KAT1 Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Hi everyone, I was wondering if you can tell me your experience of how long it took before your puppy liked going into his/her crate at night? My puppy is now 16 weeks and I have crate trained him since I got him at 9 weeks. With a few sleepless nights in the beginning he now sleeps all the way through and doesn't need to go to the toilet until the morning. Only problem is trying to get him into the crate at night without him crying. He settles quickly (between 1-5 minutes usually) but I worry about the crying thing. Do your dogs still cry when they go into their crate? KAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 What did you do to "crate train" your pup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 HI Kat1 We have had our lab pup for 3 weeks now, he just turned 11 weeks. He cried a bit in the first few days but he goes in now almost always without fuss. In fact I just put him to bed now, said 'go to bed now fella' and in he went and snuggled up. He was already pretty sleepy though. He'll wake up once during the night for toilet but I don't think he's too far off getting all the way through. We trained him at night by having him next to our bed for about a week then moved him out a couple of feet at a time until he was all the way down the hallway and eventually into the laundry. This took about 2 weeks. He goes in there regularly during the day when he feels like a little lie down or just to get away from things a bit. I don't think your pup crying is anything to worry about - different pups just react differently. Our previous pup didn't really take to it that well - we had him in the laundry with the crate door open and most of the time he slept outside the crate. That said, previous pup was happy in the crate in the car, whereas this one is a bit whiney in the crate while we're driving - he loves it in every other respect. I'm sure you've read some tips on making him love it more - feed him in there ocassionally, put some treats in during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoo Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I crate trained my pup within a few days of bringing him home at 8 weeks of age. He cried a little to begin with, but within 3 - 4 nights he stopped crying altogether. He is happy to go into his crate at bed time or any other time of the day; he loves his "house". he gets toys to play with sometimes and the odd meal in there to keep the "positive" association with the crate going. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAT1 Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 What did you do to "crate train" your pup? Hi Erny When he first came home I introduced him to the crate, with the door open, and had toys and a blanket etc.. in there. The first few days he went in by himself and would go to sleep no probs. I even managed to leave him sleeping in there, with the door closed for a few hours. After about a week, he started getting very upset in the evening and howled for about an hour or more. My mistake on the first night he did this was to go in to let him know it was ok. Then he just howled and scraped etc.. even more. (It wasn't howling to go to the toilet. that is a different whining sound). I posted on DOL late that night, in mild despair, and recieved some great advice. So after that night if he howled etc... I wouldn't go in to check (based on advice) and it worked. After about 5 minutes of howling he would stop. I also started to feed him in the crate, and give him treats for going into his crate. I covered the crate, to make it more den like. I also try and tire him out with walks, play, training, lead training prior to going in, and usually when I put him into his crate and close the door, he whimpers a bit (long enough for me to have a shower while he is crying) and by the time I come out he has put himself to sleep. He doesn't usually use the crate during the day time. He is outside during the day when I am not at home and uses a kennel to sleep in. I have recently (within the last couple of days in fact) trained him to go into his crate when I say "crate".And last night he went in by himself. so perhaps we have turned a corner? The other thing was that I also changed the cushion he sleeps on from a waterproof one, to a softer material/wooly surface. This evening he went into the crate and when I closed the door he didn't cry at all. Maybe it is a fluke. I will see how we go in the next week or so... I have also half uncovered the crate so he can see out of it. Any further advice is much appreciated. KAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAT1 Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Thanks Mrs Tornsocks and Miss Moo. I might try leaving some tasty treats in there during the day to see if that will also help. KAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 In addition to that, make going into his crate a fun game. "In your crate" (guide him if necessary) and when he's in, give him a treat such as a piece of carrot or some such that he can chew on. Leave the door open to allow him to come out if he wants to. Repeat periodically. This way, he will be less inclined to associate you being home + crate + he gets locked in and left alone. Also, try tiring his mind out before bed time by teaching some tricks; socialising or some such. It will help him sleep better if his little busy mind is tired. He doesn't feel the cold in the laundry, does he? I'll need to read back ..... I've forgotten how old and what breed. But check for possible drafts. I used to use a hot water bottle for my boy when he was tiny (gosh ..... that only feels like yesterday, yet he is now a 1 year old!!). It was double wrapped in towels and then placed well under his blankets. But then he slept in his crate on the floor next to my bed, so I was able to hear if he was likely to try to get at the water bottle. He never did, but I admit I never left him alone with it in his crate. Having said that, it seemed to make a huge difference to him settling down. I'd put it in there at least half an hour before I needed him to sleep in his crate so that the warmth could permeate through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAT1 Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hi Erny I have started playing the "in your crate game". I use frankfurt sausage which is only for very special treats (toilet training and in your crate) and he LOVES!! them. I think that has really helped. I have tired him (and myself) out and tonight he went into his crate again - no crying... He is positioned in the lounge room, so he doesn't have a draft there. I tried putting him with a water bottle, but he just wants to rip it open BTW he is a golden retriever who is now 16.5 weeks old, and getting BIIGER every day! His crate is extra large and I no longer need a divider!! Thanks again for your advice! KAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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