# Puppy in crate help



## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

Bought our puppy home on Saturday and thought he'd settled in quite well no problem with toilet training. It just at night.. I have a crate for him but he doesn't like being in it at night.. I've been putting him in there during the day but he will just keep getting out so I've waited till he is asleep and putting him in there. At night he cries really bad and I will not leave him for more than 10 mins before I go to him because he gets really distressed...he just doesn't seem to like it.. He's got a blanket from his mum in there with him and I have shut the door because I worry about him wondering about. Also can't see how I can leave him in there if I go out because of how he gets so distressed. Any help please ?


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## cartersofmarchwood (Jun 14, 2012)

We picked our puppy up on the same day! We found the noise a little distressing at first, but have been told to expect it and to ignore it otherwise the puppy will get used to the fact that you respond to that noise. Ear plugs have helped us both nights.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi, I am afraid puppies do cry and he will carry on doing so if you go to he every time he does. If you want him crate trained then I am afraid you have to power through a few nights of crying. If you go to him he is learning very quickly that crying gets him what he wants.
You have to decide how important it is for you to have a crate trained puppy/ dog. If its important to you then you have to be quite hard and ignore the crying, if it's not very important to you and you are just finding it distressing then don't do it. It's your decision and you decide what is best for you and your puppy. However puppy will only stop crying if he/ she is snuggled up with you! It is the company your puppy is missing as they have just left mum and siblings, it's a huge adjustment for them but if you can stick it out for a couple of nights they soon adjust. So you may well get rid of the crate training idea and use a dog bed but in all probability the crying will continue as its you the puppy wants.
It is incredibly hard to ignore them but there is no easy way to do it unless you are happy to have puppy in your bed and will be happy for your full grown dog to sleep with you too.
Good luck!


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

I can understand what everyone is telling me about letting him cry it's just that he gets very distressed... Biting the bars and his paws are also going through the bars and I am worried he will hurt himself. Going to try putting him in his crate during today and try to leave him there till he stops crying.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

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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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Hi Minnie
Where do you want your puppy to sleep eventually. The reason I ask, is I crate trained downstairs and in actual fact, Millie has ended up sleeping on the hall landing outside our door. She even now comes in to say hello in the night and goes away again.

Crate training is handy, esp if you need to go out and don't want to worry about any accidents etc while you're out. Some dogs get very used to their crate and walk in quite happily. My Millie was never that comfortable with it, but tolerated it.

There are a couple of things you can try to make it easier for you and your puppy.

1 Cover the crate with a blanket to make it more like a den.
2 Wear a T shirt all day and put that in the crate with puppy so he has the smell of you
3 Make the crate comfortable with a bed at one end and toilet area at other end, unless you want to get up in the night to do the toilet run.

4 Move the crate upstairs to be by your bed, do the blanket covering still and T Shirt still. Gradually over several nights, move the crate away from the bed, towards the door. Eventually moving the crate into the hallway and to where you want him to sleep.


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

Have you considered having the crate in your room until pup settles? As others have said if you want him to sleep away from you you will have to be firm and ignore the cries but it can be suprising how loud a puppy can be. If you have other considerations such as disturbing neighbours or children you may be better to have the crate in your room, you will still have to ignore the cries but he should settle sooner if he can sense you. He is upset at being away from his siblings but he will adapt, they just throw everything at the crate but if it is a good construction he should not hurt himself, do not leave a collar on him. It is early days yet and that cute cuddly puppy is just showing you he has a personality! Good luck above all be consistant.


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

I will be quite happy for him to sleep anywhere in the house even upstairs once he is housetrained and will probably only use the crate if he starts to chew. Just tried him in it and he cried and became quite distressed for an hour then he fell to sleep for only 5 minutes then started crying again I left him for another 10 minutes then took him outside to do his business. Will try the hot water bottle and t-shirt tonight and keep trying the crate for another few days. If he's still not settled I will consider taking the crate upstairs. He is a really affectionate puppy and just loves to lay and sleep at my feet all day


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## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Hi Minnie. Sorry to hear you are having crate problems. So many of us went through the same thing. The key is to persevere. It can sound pretty horrendous but as the others have said, when you keep going back to comfort him, he will continue to cry as he knows that's the key to get you to come to him. I had 6 solid nights of howling, yelping, bashing himself up against the crate until the 7th night when I didn't get a peep from him. He now has full range of my house but chooses to sleep in his crate at night anyway. I was consistent from the word go, so it may take a little longer but hang in there. xx


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

Put pup to bed at 10 with hot water bottle t-shirt and a cover over his cage - he cried for 3 minutes and then silence....
Now worried because he's not crying...think he's ok though, fingers crossed for the rest of the night... Thank you everyone for the advice


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Brilliant.. Well done to everyone. Hope the rest of the night went ok..


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## Hfd (Aug 19, 2011)

Hope your night went ok. As others have said the only way to get through this is to accept that they are going to cry for a few nights - with Billy it was only 2 or 3 nights then he suddenly settled. I find it much easier on a night knowing he is safely in his crate which he now wanders into once we are switching lights off etc for bed.
Re using the crate during the day - when Billy was little we used a puppy pen around the crate and left the door open, after a few months we let him have the run of the kitchen when we are out.
Good luck
H x


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

He slept until 4.30 which I didn't think was too bad. Last night he cried for half an hour and woke at 3.45 so again not too bad took him outside to do his business and straight back in crate... He cried for another half an hour before going back to sleep and woke at 6 o'clock. Was I right to put him back in crate at 3.45 this morning or should I have stayed up with him ? My usual time to get up is 7 o'clock so I suppose 3.45 is a bit too early.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

That all sounds very good. The first few nights Lola was awake between 3 and 5 am to go to toilet. We took her but with no stimulation. Last few nights she has gone all night from 10pm to 6 am at earliest and 7.30am at the latest.really sounds like you are getting there. We are taking her water away at night after her last pee around 9pm. It means she and I can have an uninterrupted sleep. This is personal choice but speaking to a lot of puppy owners and my vet this is an acceptable thing to do. As soon as the potty training is finished we will provide unlimited water. 

Good luck!


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## ElsieB (Apr 25, 2012)

Hi everyone
We are also having crate trouble with Ted (10 week old), last night was our 3rd night and although slight improvement he howled, yelped and jumped about against the cage for a few hours, then quiet but had poo'd and wee'd on the paper in the crate...is this normal? should we have paper in crate? is the crate to big? Its about a 42 inch size, he is tiny in it. 
Also, should we put him in there during day for short times to get him used to it?

thank you all, any adice gratefully recieved.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi,

Lots of people will advise on putting bedding at one end and paper at the other. I didn't do this because I wanted Lola to think of her crate a her den. Dogs don't like to toilet on their den. So in doing this we are helping her to train her bladder and bowels to hold and go when appropriate. First few nights we got up if she called and we let her out of crate to relieve herself with minimal stimulation from us. She now sleeps right through. From night one there has been a ticking clock and hot water bottle in crate. Also during the day we did little exercises like locking crate going away for 15 mins and coming back treating her and opening the door. Just to enforce to her that we were coming back and she wasn't trapped. She now after only 5 nights goes to crate herself at 2200. We lock at 2230. She sleeps till we go down in the morning. Reassurance praise and trust is what is needed. Hope this helps a bit.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

ElsieB said:


> Hi everyone
> We are also having crate trouble with Ted (10 week old), last night was our 3rd night and although slight improvement he howled, yelped and jumped about against the cage for a few hours, then quiet but had poo'd and wee'd on the paper in the crate...is this normal? should we have paper in crate? is the crate to big? Its about a 42 inch size, he is tiny in it.
> Also, should we put him in there during day for short times to get him used to it?
> 
> thank you all, any adice gratefully recieved.



Hi the crate is very big for puppy. A smaller area will make your puppy feel more secure, so you could try blocking half of it off or see if you can buy or borrow a smaller one. Makes sure its covered so it's nice and dark and cosy. Has he got his blanket from his breeder? The smell of his mum and litter mates will comfort him but also put something freshly worn by you in with him too. Try leaving a radio on low for him. 
Yes you should also use the crate in the day as puppies need lots of rest and using the crate is an ideal way to ensure he gets the rest he needs.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Minnie said:


> He slept until 4.30 which I didn't think was too bad. Last night he cried for half an hour and woke at 3.45 so again not too bad took him outside to do his business and straight back in crate... He cried for another half an hour before going back to sleep and woke at 6 o'clock. Was I right to put him back in crate at 3.45 this morning or should I have stayed up with him ? My usual time to get up is 7 o'clock so I suppose 3.45 is a bit too early.


I would call that a success. And yes, if you need to take him out in the night, then do put him back to bed afterwards.


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

Thank you everyone for the advice. Put him in crate tonite and made sure there was a dark cover over the crate and left him - then silence - not even had a whimper and no crying !!!! 
Hopefully we have turned a corner can't believe how quick he as settled and wonder why I go so stressed ...


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## ElsieB (Apr 25, 2012)

*Thank you*

Thanks everyone, we have a smaller crate now and a clock inside, he is getting used to it now, we pop him in a few times a day and without too much fuss, last night he was in from 10.30 and woke me about 5.45, he had done a poo on the paper, do you think I should remove the paper or is this ok for now? Also I put him outside or go with him outside for his business before bed but he never seems to go! He has last meal at 5pm.


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

That's brill well done !! I know how you feel and it is difficult to be stern with your new puppy but that is how they learn. Ours slept from 10 o'clock last night till 6.30 this morning and I couldn't be more pleased. Here is our little fella MERLIN.


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## ElsieB (Apr 25, 2012)

*treats?*

Ah Merlins beautiful, what treats does he like, Ted doesn't seem to like any except a pigs ear! Is that a treat?


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

The only treats we have given Merlin is Pedigree cheesybites which he seems to like. Have been giving him them as a reward when he as been to the toilet outside and my son gives him them when he's teaching him to sit etc. probably have a look in pets at home at the weekend and see what other treats they have. At the moment we are just trying to add things gradually because it as took him a little while to eat his food but he seems to be getting better each day.


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## ElsieB (Apr 25, 2012)

*Advice*

Hi again,
Just after some general advice really, Ted is getting better at night but loves being with us he is and is tough to settle in crate during day, is there any good advice or tips? 

Also, I know they're all different but how long should you play to tire them out before bed?

Thanks for any tips/advice


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I think the cover over the crate is probably the most important piece of advice when crate training. As for tiring them out our boy is 5 months now and i'm still having trouble working out whether he needs more exercise or if he is overtired! he nearly always has a quiet time sometime between 7-9 for about an hour then is really lively just as we would like to settle down for the evening and finally settles sometime after 10, we don't put him in crate until we go to bed about 10.45, maybe he would go ok all night if we put him in earlier but we do like his company of an evening.


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## ElsieB (Apr 25, 2012)

That's great thanks, he seems to sleep all day, is that normal? Loves sleeping near us by sofa!


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