Board and train: where does my dog sleep?

Suite or crate? How it compares to home

Many dogs sleep in a crate at home, some on the bed, some on a sofa they aren’t supposed to use. The suite routine works for crate-trained dogs and for dogs who sleep loose at home; what matters is preparing your dog for resting away from you.

If crate manners are one of your goals, the stay also works on settling calmly in a crate during the day. Our pages on board and train for crate training and preparing the crate before the stay explain how that carries over at home.

Why nights matter for training

Sleep isn’t time off from learning. Research on dogs and other animals suggests that rest after a training session helps memory consolidate, which is one reason short sessions followed by rest work better than long drills. Our page on latent learning explains why dogs sometimes “get it” the day after a session.

That is why daytime rest in the suite is part of the plan too. A board-and-train day includes training, play and enrichment, but also proper downtime, and a dog who sleeps well at night is easier to teach in the morning.

The first night and the nights after

The first night is the hardest for most dogs. Some settle straight away; some whine for a while; some sleep lightly. A calm evening, enough activity during the day and a familiar smell all help, and the daily update will tell you how it went.

By the second or third night most dogs have learned the routine. If your dog cries at night at home, or has never slept away from you, tell us at the assessment. Our pages on what if my dog cries at night and the first night go into more detail.

• A good toilet walk before bed
• A calm evening rather than a late burst of play
• Your comfort item in the suite
• The same routine each night

Older dogs, puppies and dogs with health needs

Some dogs need more thought at night. Senior dogs may need an extra toilet trip, a softer spot to rest or medication at bedtime. Puppies may need a late-evening toilet break and wake earlier. Dogs on medication that must be given overnight need it written down clearly.

Tell us about any of these at the assessment and put them on your instruction sheet. Our page on food and medication during the stay explains how to write timings so nothing is missed.

Sleeping well after the stay

When your dog comes home, keep bedtime simple for the first few nights. Use the same routine the trainer describes at the go-home lesson: a last toilet trip, a quiet settle and lights out. If you’d like your dog to sleep somewhere new, such as its own bed rather than yours, the week after a stay is a good time to start, while routines are fresh.

Expect your dog to sleep a lot on the first day home. A stay is busy, and the return to familiar smells and people often brings a long, deep nap. That is a good sign, not a worrying one; let it happen and save practice for the next morning.