using a cage

Such a lot depends on how long he/she will spend in the cage.
Of course it's quite likely that that it will get knocked over (or puppy will play and dig in it!) if you leave it in there and then bedding, floor and puppy will be wet!

I wouldn't put water in the cage. Crating is all about discipline and routine so a puppy will soon learn to drink when it's out of the cage. Dogs can go quite a long time without a drink but they need it at mealtimes and after excercise.

Overnight I give our puppy a water bowl oin the crate with only half an inch of water. its been knocked over a couple of times only. We only use the crate at night, at first we used a play pen during the day occasionallly, but since he was about 10 weeks we haven't needed it for him. It is currently being used for a broody hen!

When he was tiny we did respond if there were squeaks for the loo rather earlier than we might like to get up but since about 10 weeks he has been clean from 1030pm to between 6.30 and 7 am.

I am now using the crate for an hour if he comes in very wet from a run round the field. He doesn't like this but does give in and go to sleep eventually. I want to establish that wet dogs go into their bed until they are dry enough for the rest of the house. Think this may take some time!

No, just a comfy bed and maybe a chewy toy that he can't destroy. Leave the door open so he can go in there to sleep, or when you leave the house. He'll see it as his safe, secure place. He'll sleep in all sorts of places if he's tired, at first. Make sure he has water down in his feeding place, and take him outside when he's had a drink, then remove the bowl after his last drink at 9 o'clck-ish. If you impose a routine, he'll get it before long.

I stayed downstairs the first night, then next night when my puppy was asleep in her crate, I turned off the lights and left her to it. She managed a few hours then whimpered till I came down and brought her out, by which time she'd wee'd on her bedding! Have fun!

I've managed to upload a photo of our gorgeous pup to my profile page. Would love to see a picture of yours, nanpug

Crate training is so helpful, and there is good advice on the internet about this. With pups and foster dogs, I leave the crate door open, only have a comfy bed and one toy the dog can't destroy in there. Always feed your pup in the crate and praise him every time he goes in, especially if he uses it to sleep in. I close the door at night, and don't leave water, the pup will be fine from say 10 - 6.30 am. I was advised to take the water up about 8, if it was crate at 10 pm. Good luck - pups are such good fun, and such a lot of work, but worth every minute.

Well that went very well. Thank you all for your advice. We put her out for her last wee at about 12.30 and went to bed thinking we would have a bad night, but not at all. She settled straight away in her cage, downstairs, and was quiet all night. I woke at six and decided to go down and let her out and she did a wee straight away. Her cage was dry and she had done well. I am currently sat in the garden with her as she loves the garden. There is so much to explore. I will try to push her a little later each day as six am is not a time that I enjoy but hey ho, needs must.

Sounds like you had a great success there nanapug and excellent advice from GNters of course. We had a water bowl which clipped to the cage but it wasn't long before Tinker managed to dislodge it. I don't think she ever actually drank from it.