Did a big oops last night-now what.

[busymomof6]

New puppy & crate training. We have been putting the puppy in the crate only at night, or when we have to be gone (i think this is mistake number 1). The first night we had 25 minutes of barking. the second night 6 hours. the third night 1 1/2 hours and last night we gave up after 3 hours of barking. My husband has to get sleep for work and I had four kids throwing up. It was just too much. she slept around the house all night and had no accidents (11 weeks old). Is it OK to leave her out at night, if we still crate her when we are gone and then also start crating her when we are here?? The lack of sleep is really wearing on us and my husband was furious last night (at me and the puppy - since I'm the one responsible for her). We try to make sure she is worn out before crating her for the night, I don't use the Kong then. Last night however, I was so busy with the kids she only got about 20 minutes of play time instead of the usual 1-2 hours.

 

[Dizzy]

To start - you have to introduce crate training slowly, otherwise you will get the results you have just mentioned - a distressed dog.

I wouldn't recommend letting a puppy sleep anywhere - it is just asking for an accident (wee, poos, chewing! ).

Crates aren't essential, they are just a tool. You can either confine the puppy to a safe room - ie kitchen - with its bed in there.

Read some of these on how to introduce your dog to the crate

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html

http://www.cuhumane.org/topics/crate.html

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/o...m/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html

 

[Tinaweena]

What we did with Boone after the first horrific night of crying was we left the crate door open in our bedroom.
We let him walk around the room and find a place to sleep. Which he did....and it was inside his crate.
We made sure it was the only spot with anything confortable to sleep on. It's helpful that we have hardwood all over the house so he doesn't like to lay on that.
With the door open for the first few nights he was able to get out and piddle if he needed too and it wasn't establishing bad habits of doing it in his crate.
Yes, we did wake up to one or two accidents until we closed the door at night (which only took 3 or 4 nights anyways) but we all got a good sleep and he got used to the crate at night on his own terms, and it was his own choice.
I know alot of people might disagree because it was like we allowed him to have accidents in the house, but at 8 weeks it's pretty hopeless about that anyways.
After the 3 or 4 nights of him choosing to sleep in the crate we closed the door when we went to bed, and he did wake us up by pawing the crate door to go outside when he needed too throughout the night.
He only woke us up for potty at night for a week or so.

 

[Mindy Miller]

I agree with introducing the crate slowly. You don't want the puppy to associate the crate with distress. Block the puppy off in the kitchen or bathroom with his crate in there, door open. Put treats and toys in there. It may take a while, but it will be worth it. Patience You obviously have that with all those munchkins (kids) runnin' around! These days, my doggies sleep in their crates because they want to, not because they have to.

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

Where do you have the crate?

It should be RIGHT by your bedside, so that you can dangle fingers for the puppy's comfort, and so he does not feel he is abandoned away from everyone.

It's good to remember that for many puppies, being put into a crate alone to go to sleep is the first time in their lives that they have EVER been absolutely alone. They have had mom or littermates constantly.

It can be a very disconcerting and unpleasant experience for a puppy if he is not in the same room or very closeby to people.

I have the best luck keeping the crate right beside my bed.

 

[busymomof6]

The rescue place said to put it away from people - not doing that anymore. I had it in the laundry room. The crate I have is too large to fit in our bedroom, or really anywhere else in the house. I was orginally going to use the crate for our other dog, but coming from a rescue she was too traumatized and we couldn't and didn't need to use the crate. She was older and is fine when left alone. A puppy is a whole different matter. It looks like to make this work, I'll have to get a smaller crate I can move around. I have tried putting her in there when I am at home during the day and she barks and whines too. Even if I am in the room with her.

 

[Tugger's Mom]

We have a small house and our bedroom is right off the kitchen. For the first month, we had Tugger in his crate in the kitchen--covered with a blanket at night--so he'd relate to that as sleep time. And Tugger was totally fine with sleeping alone in the kitchen in the crate. But with the cold winter months, we've moved him into the bedroom--and his crate faces our bed on the opposite wall. I think they must get a sense of security seeing that you're there.....and he's gotten into a routine now that he knows we're all going to bed at the same time...in the same room.

And as far as crate size...it should only be big enough for the puppy to stand up and move around....our beagle has a medium size crate (24 X 18) and it's perfect for him. Just enough for his bed pillow and him. (We made the mistake of borrowing a crate from my boss who has a boxer (I know--laugh now!!).....and Tugger had an apartment....he slept in one end....and pee'd in the other. (Which defeated the purpose of crate training!).

Best of luck......

 

[busymomof6]

Yeah I know about the size thing. I blocked off part of the crate so she didn't have too much space. She is 20lbs at 11 weeks so they are thinking she'll be a large dog that's why I just used the crate we got for our other large dog and blocked it off for now. Was thinking of getting a smaller travel crate to suite our purposes now and leave the open wire crate in the laundry room for when we leave. by the way a Tugger is adorable. Bijou wants nothing to do with the crate even though she was a shelter dog. I put her in there this afternoon and she barked up a storm. My other question is how are you suppose to introduce the crate slowly but still use it for times when you can't supervise them. I am a stay at home mom, but there are times when I can't watch the dog, the 2 year old and get work done, so I have started crating her then - but doesn't that defeat the gradually introduce the crate?? I mean at the shelter she was in some sort of Kennel and she was transported in a crate, it shouldn't be that foreign to her should it??

 

[busymomof6]

Well after a trip to Petco last night - no new crate. They were way too expensive considering the adoption cost and vet bills and shots yet to come this month. Will look for a cheaper alternative. Last night we let her sleep in our room with the door shut and acess to a small bathroom (because she likes to sleep on the cooler floor sometimes. She did great again. She slept until morning with no problems (except some bed crowding as far as the humans were concerned). I had to get up at 5 for my youngest and I let the dogs out then, and then we all went back to sleep until 6:30 Yahh some well needed sleep. I did put a large box with a cut out opening in case she wanted the den feel, but she just wanted to sleep with the pack.

 

[fastpitchchic]

You can also look in your local paper for crates. They are usually pretty cheap.

 

[busymomof6]

yeah - I've been looking and asking around. The training crate we have is on loan from someone, so hoping I can find something smaller. Thanks for the advice

 

[Tugger's Mom]

Perhaps your dog is relating the crate to the shelter where he may have spent all day in there? I wouldn't know how to introduce a "crate" slowly....we just start habits, and the dog eventually picked up on them. I don't know whether or not this will work or if you're already doing this, but Tugger now relates crate to "go to work" or "take a nap" because we have him sit, we show the treat and then point to the crate. He hops in there and we treat him. Also-put something in the crate that belongs to a member of your family....a blanket or shirt or towel....something the dog can cuddle with while in the crate. We use a regular bath towel (clean--not used! LOL!!).... and he ends up snuggling underneath it (very cute!)..... We're trying more "out of crate" time now for him. He's in it for 3 hours in the AM, 3 hours in the afternoon....then overnight. Otherwise, he's out and about. I really want to work on potty training at the back door....which is what he does now--but he doesn't bark or let us know...so we are still constantly watching the dog for "signs" he needs to go out to pee. (VERY FRUSTRATING!!!) Doing his "duty" is another story....he jumps, does flips and bites us and growls. We definitely get the message he needs to get outside quick.

 

[busymomof6]

Ok - just got home from a one hour errand the dog was out for 30 minutes before we left and did pee. When we got home she had somehow managed to pull a pillow near her crate and pee all over it, the crate and herself. auuugh!!! She doesn't seem to mind being in her own pee because everytime I put her in there she pees. Probably desensitzed from shelter. Just had to vent - thanks for listening. I don't know what else to do besides establish a routine and stick with it and hope she realizes. I have to remind myself it took Katie about 4 weeks to get used to our schedule and for us to figure her out. I guess patience is the key and having 4 kids with the stomach flu means I am all out of patience.