# OMG - What a night!!



## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

Hi

Well we came home with Archie yesterday afternoon. He is 9 weeks old and just gorgeous.

We had made the decision that he would go in a crate and stay there all night without us taking him out to comfort him etc and were going to stick to it. He has a medium size crate, bed one end paper the other. However, after listening to him crying for 20 mins then whelping for another 10mins and it slowly getting worse I snuck down the stairs to check he was ok and he had managed to squeeze his head and 2 front legs through one of the largest gaps at the bottom. It was just awful. We couldn't get him out so god knows how he managed to get in there and ended up cutting him out. I'm just so glad I went down when I did.

So he ended up in our room, in his bed with cardboard barrackading him in to one corner. This is not what we want at all but can't risk him getting stuck again.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I do next? Is he already used to sleeping in our room and is trying the crate when he is bigger to late after being up with us? He cried for a while but it didn't take him long to settle, then was up at 2am crying and I took him downstairs and he did a wee and a poo (not on the paper!!) When I brought his bed this morning I noticed he has wee'd in it during the night.

I wanted to use the crate during the day for when I went out to keep him out of trouble and to get him used to it for bedtimes so now I don't know what to do...apart from stay in which is totally unpractical and I have 2 small children that have to be places. 

Any help gratefully received


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Blimey, that must have been so scary for all of you 
Is there anything you can put in the bottom of the crate - a large piece of cardboard for example, so it goes up the sides as well?
Hope Archie is ok after his ordeal (and you!) :hug:


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Gosh either he is tiny or the gaps must be quite big. Thank goodness he was ok and you went down to check on him. 

You will need to get him used to the crate asap as it will be much harder later. Like Ali said is there anyway you can block the hole up so he can't do it again. If I was you, I would buy a new crate but make sure you see it so that you can check the hole size. I made the mistake of ordering my second crate online and it was awful. I am now on number 3!  

Good luck and I hope Archie is ok. x


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi, glad little Archie is ok!!!!
You could try a new crate in your room for a few weeks and by then he will be too big to squeeze through any of the gaps, it may also get him used to crate and then gradually move out of your room and back downstairs?
Also if he isn't a chewer you could try a material travel crate, they are obviously not as tough and metal crates but reasonably sturdy and has no gaps at all, I use one of these for Wellers bed.
x


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Gosh how awful and scary! Must say Buddy managed to squeeze through our stair rails and which was scary it was only three steps up so not far to fall but he was howling.

I would put the crate in the lounge or wherever you spend your time in the day and pop him in there an hour a day to get him used to it ,also that way you can reasure yourself that he wont do it again.Also i put the crate at the bottom of out bed for the first few nights you could try that he might settle better if he can smell that your close plus if he trys it again (though i doubt it) you will be close by .

Good luck im sure you will laugh about this story when he's bigger dx


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## Rejess (Aug 26, 2011)

Bless you! I cant think of anything worse on your first night , glad to hear that there is no permanent damage!

Hope you get sorted, i wish i could offer guidance but this is all new to me too so goodness only knows what dramas i can exPect from friday onwards, and no doubt you will all hear about them! *note to self, tape up every little hole on the crate!* lol 

Good luck and update us on how it goes tonight and how you overcome the problem


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Poor Archie and poor you, how scary. Do let us know how you get on.

Good advice already given here, re crate training so wont repeat what they've said.

Do keep us posted.  :hug:


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## Emily's mommy (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm so sorry! That must have been so scary! It reminded me immediately of when I was sleep training my now 13 year old. She was crying and I kept trying to leave her cry but when I finally went in, she was caught in her blanket with it completely covering her face too. It's the mother in you that made you go down to him-you must have sensed something was not right. Was it a metal crate? See if you can fine a hard plastic travel crate that may be better, but continue crate training. It really works! I can't remember the last time Emily had an accident in the house. Good luck!


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Hope last night was better for you.

What did you decide to do in the end?


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## Rejess (Aug 26, 2011)

Emily's mommy said:


> I'm so sorry! That must have been so scary! It reminded me immediately of when I was sleep training my now 13 year old. She was crying and I kept trying to leave her cry but when I finally went in, she was caught in her blanket with it completely covering her face too. It's the mother in you that made you go down to him-you must have sensed something was not right. Was it a metal crate? See if you can fine a hard plastic travel crate that may be better, but continue crate training. It really works! I can't remember the last time Emily had an accident in the house. Good luck!


My son had chubby little rugby player legs when he was a baby, and he once turned himself 180 degrees in his cot, he was yelling his head off so i ran upstairs to find both of his legs stuck fast through the bars of his cot all the way up to his thighs! Thank god for my mum and fairy liquid otherwise i think he would still be there now! Lol! We laugh about it now, but it doesnt half scare you at the time!


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

I think your right, it will be something to look back, talk about and laugh at later down the line. We have a similar story that is still spoken about from my childhood dog getting stuck somewhere. I think it was the mother in me knowing something wasn't right as I could tell his cry had changed..just like my babies does when her needs change.

Anyway it doesn't seem to have affected him what so ever. I have moved the crate now so it is where I can see it if I am in my lounge and he can see us if he's in it.. He is in and out of it all day and I encourage him to get in his bed everynow and then. He also has all meals in it. As yet I have not tried to close the door on him. When I go out I take him with me at the minute as we have still not got a solution to him getting stuck. I am trying to find some really thick cardboard and do what some suggested and have it on the floor and folded up the sides. We are unable to take it into our bedroom as there just isn't the room and lugging it up and down twice a day on my own anyway (my boyfriend goes to work at 5am) is just impossible. So we took his bed up with us last night and barracked him into one corner with enough room for all his bits and some paper and he slept there. He can't actually see us but I suppose he can smell that we are there. Last night I told him to get into his bed and lay down and surprisingly he did and went to sleep, and woke 3 times for a wee in the night.

I'm not hugely worried about him sleeping in our room at the minute but I am going to carry on with using the crate during the day so that he gets used to it because I need him to go in it when we go out without him. At the minute I am not going too far...nursery run mainly so he comes with us.

How long on average do you think it would take for him to settle himself the the crate when I find the solution and leave him in it at night. I am also going to start putting him in the crate today whilst I am around (just in case!) and close the door and see how he copes. I think it might be better though to get the cardboard in there first and then leave him totally so that he knows I go back....is this the right way to go about it? This is all very new to me.

I must apologise for such a huge delay in my responses as well. Between my 2.5 yr old, 6 month old and Archie I have not sat down for 2 days....and eating? Well whats that???


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

I am glad to hear that things have calmed down a bit and it is good that you are getting him used to the crate during the day. Without wanting to rush you as I know what it is like when you have a busy life with children etc but the sooner you find your solution the better as he will adapt to a new routine more easily when he is young. If you use a crate then he should be settling within a few nights.  Good luck. x


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## lola24 (Aug 14, 2011)

Clairasol said:


> I must apologise for such a huge delay in my responses as well. Between my 2.5 yr old, 6 month old and Archie I have not sat down for 2 days....and eating? Well whats that???


Blimey, i thought i was busy with my lot! Who are you? superwoman or summat??!!


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

Somethings going wrong with my posts I think. There may be two about the same thing now!! Please ignore me. It's one of those weeks I think


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

Quick update - looking for new, smaller crate for him to go in as when I closed the door on him yesterday he freaked out and put his head through the hole again to try and escape. Luckily I was there watching him. I think I would worry if I put cardboard in there that he would find a way round it. 

Wow, these puppys certainly turn lives upside down hey!


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Sounds like a good idea. Without seeing your crate I am just guessing but I would try and find ones that either has solid sides or narrower bars. Because he knows that he can escape he might try very hard to escape to start off with in the new one but you will get an extinction burst and then he will settle down. Hide some of his favourite treats in there and go back to feeding in there aswell. Daisy prefers to have a large crate (madam! :huh and settles much better in that than her smaller orginal one. I bought a cheaper one which she managed to actually break and also open the door of  so the lesson I have learnt is go for the best one you can afford. Hope this helps and just think of it as a temporary blip!  Good luck and let us know how you get on. x


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## Lilies (Sep 14, 2011)

good luck and keep us posted x


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## caradunne (Nov 29, 2010)

I have just looked at my crate, the holes are 3 cm x 8 cm, so it would not be possible for a dog to get stuck in (maybe a paw!). It came from Pets at Home last year. For peace of mind I think you will need to buy one that is escape proof as you can't be watching puppy, baby and terrible 2s all day you will go crazy. xx


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

lola24 said:


> Blimey, i thought i was busy with my lot! Who are you? superwoman or summat??!!


Oh how I wish...More a crazy women who has taken on a puppy when life is hectic enough


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## Clairasol (Sep 8, 2011)

caradunne said:


> I have just looked at my crate, the holes are 3 cm x 8 cm, so it would not be possible for a dog to get stuck in (maybe a paw!). It came from Pets at Home last year. For peace of mind I think you will need to buy one that is escape proof as you can't be watching puppy, baby and terrible 2s all day you will go crazy. xx


Your are absoluetly right. I would not be able to relax knowing what he could do. I am trying to find one now (have been to local vets also) so I will look at pets at home. Our holes are definately bigger than 3x8 although I'm still shocked he managed to get both front legs through too as they are not huge holes.


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## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Clairasol said:


> Quick update - looking for new, smaller crate for him to go in as when I closed the door on him yesterday he freaked out and put his head through the hole again to try and escape. Luckily I was there watching him. I think I would worry if I put cardboard in there that he would find a way round it.
> 
> Wow, these puppys certainly turn lives upside down hey!


Hi Clairasol.

I got my crate for Nacho from this site. It's pretty sturdy but very easy to fold down again when we travel back and forth to Plymouth. However Nacho has never tried to break free so not sure of how sturdy u need yours - fort knox?  Thought it might be worth having a look at this site though. They delivered with 2 days (it may have even been the next day) and were helpful when I called and had some questions.

http://www.only-dog-cages.co.uk/Deluxe_Dog_Cages/30_Inch_Dog_Cage/

Good luck!


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