kitty Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 (edited) ok, so our 8 week old cocker puppy is having her first night at home, and she HATES her crate, she just wants to be with us. It's super comfy, has her favourite toys, a kong with her yummy treats and a couple of loose treats buried in the blanket for her to find. She really doesn't like it. I'm ignoring her when she's whining, and praising her when she is quiet for 10 seconds, then again when she is quiet for 20 seconds etc. She's trying to climb up the sides (it's a soft crate) and seems terrified to be in there... i dont want to praise her for whining and making a fuss, because i know that it will just teach her that it gets her what she wants How do we help her like it? So far today she has been my little shadow, coming to me when i whistle, and sleeping around my feet...... i know this is going to be hard, but any advice to help her settle into her crate would be great. I'm worried she doesn't like it because we had to bring her home in it..... Edited May 2, 2009 by kitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 (edited) Might have been a better idea to invest in a wire crate so she could see you. Softcrates are more for dogs who are already crate trained, and happy to be in there. Not to worry, just lots of perservance, be firm, and get ready for sleep deprivation. Have you got a wire pen you can use instead? You can get them at Bunnings (compost cages) for $20. Can you have the crate in your bedroom at night? Edited May 2, 2009 by gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Might have been a better idea to invest in a wire crate so she could see you. Not to worry, just lots of perservance, be firm, and get ready for sleep deprivation. Have you got a wire pen you can use instead? You can get them at Bunnings (compost cages) for $20. Can you have the crate in your bedroom at night? she can see us - it's not a fully solid soft crate... that's why i got it so i could still see her. crate will be in our bedroom every night, for the next few weeks, next to my side of the bed, till we eventually slowly move it to the corner of the bedroom where her permanent bed will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx'sBuddy Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 putting the crate next to your bed is a great idea. i did that when my puppy came home and she settled down quite quickly, about 3 days and she was fine in the crate. i had a wire crate though and she could see everything. i also fed her in there to start with so she associsted good things with the crate. when i fed her i left the door open so she felt ok about being in there at times other than nap time. hope it goes well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 thats a good idea.... i guess tonight we'll have to tough it out,i'll prob dangle my arm in the crate tonight for comfort, but from tomorrow i can start feeding her in there for a bit till she associates it with good. it's prob just me, but it seems like she is actually scared to be in there.... just so frantic to get out anyway she can.... the crate has mesh material on all 4 sides and the top - i assume she can still see me lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakemono Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Just persevere on it, kitty! My pup also hates his crate, was whining all night long the first time I put him inside (made me almost gave up). It got better gradually, now he's fine by himself all night long. I think they're afraid to be left alone and they fear they won't see you again. As long as you stick with the schedule, they'll understand soon enough. I usually fill in the puppy Kong with some food inside it when I leave him alone, it'll preoccupy his time and makes him fret about it less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx'sBuddy Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 maybe think about getting a wire crate. it will last a long time and the pup can see out it. if it gets cold or you want the pup not to see out then you can cover it with a blanket or towel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 maybe think about getting a wire crate. it will last a long time and the pup can see out it. if it gets cold or you want the pup not to see out then you can cover it with a blanket or towel. Yes I agree, soft crates aren't really suitable for puppies, they can't see out of it very well, they're easily damaged by scratching and chewing and not as easy to clean if the puppy has an accident. Buy a wire crate and keep the soft one until she's older and crate trained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiahzen Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 You just have to be persistent.. A soft crate is probably not the best but make do with what you have for now. We recently went away with 3 puppies to a show and one was not used to sleeping in the trailer or crate so the first night away we gave him a little rescue remedy and he slept like a baby and did not stress at all.. Its great for calming scared puppies, dogs and animals and is natural and safe to use.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bindii Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I'm just replying to wish you luck!! I'm certainly not the best example to be replying. First we had Hugo who HATED the box we had, so i gave up after a week or so and he's been in the bed since, next we had Fletcher who howled a little the first night and from pretty much night two, he trotted himself in there and curled up and slept through the night - we got lucky! I guess as others said just keep perservering on! ... on second thoughts, Hugo was in a cardboard box (with no top on it, so he could see us, i could pat him, but he just couldn't get out...) maybe the wire crate we got for Fletcher was what worked. Maybe the soft crate is what's causing the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 well first night is over... and she did super super well..... after about 20 seconds of whining she settled down, and only whined when she needed to pee (which was 4 times) she went straight outside with me, did her pee, came back inside and went back to sleep. didn't even flinch when it was cold and the grass was wet. so far so good!!! she is a bit velcro at the moment, she just wants to be with us. thanks for all your advice, i'm sure i'll have more questions. now i just have to concentrate on her not nibbling on my hair.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Congrats! I just had Night #2 with my new german shepherd puppy, and after a bit of a whining performance on the first night, last night she fell right asleep when I put her in there, and didn't wake up to go toilet til 6am (well I got her up cos I was worried, lol). Then I put her back in cos I still wanted a few hours extra sleep (lol) and we got up at 7.30. I've noticed Shyla only settles in her crate once the light is off, too. But its only the 3rd day so who knows! Congrats on a successful night, feels good doesnt it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiahzen Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 My puppy sometimes gets annoyed by the light too. When she first came home we let her sleep in our en-suite until our older dog learned how to let her out and then eventually taught her so then she went to her crate which had a puppy pen attached to it when she was about 14 weeks old the puppy pen was removed and she just had her crate. Each time we moved her and then removed the puppy pen she had a little sook and then went straight to sleep.... If the light is on some nights she will whine and carry on until you turn it off I am so glad that this time around i got her crate before she got home, with our male we did not know about crates and never needed it with any of our other dogs.. he was a total menace and when we were advised to get one he was already 12 weeks old and he was impossible to get to sleep in there at night He is fine now but still wont sleep in it at night and sleeps on the floor next to my side of the bed..... The amount of things that he destroyed because we did not have the crate... I don't think i would ever get another puppy without having a crate ever again.. Not to mention it has been a god send for toilet training I found that you just have to be consistent with it.. Lila goes to bed at the same time every night and then wakes up at the same time every morning she has a routine and knows what to do, just be persistent and have consistency and they eventually understand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bindii Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Yep yep yep, light on is a bit of a problem for Fletcher too! Unless he's *super* sleepy. So good to hear that she was a good girl! i didn't realise that she hadn't actually had a night yet... clearly she just needed to be sleepy to understand what you wanted from her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black sooty Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 well first night is over... and she did super super well..... congratulations on your first night. I remember the first night we had our little lab she cried and barked for about 30mins and it was so heartbreaking. and we worried that are neighbours were going to hate us! but persistance and not giving in was the key. and giving her practice runs of leaving her alone in her crate by herself without me helped a lot. also giving a different toy each day so she didnt get bored. also leaving the radio on so she didnt feel alone in silence also help. within 3-4 days r little pup could be left with minimal fuss. now she's a bit older and doesnt need the crate she loves it! we've left it in the hall way and if we walk past it she'll go it in by herself and be confused as to why is it not full of toys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 pup doesnt mind her crate now - she's jumped in there on her own once her twice to play with toys, and i'm going to feed her in there for a little while. she just hates her long term confinement - the laundry. she has everything she needs in there, she just goes mental. i put her in there before to get ready for going to work on Tuesday and she went ballistic. i waited until she stopped whining for a minute or two, went in gave her treats, told her she was good for being quiet and let her out, and we met the neighbours and they love her, so that's good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wish_4_cockerspaniel Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 pup doesnt mind her crate now - she's jumped in there on her own once her twice to play with toys Yay Kitty, great news!! Good work on the neighbours, that worked wonders for us too - so did a couple of well timed bottles of wine mind you! Good luck for another good nights sleep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 another night down and......... she slept the whole way through!!! (clever little puppy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Mine too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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