# How to get overtired puppy to settle? Hates his crate!



## kpanda01 (Feb 21, 2017)

Hello! We have a darling 9 week old pup that we brought home this weekend. He sleeps through the night like a charm in his crate by our bed, which is wonderful. We have two challenges I'm trying to work through. The problem is during the day... he screams and howls when crated or out of my sight for even a second. I had to leave him for about a half hour yesterday and again today, and he was still screaming when I came back. I have no choice but to leave him for a few hours tomorrow. I'm so afraid I'm traumatizing him and he'll never learn to take to his crate! 
The second trouble I'm experiencing is that I think he's gotten completely overtired and wired today. He usually naps a lot but has been awake for hours! He simply won't settle anywhere... not in my lap, certainly not in his crate, and he's getting a little wild  any suggestions for how to get him to settle down and take a much needed nap? 
Thanks in advance for any advice. I knew puppyhood would be a challenge, but I'm struggling a bit today!


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## Jackson2017 (Jul 4, 2017)

yes definitely days are tougher than others

Ours still only just likes his crate, he rarely goes in for his downtime at all 

We have tried everything to get I'm to like it more but I'm told some just never really like it, however he has got on with it re sleeping etc

We are to the point now we have to ignore when he gets wild and give him time out sessions

they always get tired eventually, its just tough


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## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

We have the same issue with our little of bundle of excitement! He'll sleep in the crate overnight but doesn't really like to go in their during the day. 

I've found that having the crate within a larger playpen helps for Albie. I pop him in the pen when he needs a time out. He whines for a little bit but will eventually settle there and it means that I can leave the room / house knowing that he is in a secure space. I leave the crate door open so that he has the option of going in if he wants to.


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

I wouldn’t stress about him not going in the crate all the time to sleep, Lucky slept all over. The trick was to be always managing his environment and what he had access to. We have a lot of hard floors, so that helps, but I used an old duvet on the carpet as protection. I had a wire pen I could move around and leave him in, in the same room as me. So that’s how I controlled his space. 

My other thought process is that I think you need to manage their energy level for them. By energy level I mean how stimulated they are. I may be wrong in this but I think they are poor at doing that themselves, they get carried away easily and I suspect that this can easily create habits and patterns for them. 

So what I’d do was control how much I played, how vigorously or not, when I’d ignore him, if I talked excited or calm, etc. You see them get “amped” up as you play with them. See a young adult dog chase a squirrel or cat, the excitement and adrenaline is too much, they loose any sense of self control. So mu thinking is that you need to manage this for them by controlling their environment and how excited you get them. I’d have play sessions, calm quiet times, gentle play, etc. But mostly on my terms and never for extended periods. Feeding, getting used to Kongs, and healthy long lasting chews are useful as “state interruptions” to help distract them, calm down and change their state. Lucky likes bulls pizzle, and one would last almost a week for puppy teeth. Once they learn to chew, they get into quite a calm state, as they age this almost looks ecstatic, v funny. I heard it releases endorphins for them. 

Regarding being left alone, literally start seconds at a time and using a positive distraction like food or a chew. I’d put Lucky in his pen, give him something like his dinner, when he wasn’t looking, I’d leave and come back straight away. Then same again but wait 2 sec outside, then 5, then 10... that small. You have to do this time and time again, you can’t do too much at once. It will start to work. He quickly settled down a night this way. He doesn’t like to be shut away if you’re in the house, and will whine or paw at the door if he knows you’re there in the day. But he’s not distressed like a pup is. They are pretty demanding in terms of wanting to be with you!

Hope that helps. Lots of YouTube videos where I picked a lot of ideas up from.


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## Jackson2017 (Jul 4, 2017)

LuckyCockapoo said:


> I wouldn’t stress about him not going in the crate all the time to sleep, Lucky slept all over. The trick was to be always managing his environment and what he had access to. We have a lot of hard floors, so that helps, but I used an old duvet on the carpet as protection. I had a wire pen I could move around and leave him in, in the same room as me. So that’s how I controlled his space.
> 
> My other thought process is that I think you need to manage their energy level for them. By energy level I mean how stimulated they are. I may be wrong in this but I think they are poor at doing that themselves, they get carried away easily and I suspect that this can easily create habits and patterns for them.
> 
> ...


Great Advice! Yes Bull Pizzles are Jackson's favourite thing, keeps him quiet and busy. The smell is horrendous but have just ordered some odourless ones!

We have found he is getting better each day with being left alone for a couple of hours here and there, often when we come in he is asleep or chilling


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## kpanda01 (Feb 21, 2017)

Thank you all so much. I have a new "can-do" attitude today  I had to leave him in his crate for a bit this morning and he was quiet when I got home, and doesn't seem traumatized  
I especially appreciate the advice about managing his energy level. He does seem to get amped up and over tired, and I think i need to play with him in a way that doesn't feed into that. It's been so long since I've had a puppy that I find myself thinking "what am I supposed to DO with him?" Lol! Any ideas for good play opportunities that wont get him too wound up? Playing with his tug toys sends him into a tizzy! 
Thanks again for taking the time to help!


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## Jackson2017 (Jul 4, 2017)

Haha good to hear

We have noticed an increase in energy after starting his walks on Monday, like times 100%

Oh Lordy!!


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## kpanda01 (Feb 21, 2017)

Jackson2017 said:


> Haha good to hear
> 
> We have noticed an increase in energy after starting his walks on Monday, like times 100%
> 
> Oh Lordy!!


Oh no! I'm sure you were hoping for a calm tired pup after his first walks! How old is your Jackson?


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

Tug is good, just don’t get carried away and not for long. A minute or two can be enough I think. Fetch (indoors) is good, gives you a training opportunity and even that little bit of running tires them. I find with Lucky fetch in the garden winds him up, it turns into him wanting to play chase, and that becomes crazy zoomies around the garden. Fun, but very excitable. 

Training is good “play” and calming I find. Just simple bonding exercises like hand touches - touch my flat palm with your nose and get given a treat. It’s all quite stimulating for them. Sit and stay are calming - at least once they can concentrate to do it. 

Look on YouTube for kikopup, I think she has some videos on training calmness. Seriously, you can do that!

I also am just boring at times and have a schedule. He’s learned this and knows when to sleep and be calm.


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## Jackson2017 (Jul 4, 2017)

kpanda01 said:


> Oh no! I'm sure you were hoping for a calm tired pup after his first walks! How old is your Jackson?


he will be 12 weeks on Sunday!


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