[jasmine.bouait]

Ok
So i have made the decision to crate train my puppy as from the day of arrival.

I will place the crate in my room so the puppy can feel that I am close by and hope for cry less sleeping nights...hopefully.

Can I please ask whether you guys suggest crate big enough to hold puppy pad or one without the room for the puppy pad??

Any advice on crate training would be absolutely amazing!!

 

[flounder_1]

I hate to say it but I think you'll have advice suggesting both options!
I personally went with a smaller crate 30" and no puppy pad. As my hubbie is a night owl she was only in there from 12.30am until 6am initially and we were lucky that she only weed once in her crate. We also made the decision not to take her out in the night for a wee. We were very lucky that Lolly picked up toilet training very quickly. I think its a bit like children - some can do it quickly and others can't.
We did end up buying a larger crate when she was about 6 months old. I now use the small one in the boot and we sold the larger one to a friend as Lolly only used it for about 6 weeks before we decided to get rid of it.

 

[wellerfeller]

Yes Jasmine, people on here have one both ways. Neither is wrong but it's up to you what you prefer. You decide how you will do it and I am sure your puppy will soon catch on.
I used a crate for about 6/9 months. I found weller didn't like the metal crate at all and stumbled across a very cheap soft travel crate in Tescos, which was covered with a zip up mesh door. He seemed to prefer this. So I would recommend either getting a proper crate cover or some towels or blankets to cover it. I think they feel more secure when covered, a bit like a den. Soft crates are good but watch with puppies as they can chew and damage it. I was lucky Weller chewed lots of stuff but left his bed alone
Enjoy the puppy shopping!

 

[jasmine.bouait]

What would be the difference between having the training pads and not having them?
Would it mean that i would have to wake up at 6am to take puppy for a walk or would he cry to let me know need to go?
I know all puppies are different just cant decide, and really want to have everything ready.

 

[wellerfeller]

Training pads give the puppy the option of using them if they need to, which means you may get more sleep. This may mean toilet training takes longer but not much. Or you can go cold turkey and if puppy needs to empty, you will have to get up and take them. You may be lucky and get a puppy that will be clean all night, 12am to 5/5.30am is all night on the early days .

Personally, I ended up on the sofa for the first night as Weller cried so much and wanted some company. 2nd night I left crate door open and covered kitchen floor with news paper, which he pooe'd and wee'd on and over time I reduced the area covered by paper, until it was just a couple of sheets by the back door. Eventually getting rid of them all together. We had a couple of accidents but he took to being clean very quickly.

 

[mum2bobs]

Ok
So i have made the decision to crate train my puppy as from the day of arrival.

I will place the crate in my room so the puppy can feel that I am close by and hope for cry less sleeping nights...hopefully.

Can I please ask whether you guys suggest crate big enough to hold puppy pad or one without the room for the puppy pad??

Any advice on crate training would be absolutely amazing!!

As has been mentioned there is no hard and fast rule about the 'right' way to do this - every pup is different and will settle with things in different ways.

I bought a puppy playpen for Bobby and in there put his bed, a puppy pad and blankets etc for him to sleep on.

Have to say that after two nights he was sleeping on my bed so all my good intentions to be firm, not let him on the bed etc fell away very quickly!

I toilet trained him using puppy pads, first one in the living room, then moving them out into kitchen, then eventually outside into the garden and found it to be a great way to housetrain. I know people have differing views on their use, but I would have no hesitation using them again.

As for crates, I had a small crate for Bobby to go in in the car when he was little and I was in the car with him on my own. Now he is an adult, he travels on the back seat wearing a car harness.

In the house he still has the puppy playpen, folded up to make a 'crate' about 3.5ft long x 2.5ft wide and he goes in that during the day when he fancies a bit of a nap, and of a night too. He likes it I think, and the top is covered with a blanket to make it den-like for him.

To get him used to gowing in the crate or playpen I just took things slowly. I got some really tasty food (cooked chicken, cheese etc) and would throw little bits into the crate for him to go and find and eat.

When he was used to going in and out, I carried on with the food, but would shut the door for a couple of seconds, giving loads of praise, then open it, give loads of praise. slowly increase the amount of time you leave the door shut.

Then carry on doing that and slowly move out of eyesight just for a minute till you build up to being able to leave him in there for longer periods.

When leaving him for long periods give him a stuffed Kong or similar to keep him occupied and interested for a while.

Sorry for the waffle but hope that helps.