# Tomorrow!



## BenandGen (Jul 3, 2012)

We are finally picking up our cockapoo boy Busby tomorrow after waiting 2 weeks! We are very excited. We have just got his crate, and loads of toys and some puppy treats! Anybody got any advice on what we should do with him when we get him home for the first few hours? Also we are trying to decide on the crate situation at night, do we put a pad in his crate at night or do we block some of the crate off and have no puppy pad? Thank you for any advice given, 


Gen and Ben


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## KCsunshine (Apr 16, 2012)

Sorry no advice, but just wanted to say good luck tomorrow, enjoy your first day!


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## BenandGen (Jul 3, 2012)

Thank you so much, we are very excited, and a bit nervous at the same time. We will post pics of him tomorrow,


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## anndante (Oct 26, 2011)

We had newspaper in the bottom of the crate and the bedding used up about half the base, so there was space for Polly to relieve herself on the newspaper. She was very good though and didn't mess in the crate at night very many times so we were soon able to increase the size of the bedding. Ditto if I went out I put her in it to start with, although I quite soon found I could trust her in the downstairs part of the house as she wasn't a chewing dog! She still sleeps in her crate at night, although obviously there hasn't been a need for the newspaper for a very long time! But it is handy if we are away for the night anywhere with her and can take the crate for her to sleep in. She is so used to it it's not a problem.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi hope it's all going well with pup.. 

Just wanted to paste a post I made a couple of weeks ago. I too am a novice. Hope this helps. Also should mention, we had two nights where she wet her crate but we have gone straight back into locking her in and hoping for best. She is dry again. My feeling is that the crate should only be a bed. First few night may involve getting up to let her relieve herself outside the crate but shouldn't last long. Ultimately go with your gut. You find out their little quirks very quickly! 

Here is the post...

"Hi,

Sorry the crate training is not going well. I have only had Lola 5 days and fortunately she took to her crate straight away. In her crate is her bed, a ticking clock and a doggy hot water bottle which I fill up at night with warmish water. From the first day we left the crate door open and she pottered in and out of it getting into her bed and snuggling up to the hot water bottle. Every time she got in to crate to lie down we gave her a treat (just day one) now she just gets a joyful "good girl." I think it is important to have crate routine so they get used to it being their haven. We did it like this.. Toilet, food, play, crate. Kept this cycle up locking the crate door for about 15 minutes and leaving her then going back in only if she was quiet and giving her a treat then letting her out. It took two days to get her used to it now she does it without the guidance. At night we toilet, play, cuddle then crate. Turn the lights out before putting her in the crate telling her she is a good girl then leaving and closing the door. First few nights she called for us at between 3 and 5 am.. She needed to pee and poop which we let her do without getting too excited and only turning on dim light, put her back in to crate and back to bed. Last night she didn't call for us at all. We went down at 6 am and she got out and did a pee and poo. 

From my experience which is very limited I think routine is your best friend with getting these little cuties to adjust. If they are confident in knowing what is happening next I think they settle better. Like babies!

Hope I haven't sounded like a know it all this is just what we have done and it has worked well so far. I hope you can stick to it. The crate does give you great peace of mind. It also helps with bladder and bowel training. With every day Lola is holding on a bit longer.

Best of luck.. Let me know how you are getting on. Enjoy the new babe."


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