Crate Issues

[samanthab]

Hi everyone! We have an 8 week old cockapoo puppy named Charlie. We really only use the crate at night while we sleep and when we leave the house. Charlie absolutely hates being in there. He whines and cries (very loudly) all night long. He will take breaks, for what I assume is a rest, and then start up again. We had to put him in his crate in the dining room for overnight because he is so loud. I'd love to hear any suggestions to make him stop whining and crying in his crate. I feel so bad for him!

Thanks!!

[Dave]

Benny used to cry in his crate as well. He hated it. From what I remember, we just let him cry it out. Benny would stop crying after a few minutes. But it seems Charlie is more persistent. Maybe you could try moving the crate closer to where you sleep, or even in your room. He might feel lonely when everyone walks away from him at night.

[samanthab]

Thanks, Dave. Last night was actually better!

[Dave]

That's good. :) Did you do anything differently?

[samanthab]

Nope! Just tried to ignore him!

[slicey711]

Hi....I placed a blanket over my crate, it helped make it feel cozier and safer I think.

[Dave]

Hi....I placed a blanket over my crate, it helped make it feel cozier and safer I think.
Yes, I've heard of doing that. We tried it with Benny. Didn't work though. He still hated the crate. :(

[WhosABear]

Hi...I recently put my new 10 week old puppy in the crate. She cried and barked all night and pooped in the crate. It seems the only way that I can get her to sleep at night it to put her in the kitchen with a doggy gate and tire her out before I put her in there. Is crate training absolutly necessary?
Nicole

[kendal]

some people do it some people dont. they dont narmaly poo in their crate at night. are you still taking her out for the toilet in the midle of the night.

if you find the kitchen better, you are still kinda crating her but in a larger room. our girls crate is like a bed room. they can go to it to get some peace and quiet.

[WhosABear]

Thanks for the reply kendal. I talked to the vet and she said a lot of time puppys' from pet stores will poop in there crate because that is what they are used to . We got Bear from a pet store (no puppy mills) and I think that might be the case. I might need to try a more open crate. I saw your christmas pictures and Bear's crate is more like a carrier. I see what you mean that it is kind of their room.
Nicole and Eddie

[murphysmom]

We're crate training Murphy and he's been doing really well so far. He hasn't went in his crate at all. We have the divider up so he has room to turn around in and lay down. The first night (after the girls got him) was really really rough. We put him in his crate in our bathroom and he cried almost the entire night....expect for maybe 3 hours total. Lastnight we had him in his crate next to our bed and he slept all night expect for the 2 times we took him out go potty.

[merry]

I was wondering about that too. I don't have my pup yet but I was wondering how long it takes usually for them to get used to being in there. Also, will it mess up house training if I let him sleep with me? I plan on crating him when I am not there during the day. I guess he would do better if the crate was in our room at night.

[Morph]

Have had Darla for a week now. She has a crate within a childs play pen. So she's not totally shut in the crate. Her bed is in the crate, food and water bowls are outside the crate. Was really worried the first night we had her that she was going to cry all night. Only heard her 4-5 times and no longer for 10 mins each time. Since then she has been as good as gold.
If we are eating she gets put in her pen. She'll cry for maybe 2 mins then put herself to bed. First time we left her alone to do food shopping we put a video camera on her to see how she coped with us leaving her all alone. We were gone for 45 mins. She cried for 1min 45sec then put herself to bed. She seems like a really chilled out dog who loves her bed.

[kendal]

she sounds like she is getting on realy well.

[Smileyjunior711]

~stuffed animals can help to ...only if the dog doesnt tare them up~

[Jerseypoo527]

For me, the trick was, I got him super tired before bed time with a long walk or lots of playing, and once he fell asleep I placed him in his crate and sneaked out of the room. The secret is, DON'T let him see you leave the room. If he wakes up while your leaving, stop and wait until he falls back to sleep. As longs as he doesn't see you leave it probably wont take long for him to stop crying. This helps because your not going to want him in your room forever. :)

[mum2bobs]

Hi everyone! We have an 8 week old cockapoo puppy named Charlie. We really only use the crate at night while we sleep and when we leave the house. Charlie absolutely hates being in there. He whines and cries (very loudly) all night long. He will take breaks, for what I assume is a rest, and then start up again. We had to put him in his crate in the dining room for overnight because he is so loud. I'd love to hear any suggestions to make him stop whining and crying in his crate. I feel so bad for him!

Thanks!!

When I got Bobby I was full of determination and had his crate all set up for him. I had the crate in my bedroom, as I had been told that it helps them settle if they know you are there.

He whined solidly for all of the night, but I decided to persevere.

Second and third night the same thing happened, and eventually I caved in and put him on my bed.

SILENCE!

He's been there on the end of my bed every night ever since and we both sleep well now :)

[Oxymoron]

Hi there. I've found that a lot of the pups I've crate trained seem to do a lot better during the process if they have something warm to cuddle with for the first little while. Try wrapping a hot water bottle in a soft blanket. It seems to work a good 90 percent of the time, but you'll want to wean your pup off of it after a week or two. If they have it for too long they can be more prone to separation anxiety.

[Jesarie]

I wish I could use a baby gate with Axle, he is like a deer and just jumps over it. lol

[Marlene]

Bailey was jumping over our baby gates also - so we had to buy Carlson Pet Gates - there is no way he can jump over these, as they are much higher and stronger then baby gates. go to www.petmountain.com and look for CARLSON PET GATES ...they are absolutley worth the money if you want to confine your puppy to a certain area.

[James Q]

We've had Brontie 2 weeks today. We've been using the crate every night, and during the day if we need to be in another room, or actually get something done! She cried the first 2 nights, but not for too long, about 20 mins. Then we discovered that if she has an extra item like a T shirt or pyjamas which smell of us, she goes to sleep really easily as she is more 'cocooned'. She now goes in by herself when she's tired during the day (though if she could get on the sofa with us, she would), and she can go through from 10pm and 6am with no accidents provided I pick her up and take her out for a wee before bed. I say pick her up as she is usually fast asleep poor thing!

[breebella10]

this is what I was looking for thanks,

[Curottofran]

Hi, we just got our puppy murphy on Saturday. we have put him in his crate at night and he is crying but thats the only time he goes in it. last night he cried until 4.30am and then went quiet. This morning he was fine, no mess in the crate but then he had to go back into it when i took my daughter to school and again he was crying. am i just teaching him that he goes in it and he gets left? This morning he will not leave my side and i'm just worried that it's making him a bit insecure? (oh god i'm sounding like a loon ha ha)
should i be putting him in it while i'm in the house with him so he knows that i'ts a safe place?
he is 10 weeks old.

[embee]

Hi, we just got our puppy murphy on Saturday. we have put him in his crate at night and he is crying but thats the only time he goes in it. last night he cried until 4.30am and then went quiet. This morning he was fine, no mess in the crate but then he had to go back into it when i took my daughter to school and again he was crying. am i just teaching him that he goes in it and he gets left? This morning he will not leave my side and i'm just worried that it's making him a bit insecure? (oh god i'm sounding like a loon ha ha)
should i be putting him in it while i'm in the house with him so he knows that i'ts a safe place?
he is 10 weeks old.

With Flo she had an open crate at night in the utility room and a tray with a puppy pad in it which she used until she was 3 months then she could hold on till I let her out in the morning. During the day I used to make sure she had regular naps (like a baby) to make sure she wasn't getting overtired. Every 2-3 hours or after a long play I'd put her in her crate in utility room shut the crate, cover it with a blanket and shut the utility door. This meant she had peace and quiet and also got her used to sleeping alone. She now loves her crate and gets in at night when I say "go to bed". During the day she now sleeps in a number of different places.

Cockapoos tend to be really affectionate and will follow you everywhere so I would try and put him in his crate with a blanket over 2 or 3 times a day otherwise you may find he gets so attached you'll have problems when you do need to leave him.

[wilfiboy]

We are all loons lol ... If Mabel looked tired or was fall asleep i would say in your bed and put her in her crate, she would then go in if she was tired . Although since being able to get up on the sofa this behaviour has stopped !!! She goes in at night and if we go out, has he got a couple pf toys you could put in, a teddy, give him a treat as he gets in or a kong so he can chew it while you are out and keep him self occupied. Praise him when he goes in but as you let him out, even though he will be excited to see you ,dont praise him coming out , so no eye contact or fuss ... straight out for a wee. Like Mandys put on another thread snuggly blankets, possibly a wrapped hot water bottle or those microwavable puppy comforters, I've read a ticking clock, also you can get ,not sure what form it comes in but something that gives off the smell of the mother... whether its from vets or pets at home .. think i saw it on a programme . Good luck x

[embee]

We are all loons lol ... If Mabel looked tired or was fall asleep i would say in your bed and put her in her crate, she would then go in if she was tired . Although since being able to get up on the sofa this behaviour has stopped !!! She goes in at night and if we go out, has he got a couple pf toys you could put in, a teddy, give him a treat as he gets in or a kong so he can chew it while you are out and keep him self occupied. Praise him when he goes in but as you let him out, even though he will be excited to see you ,dont praise him coming out , so no eye contact or fuss ... straight out for a wee. Like Mandys put on another thread snuggly blankets, possibly a wrapped hot water bottle or those microwavable puppy comforters, I've read a ticking clock, also you can get ,not sure what form it comes in but something that gives off the smell of the mother... whether its from vets or pets at home .. think i saw it on a programme . Good luck x

I think you mean DAP, which is dog appeasing pheromone that a lactating mum produces. You can get a plug in diffusing that releases a synthetic version that calms a dog. I would try snuggly blankets, warm bottle and cuddly toy first, as Kendal has suggested, in a covered crate and would only try DAP if all else fails. It's early days yet and it takes a while for them to feel safe and secure away from mum, the litter and their home. The ticking clock is supposed to take the place of mums heartbeat but other noises like a washing machine swishing sometimes help. I'm thinking I took the harsh approach with Flo - just made her crate warm and comfy, gave her a cuddly toy and microwaved warm huggy then shut the utility door.

[wilfiboy]

and possilbly ear plugs lol x

[Curottofran]

Thanks for all the advice. We don't have a utility room so his crate is in the kitchen and as our breeder suggested, we cover the crate completely at night.
should i put him in the crate and leave him to cry even if i'm in the house? he is curled up on the rug now fast asleep

[embee]

I don't think there's a right or wrong. I felt I wanted Flo to be secure in her crate so that when we travelled or stayed away overnight crate came too - it worked well this summer as we could put her in a shut crate at night in the holiday cottage we rented - rules were no dogs on sofa.

If you feel you'd like to make use of the crate and want him to settle there you could also try putting something in that you have been wearing. Get an old jumper, dressing gown that you have been wearing and put it in the crate with him. Usually the breeder will also give you a piece of blanket or toy that smells of mum and the litter when you collect puppy so put that in as well if you have been given one. My breeder had used a big old wool blanket in the litters bed then cut it up and gave us all a bit to bring home. It smelt a bit 'high' but Flo liked it.

Some people just let their dogs hang out where they want around the home which is fine and let them sleep where they are comfortable - nothing wrong with that. I preferred to get Flo used to a crate and a small room in the house as it just suits us that way.

[embee]

Thanks for all the advice. We don't have a utility room so his crate is in the kitchen and as our breeder suggested, we cover the crate completely at night.
should i put him in the crate and leave him to cry even if i'm in the house? he is curled up on the rug now fast asleep

With Flo I would have got a fleece or cuddly blanket and bundled it round her then transferred her to the crate quietly maybe leaving the door open. This is all a bit like having a baby - they would just love to sleep all hugged up in your arms or on the sofa but better if they are in their moses basket or cot so they get used to it. :)

[Curottofran]

Thanks Mandy, i think i might try putting him in the crate while he is still sleeping and see what happens. i've got to go and collect my daughter again from school in a bit so he will be going back in.

[wilfiboy]

How did it go with Murphy last night x

[j maree]

I prefer to let my dogs run the house. Just a problem with the mail right now. From the day Chloe came home with me we have been attached. She sleeps with me and goes with me when she can. She was already 3 months old when I got her so I just put a leash on her at night and wrapped it around my wrist. She woke me up if she had to go at night. My kitchen was the crate during the day when I was gone. She never went potty in there. When I was looking for a dog I was going to do the crate thing. But when I got the dog I wanted to be with it so much. Funny I don't have any seperation problems ??? Maybe cause I have Meffy, another dog ?????