she never stops crying/whining! help!

Doberluv

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#21
I'm sorry...I wasn't very helpful, was I. Well... I always used a crate for my dogs when they were pups, but not for too long of a period at a time. I would put the crate next to my bed and my most recent pup, my Doberman slept in there with me or when I couldn't watch him, he'd go in with a treat and some toys. It was never associated with punishment and he was rewarded when he went in with my command, "go to bed." He got so he liked his little place to be quiet, very little stimulation and protected. It isn't good to leave them their too long, like Renee said. So, if you can make a puppy proof room, that would be GREAT! I was afraid my Doberman would eat the walls and door jams, so I used a crate. He was a monster. But he got plenty of exercise and play time so that he didn't mind settling down once in a while.

I do think your pup will get over this. Just don't worry too much or make a fuss over him when he's doing all that. He'll learn that that works and you'll have problems later on. Give him ample attention, a little training, (sit, come, down, let's go etc...get him use to the leash gradually..that sort of thing) Let him romp several times a day out in the yard with you. Take him to visit some neighbors, but make sure it's all pleasant and nothing scary happens to him. You can even carry him part of the way. It may be too far for him to walk at this age.

Encourage him with gentle play, treats and toys. Show him new things, but don't overwhelm him. Give him plenty of chances for naps. I really think he'll be fine. If you've done enough with him, you feel good about the time you've spent with him, he's fed and gone potty, has water and he's sleepy looking, put him down for a nap and ignore the whining. You can be pretty sure he's comfortable. He'll figure out that that doesn't bring you. He has to learn that he can't have constant attention.

Give it time and patience. I think he'll be fine.
 

Fran27

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#22
My puppy was doing the same thing. It took him over a month to get used to the crate, at first we couldn't leave two minutes and he was already whining. My guess is that if you let her in the room with a baby gate and leave, it will be the same thing.

Just ignore her until she stops whining. If you don't, she will learn that whining gets your attention. If you ignore her, and only let her out or give her attention when she's quiet, she will understand that it isn't going anywhere and will stop. It took a while for my puppy to get it, but now he's fine with it and he knows the 'go to bed' command as well (although it requires a treat with peanut butter to work... stubborn he is). He still has his moments when he hears us in another room and whines, but it's because he wants to be with us, but he's really way better about it. It just requires lots of patience.

Good luck.
 

amartin

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#23
Doberluv said:
I'm sorry...I wasn't very helpful, was I. Well... I always used a crate for my dogs when they were pups, but not for too long of a period at a time. I would put the crate next to my bed and my most recent pup, my Doberman slept in there with me or when I couldn't watch him, he'd go in with a treat and some toys. It was never associated with punishment and he was rewarded when he went in with my command, "go to bed." He got so he liked his little place to be quiet, very little stimulation and protected. It isn't good to leave them their too long, like Renee said. So, if you can make a puppy proof room, that would be GREAT! I was afraid my Doberman would eat the walls and door jams, so I used a crate. He was a monster. But he got plenty of exercise and play time so that he didn't mind settling down once in a while.

My roommate just moved out so I have an entirely empty bedroom. I was thinking of putting the crate in there and covering up the electrical sockets, door jams, etc. and leaving her there with her toys when I have to leave the house. I figure she will learn to lay in her crate when she is tired and have a bigger space to run around when im gone for 2+ hours. I've been letting her sleep on the floor next to my bed and she has been doing great with that, no accidents or anything. I think that what Renee said about her associating the crate with her cage at the humane society may be the deal here. Does this sound like a good idea or should i be trying to get her to use the crate with a little more force? Is her sleeping on the floor or in my bed a bad idea?
 

bubbatd

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#24
Sleeping with you is fine !!! You might try covering the crate with a blanket to make it more like a den.
 
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#25
That sounds like a good plan, Martin. And don't worry if she doesn't ever really get enthusiastic about a crate. There are more of us who have never owned a crate than there are who depend on them. They aren't a necessary part of dog ownership :)
 

poeluvr

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#26
yea, i had a crate for my old dog. but this time the crate is way to big for my puppy, and we decided anyways a puppy proof room would be better
 
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#27
Solution!

We used to have the exact same problem with our Boxer puppies. Our trainer told us how to solve the problem, and it worked!

Dogs whine because they feel that they are being abandoned by their pack. In the wild this is useful, but in the home it just becomes aggravating. They won't stop until you correct the behavior.

Half an hour before you plan to leave or go to bed, kennel your dog.

Take a dozen tennis balls with you to wherever the kennel is. Put the dog in the kennel, using the phrase "Go Kennel" or "Kennel up." If the dog resists going in, lure it in with a treat.

Sit across the room from the dog. The second that it starts to make any kind of a whining or a barking sound, throw a tennis ball at the crate. It will make a loud sound that will startle the dog. Yell "QUIET!" as you throw the ball. Repeat until the dog stays quiet.

For kennelling during the day, this trick also helps. Go to your local butcher and get a REAL cow bone (a femur section for a large dog, a smaller bone for a small dog). They come with a little meat still on them and plenty of marrow. Start kennelling your dog for about half an hour at a time with the bone. They will LOVE it and chew on it. When that half an hour is up, take the bone out, put it in a plastic bag, and stick it in the fridge or freezer. Don't let them have it for longer than half an hour at a time, since their body needs to adjust to digesting the marrow. Gradually work your way up to up to three or four hours in the crate, but no longer for a puppy. Pretty soon your dog will associate the smell of the bone with the crate and look forward to being kennelled. THESE BONES ARE FOR THE KENNEL ONLY. If you let them have them in other parts of the house, they'll make a mess. Gross.

Don't put the dog to bed with the real bone, or they'll get incredibly thirsty in the night. Instead, put the dog to bed with a treat, and use the tennis ball technique.

Hope this works for you.
 
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#28
LindaRusiecki said:
Sit across the room from the dog. The second that it starts to make any kind of a whining or a barking sound, throw a tennis ball at the crate. It will make a loud sound that will startle the dog. Yell "QUIET!" as you throw the ball. Repeat until the dog stays quiet.
...Jesus. I'm speechless...
 

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