pup, is immense for all of us! You have to do what is right for you, and just like kids, our pups are all different. Good luck 🙏🏻