[Amh59]

Hi

I've bought a crate for when we get our puppy and in the instruction leaflet it says to introduce the puppy to the crate gradually over a few days for a few minutes at a time. But as I was planning to use the crate from the first night home in the kitchen, how do we do it gradually? Thanks.

Andrea

 

[Soo]

Ideally you would have the crate open where you are going to use it and put the pups bed in and some toys and it will start lying in it itself. I let my pups use ours that way for a good few days before I ever shut them in.

When you do want to shut the door do it after the pup has had a good play and is starting to look tired pop them into the crate with something nice for them to chew on and close the door. Try to avoid opening the crate while the pup is making a lot of noise and if possible open the door while the dog is sleeping and just let it come out itself.

If you want to use it tonight then if possible you could have it right next to your bed and then gradually move it a bit further out each night as the pup gets used to it.

Or you can cold turkey it and just start as you mean to go on. The pup will prob cry for a good few hours. Mitzy did for about 2.5 hours the first night, then 30 mins later ln. The second night was better then it got worse the third night so exhausted hubby brought her into our bed. She had a few nights there and then when we got Peppa the two of them slept in the kitchen no problem. I dont shut the crate door because I have paper down in the kitchen for them overnight. Some other folk use the crate shut if its big enough to have a bedding area and a paper area and others get up through the night to let the pup out as for an 8 week old its unlikely they will be able to go all night without doing the toilet.

Its down to what suits you, your family and the puppy the best how you do it.

Enjoy your new addition

 

[Turi]

Hi Andrea

I think most people on here crate their pups from the first night onwards. Some puppy books suggest that you introduce the crate to them gradually, others suggest that you entice them in with food, toys and praise and crate them from the first night onwards – we’re going to do the latter. I don’t know what one would do with their pup on the first couple of nights if they weren’t to crate them for fear of pushing them too fast!

 

[Turi]

Ideally you would have the crate open where you are going to use it and put the pups bed in and some toys and it will start lying in it itself. I let my pups use ours that way for a good few days before I ever shut them in.

When you do want to shut the door do it after the pup has had a good play and is starting to look tired pop them into the crate with something nice for them to chew on and close the door. Try to avoid opening the crate while the pup is making a lot of noise and if possible open the door while the dog is sleeping and just let it come out itself.

If you want to use it tonight then if possible you could have it right next to your bed and then gradually move it a bit further out each night as the pup gets used to it.

Or you can cold turkey it and just start as you mean to go on. The pup will prob cry for a good few hours. Mitzy did for about 2.5 hours the first night, then 30 mins later ln. The second night was better then it got worse the third night so exhausted hubby brought her into our bed. She had a few nights there and then when we got Peppa the two of them slept in the kitchen no problem. I dont shut the crate door because I have paper down in the kitchen for them overnight. Some other folk use the crate shut if its big enough to have a bedding area and a paper area and others get up through the night to let the pup out as for an 8 week old its unlikely they will be able to go all night without doing the toilet.

Its down to what suits you, your family and the puppy the best how you do it.

Enjoy your new addition

Much better answer, well done She!

 

[colpa110]

Shellaghs advice is is spot on. Personally I took the cold turkey route and shut
Betty in her cage overnight from day one. half of the cage was bedding and the other half had a puppy pad. There were varying degrees of crying over the first fews nights - but none longer than a couple of hours ( on and off) but she NEVER wee'd or poo'd in her cage - but I could just be lucky. Personally I like the fact that I know that once she is in her cage I know where she is , is safe,and will settle. The few times I've left the cage open by mistake she roams around and even if i let her on my bed she fidgets for ages...
Like all these things you will quickly learn what suits YOU best... good luckxx

 

[jaimebpa1]

I'm new to all of this, but after reading on here and talking with the breeder I have decided that our puppy will be locked in the crate from the first night on. I have decided not to leave the crate big enough for a puppy pad or papper. Just big enough for a bed and a few toys. She will sleep in the crate next to my bed and i will take her out hopefully just once during the night. I go to bed around 11 and my son gets me up at 6 so i think taking her out once in 7 hours should be ok. If i have to take her out more at first i'll just deal with less sleep. With 2 young kids i'm still used to all of this!

 

[Fifi]

We shut Gaia in her crate from night 1, she cried for approx 20 mins then settled, cried again in the night when I got up and let her out for a toilet, she then cried for 10 mins before settling. Now she pop's in and out as she wants during the day, I think she goes in there when I go out, at night we say "Bed time" and she hops in waiting for half a puppy tubo, then settles until we wake her in the morning. At some point I'd like to leave the door open but not sure when to move on. She never messed in the crate and has been easy to house train.

 

[ali-s.j.]

We went the tough love route too - 3rd night we didn't hear a peep out of Izzy, She goes in with her tiger at night as happy as anything

 

[Pollypiglet]

I would start as you mean to go on in crate and get on with it. However I do subscribe to having a pee area some don't but it worked for me. Hattie has the odd winge but I guess that is the poodle comming out. We had a poodle when I was a kid 40odd yrs ago and I remember she was a right moaner! Hattie now sleeps on my bed as hopefully she is over the excited pee phase. Probably will let me down now but was always my intention to let her sleep on bed or in her own bed in my room. Have always let my dogs sleep with me found they don't smell of beer give you stubble rash or make promises they don't keep!