# Crate problems - all night crying :(



## flounder

We've had Lolly 6 nights now and are using a crate for her. Up until last night things weren't too bad. She'd get put in her crate between 11-12pm, cry for 15 mins or so and then settle down. A couple of nights were really good and I didn't hear her again until 5.30am ish and a couple of nights I heard her cry for a short period every couple of hours or so but I left her and she re-settled herself.

But last night.......OMG she cried nearly constantly all night  My hubbie worried in the end that something was wrong and waited for a lull and went down to her. He took her out and she did a poop then he put her in her crate. We hoped that was the problem and that she would settle but no. I think she might have stopped for maybe 2 hours between 3.30am and 5.30am (or maybe I was so tired that I just slept through herr!) 

I got up at 5.45 and let her out. She went out and did a little wee. I then fed her in her crate (she ate about 1 handful of kibble - she doesn't seem to eat a lot) then she wanted on my lap and she fell sound asleep! I moved her to a bed we have in the office and she is happy to settle there and sleep.

The only thing I can think of that was different yesterday was that I only fed her 3 times (trying out a slightly different schedule that may fit in more when I go to work) with her last feed at 6.30pm and that she might have been hungry (her last feed had been 8.30pm the days before and she'd been fed 4 times a day)

Help! I'm reluctant to stop the crate training as everything I've read suggests its a good idea and I'd feel happier knowing she is safe and secure when I'm not around.


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## Enneirda.

> But last night.......OMG she cried nearly constantly all night.


Were you able to give her the normal amount of attention and active play before bed? Did she take a extra nap or anything?

Where is her crate? is their any option of moving it to your room?



> My hubbie worried in the end that something was wrong and waited for a lull and went down to her.


Great job. =) So many people just go down while they scream!



> The only thing I can think of that was different yesterday was that I only fed her 3 times


I think three feedings should be fine, but if she's very sensitive to her schedule that could be it. Could you give her less kibbles each day instead of taking it away cold turkey just in case?


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## flounder

Thanks for your prompt reply. She had lots of outdoor play from 5-7pm but then she tends to get very sleepy for the rest of the evening.
Yes we are beginning to think about moving her crate to our room it's in the sitting room at the mo. We leave her water in there so she goes in it to drink and we feed her in there too.


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## Enneirda.

That does sound like a large stretch to be inactive. Could you work her up for some rowdy play about an hour -or however long her normal awake and playing time span is- before bed? 

I think that crating near enough for you to be seen does help a dog, it gives them more insurance that your still there, they're not alone and it's ok to sleep. It's also easier to give then potty breaks at night time. It's all I've ever done, so I can't speak from the other side of the fence though. I always crate my kids beside my bed. (or on, in 'Lo's case, she was LOUD as a pup. Wait, she still is! ) Good idea to feed/water in the crate, makes it more of a positive place instead of a prison. I'm thinking her loud night was a fluke, from what your saying she should be very well trained! Hopefully your next night is a calm one.


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## flounder

Ok - just happened to be going to the vets this morning for Lolly to have a quick check up and get used to the vets and managed to get some DAP spray. Fingers crossed that will work!

Vet advised against moving crate into bedroom suggesting we just be firm and consistent (we'll have to see how that goes! lol) She said the poodle in her could make her very stubborn and clever and that we mustn't let her walk all over us! 

Oh I really hope the DAP spray works !!!!!!!


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## Enneirda.

I gotta disagree with your vet. Young puppies like yours don't cry because they's strategically hunting for cracks in their owners resolve, always trying to find ways to break you into a proper owner that does everything they ask for for something. She's just a baby, and she's scared and crying for her pack. It's perfectly normal and is to be expected, it isn't the Great Battle for the Bedroom of 2011 lol. This pup doesn't have the mental capabilities to think "if I scream louder, they'll move me into the bedroom!" It's a baby for goodness sake lol. I do think that they can learn to cry louder if it gets their humans down to get them out, or they can lean to bark more because it gets them attention, but those are all learned behaviors, not a well thought out plan, you know? Having her in your room isn't letting her win or anything, it's just giving a puppy comfort and security. 

Like I said before, I don't think theres anything wrong with having her sleep in another room. I just have a problem with the reason for it being that she's plotting away in her free time for domination of the bedroom lol. 

I've heard good things about the DAP spray and the rest of their line too. I hope it works for Lolly!


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## kendal

never used Dap but what i know of it you need to use it over a peiriod of months before you see it having any efect as it is a build up of hormone from the mothers milk that is ment to be calming. people who use id for dogs scared of firworks at new year need to start using it at the latest the beginning of november so the hormon levels build up. so plead dont put all you hopes on it working strate away. 

all our girls spent the first couple of weeks in my mums room in a crate by the bed then moved into the crate in the porch downstairs. lol both cockers and poodle can be stuborn and to clever for their own good.


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## JulesB

When I got Betty I actually was virtually physically keping her awake during the evening for the first few weeks by constantly playing with her so she would sleep better at night and it did work well as she always settled very well.

I know people that have had their dogs in crates in the kitchen, or in their room, I didn't use a crate but as they get older you can change their routine more easily. My parents were looking after my dog a few weeks back and mum suddenly noticed Betty wasn't in her bed on the floor at the end of their bed, she was asleep on the bed I sleep in when home as they had shut her out, she hadn't cried but just gone and found somewhere else to sleep!!!

Good luck with the DAP, like the others guys I've never tried this, but I definitely think ensuring Lolly is REALLY tired is the best thing!


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## lady amanda

Good luck,
Whatever you chose to do, we have actually switched whay we do. Lady was downstairs always, but we have since moved her to our room as she will sleep in longer if she can see we are still there, She is still in her crate in our room. but I appreciate the extra hour of sleep I get with having her near by


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## flounder

What a difference one night can make!!!! Thank you all for your advice. Lolly slept all night long! We tried a few different things so I'm not sure whether one or all of them helped.

I bought a bed for Lolly and encouraged her to have her naps in it and then put that in the crate.
The bed and crate were sprayed with DAP
We all took turns wearing an old t-shirt yesterday which we also put in her bed
We left the radio on for her
We went back to 4 feeds with her last one at 9pm
We kept her awake more in the evening and tried to wear her out

So when we put her in her crate at 11pm last night she cried for no more than a minute (I couldn't believe it) and then slept all night long! Silly new mummy here woke up at 5am worrying about her and couldn't go back to sleep so I went down at 6am and got her up and made such a fuss of her!


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## weez74

flounder said:


> Silly new mummy here woke up at 5am worrying about her and couldn't go back to sleep so I went down at 6am and got her up and made such a fuss of her!


I think everyone will recognise that! 

Well done for getting a good result. You'll soon work out which one helps when you forget to do it one night!


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## JulesB

weez74 said:


> I think everyone will recognise that!
> 
> Well done for getting a good result. You'll soon work out which one helps when you forget to do it one night!


Everytime i turned over in the night I was listening out for Betty and got to the stage where I was imagining I could hear her!!

I found playing with her between about 9pm and 10pm was the thing that worked best for me. Now at just over a year old she often takes herself off to bed during the evening when she is ready!!!!


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## Enneirda.

Great job! Sounds like she's back to be perfect.  In that regard at least.


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## flounder

Yeah! Another all nighter! That's 2 nights in a row and 2 days with no puddles and she's only just 9 weeks old. I'm one proud mummy! lol


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## francesjl

Definately try the keeping her awake in the evening - we found that made a big difference, I also used to give mine 3 feeds a day but also puppy milk before bed and first thing in the morning !


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## flounder_1

I thought I'd update this thread. We've had Lolly 3 weeks now and after that terrible night that caused me to start this thread Lolly has slept through the night. 

Well even better than that - yesterday night after my hubbie took her out in the garden for her last late night wee he came back in and was busy for a few minutes doing some jobs, looked round to see where Lolly was and she had taken herself off to her crate!!!!! She was cosy in her bed in her crate. 
And then today we had visitors come with children. We put her lead on and they ignored her until she had calmed down and then they invited her over to be petted. She was pleased to see them but didn't get too excited and nipppy. We were in the kitchen having a coffee and then noticed she wasn't around. She had taken herself off to her crate for a nap!!! It feels so wonderful that she has started accepting her crate as a safe, cosy place to be. 

I'm a very proud mummy today


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## Sarette

Oh that's such a nice update!! Well done Lolly!!


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## wilfiboy

Hi Janet .. only just seen your thread, glad you updated it. She's obviously very happy with her crate, its good when they to let you know that its ok. She sounds to be doing great ... I know what you mean about "silly mommy" your almost listening out for something before it happens. x


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## lady amanda

WOW!!! lucky you...Lady will sleep if given the choice, anywhere but her crate


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## lovechilds

*omg - indeed*

I have just search on google cockerpoo puppy crying and the first result is your post of which sums up what we are experiencing to a t! I'm really pleased to read that its not just our Barkley and that we will all crack it. :0)


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## S.Claire

Ah that's fantastic news. This is the first time I have seen this thread so it's nice to see the development from the first post being so positive. Nacho was very similar when he was just 8 weeks old and he cried the first 6 nights on and off through the night. On the 7th night he just stopped! Nacho will also go downstairs to sleep in his crate and will get in it after his last toilet at 11pm every night. It is lovely to see. Glad your doing so well with the toilet training too - that definitely took Nacho longer to grasp! She sounds perfect! xx


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## Amh59

Hi
Glad everything is going so well with the sleeping and toilet training. It sounds like you have a contented little puppy there.x


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## Sequin

Hi there, glad to hear things are more settled.
Sorry to be ignorant but what is DAP spray?!
Good luck tonight!


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## lola24

Sequin said:


> Hi there, glad to hear things are more settled.
> Sorry to be ignorant but what is DAP spray?!
> Good luck tonight!


Dog Appeasing Pheramone (now called Adaptil) is a synthetic pheramone based on those given off by a bitch with a litter which calms them. Can be very useful for allowing a dog to adapt to new situations/ frightful situations. Great for loads of circumstances eg: new home, car travel, bonfire night, kennels, crate training, training classes etc etc. Available in a plug in, spray or collar and can work very quickly (a day or so)

for more info:

http://http://www.adaptil.co.uk/


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