# Crate and toilet training at night



## jac (Jul 27, 2013)

Hello everyone, 

Finally picked up our cockapoo pup yesterday  we are so happy but it broke our hearts last night listening to her cries at about 1 am 2 am and finally at 5. After she stopped crying we went down at about 5.30 and took her for a wee which she did  but there were a couple of accidents in the crate. 

Should we have gone down in the night when she cried? As we were told to go down early morning but now we're unsure about whether we should check on her? Toilet her? 

We understand this is all new to her she has a whole new environment away from her litter so we have been expecting a few cries but is the crate too much too soon? Or are we right to start as we mean to go on? 

Many thanks jac


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

It's normally best to allow a toilet break in the middle of the night about 3am, if you aren't providing a toilet area in the crate. Take whatever measures you can so not to force her to have no other option than to use her crate as a toilet as that would be distressing.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Lots of us put their crates in our bedroom at night when they are tiny. Their crying is heart breaking isn't it? I couldn't hear it for one minute. I took mine upstairs with me and they were instantly happy and relaxed. They slept through the night and never had a messy crate. I didn't get up in the night either- just went to bed late as I could and got up as early as I could. Good luck!


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## Sumes (Aug 3, 2013)

We have a sizeable crate downstairs (we dot allow our boys upstairs at all) and partition it at night so they've just enough room to turnaround comfortably but nowhere to toilet.
We use a baby alarm to hear them at night - had to get up with them around 3.00 AM for toileting for the first four days at home and now they sleep through until at least 6.00 AM.
We've gone with the rule that if they're fed, watered and toileted then they can cry a little - they usually stop within about 30 seconds now as they know it doesn't have any effect!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I can't listen to crying  I've read recently to put the crate in your room until they're used to being with you, if they cry to put your fingers through the bars, then over a period of time wean them out of the room, unless your happy for them to stay there of course. 
Having said that I didn't do this with Fergus with already having two dogs I felt that eventually introducing Fergus to them on a night after weaning him out of our room would be counter productive so I spent the first two nights on a mattress in the lounge and then on the third and fourth night sat for ten minutes until they were all settled..... Not a peep, we've then been up between 6 and 7 ...Mable has barked but not sure if Fergus has stirred so she's alerting us, then out to the loo. He hasn't had any accidents in his crate, but he was a little older when he came to us so more mature at 11 1/2 weeks. When Wilf and Mable were little and cried in the night I'd get up, straight out to the loo, no talking, no praising, pick them up and take them for a wee and then back in the crate.....good luck it can be tiring hang in there and do whatever suites you, it'll get easier and it will pass honest xxxx


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## AliAlfie (Jul 29, 2013)

We don't ignore our boys crying, because it wouldn't be a positive experience for any of us. We slept downstairs with them the first couple of nights and did exactly what Karen said, took them straight out for a wee without talking to them, eye contact etc and popped them straight back. They settled back with no problem, and only needed to go out in the middle of the night for less than a week, then they were going through (from about 11-6/7ish.) I do think it helped us that we have 2 youngsters together, so from that perspective we have been lucky.  Good luck and I'm sure you'll be back on here with a post saying how well you are doing...it is hard at first but these poos are incredibly fast learners.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

When we first had Wilf I did what you did Ali and bought a baby alarm ...sounds soft I know... But I found that I wasn't sleeping listening for him so it meant I could sleep knowing I'd be able to hear when the alarm was on .... So much harder when your shattered x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I've been lucky that my dogs have been happy in their crates, they share a bedroom next to us. They are more than happy and totter into their beds at night (Lola has a bed and Nina is in crate). 

However, if I had a distressed puppy they would definitely be near to me. Whether that means my room or me being in their room. I couldn't listen to crying either. Would break my heart.


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## AliAlfie (Jul 29, 2013)

wilfiboy said:


> When we first had Wilf I did what you did Ali and bought a baby alarm ...sounds soft I know... But I found that I wasn't sleeping listening for him so it meant I could sleep knowing I'd be able to hear when the alarm was on .... So much harder when your shattered x


That's what we found too, before we got the monitor I kept waking, THINKING maybe I had heard them...?! They got more sleep than we did those first few days!


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## jac (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks  really helpful.

Fingers crossed for calmer night tonight ... we shall be getting up in night to toilet her and try that, as she gonna stay in her crate downstairs...

Ill keep you updated  xx


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## StephStew (May 6, 2013)

*New pup here too*

Hi,

We also just got our puppy two days ago. What we have been doing in keeping him in his crate in the laundry room which is right next to our room. I can hear if he even makes a peep. I told my husband I feel like I have a newborn again.  He has woken up at 3:30 both mornings and I have taken him out right away. I can tell he really needs to go because he goes RIGHT away. Then again at 6:00. He hasn't had an accident in his crate yet. He's doing really good. He had one accident in the kitchen but after the fact I realized he was trying to tell us by crying. It's amazing how fast they learn. I'm just curious how long he will wake up at night needing to go out. Also, what time should I give him his last food/water?


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

We always had water available right up to our bedtime when we put Dudley in his crate, sometimes he drank some before bed, sometimes not. we were lucky he only wee'd in the night the first 3 nights and then was dry from approx 11pm-6.30am.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Like Dawn mine always had access to water. Imagine being thirsty in the night, another reason for waking up and barking.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I would have taken the water away with Lola at about 8pm.. I haven't taken it away this time but Nina doesn't seem to drink after 8pm anyway. Nina's last food is dinner at 6.


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## jac (Jul 27, 2013)

Horrah!! Success!!

The last couple of nights have been drier with no tears... We got a smaller crate instead, we left the radio on and got her a ticking clock we check on her in middle of night to toilet her and she is doing so well. 

Thanks for the help still not quite there yet but defo feeling happier x


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## Sumes (Aug 3, 2013)

StephStew said:


> Hi,
> 
> We also just got our puppy two days ago. What we have been doing in keeping him in his crate in the laundry room which is right next to our room. I can hear if he even makes a peep. I told my husband I feel like I have a newborn again.  He has woken up at 3:30 both mornings and I have taken him out right away. I can tell he really needs to go because he goes RIGHT away. Then again at 6:00. He hasn't had an accident in his crate yet. He's doing really good. He had one accident in the kitchen but after the fact I realized he was trying to tell us by crying. It's amazing how fast they learn. I'm just curious how long he will wake up at night needing to go out. Also, what time should I give him his last food/water?


Our two started sleeping through from about the fourth night - usually go through until at least 6.00AM now with quite a few 7.30AMs now too.
We leave water out until bedtime but their last meal is around 5.00 PM then just an odd treat if we do any training whilst walking.


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