just1more Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Hi all I brought home our new family member on Sunday, a SBT boy we have called Ripley He's pretty full on pup and was wondering about crate training to help with over all training of him and help calm him down. He is being VERY clingy with me since coming home in not letting me out of his sight/follows me around! I think it's very cute and understand that he's doing it because everything is new and he's being taken away from everything he has known in his short life so far but he doesn't seem to be settling at all He sleeps in our laundry which is only 2 meters away from my bedroom so the heat from the air-con gets in (I have a small panel across the door instead of closing it) He has a heated bed and his day bed in there too. I leave a small amount of kibble and water, his favourite toys and a towle with his mum and litter scent on it. He cries when he goes to bed and wakes every other hour crying. I give him a small feed around 9pm and then put him in there around 10/11pm after being toileted. I get up and take him out to toilet again aroun 3ish (when he wakes around that hour for the second time at night) even though he has puppy pads in there and I don't mind at this early age if he toilets in there. Usually after this he wakes every hour or so and cries and it just keeps getting worse every hour until morning When he was at the breeders he lived in the "box" in their garage until being moved outside around 5 weeks old. He never went in their house and I'm not sure how much interaction/handling they actually had with people. Since coming home with us it has rained a bit so it is a bit cool but nowhere near as cold as it is where they were whilst living outside too. Because of the rain he has spent most of the time inside here and I don't mind him being inside at all but the biggest problem so far is he will not go outside unless I stay with him and even then it's never very long before he tries to go back inside. I have large double glass sliding doors in our family room (where we spend most of our time) which is the main door for going outside. I can not sit inside literaly 3 feet away from the open doors with him on the other side without him crying. His food bowls are outside. He has different toys that he plays with outside he can see/hear/smell me but that's not enough. I have tried ignoring him until he settles so I can then praise him for being calm but HE DOES NOT SETTLE!!! He cries and howles sooooooooo much I'm waiting for the neighbours to ring the authorities thinking that I'm torchering him I know it's still early but would crate training help him settle? I'm too afraid to leave the house with out him ATM coz I'm worried it'll stress him too much Help please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) How old is the puppy? If I wanted a good night's sleep, puppy would be in the bedroom in a crate. Laundries are heat sinks. Even if the heat does get in, the tiles would absorb much of it. I think there's every possiblity the pup is cold. I'd be putting a towel with your scent on it rather than his littermates. Chances are he'll never see them again. Edited June 29, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I am a big fan of crate training. As mentioned you can then keep the crate in your bedroom, which will help your puppy settle in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I put my pup in a crate from day one and for the first 3 days I ended up sleeping on the floor beside the crate with my fingers through the bars... he was extremely vocal and cried even while eating. After 3 days I brought the crate up beside the bed and slept with one hand on the crate (fingers through the side) ... and over time slowly moved it further and further away. During the day I would have him in his crate and disappear from view for a couple of seconds and come back ... again building up the amount of time I was away - I was preparing for return to work and wanted him to be comfortable by himself. We even did outside time where initially he wouldn't move more then a metre away from me. Over time I would just sit outside and read a book or do some gardening and would completely ignore him but would watched him out of the corner of my eye. As he became more confident and more settled he started moving further and further away to explore. It is still early days and he needs time to adjust to the new smells etc. It is important he is taught it is ok to be alone and you will come back if you disappear from sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion 01 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Puppies like reassurance, and it is a big shock to them to be suddenly all alone after knowing nothing else but having his/her mum and siblings for company. Then having to learn a whole new daily routine such as where to pee without getting into trouble etc. They also like to follow you everywhere until they get to know the new environment. I have stood at the sink washing up with a puppy asleep on my feet, and every time I move puppy moved and this went on for a week and then puppy becomes more confident and doesn't need the" in your pocket" experience. In the days before crate training when I bought a puppy home, I made up his/her bed in a laundry basket with the front cut out and with nice soft blankets etc and it was put near my side of the bed so that if puppy woke up and started crying, I could just put my hand down and let him/her know that they were not alone. Hardly heard a peep out of puppy after that. Sometimes far too much is expected of a young pup in a new environment. Given time and patience, things fall into place nicely. My last puppies are now 8 years old and were crate trained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just1more Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Thanks so much everyone for the quick response I know I'm expecting too much too soon as he is only 8 weeks old(my last pup was a rotti and I suppose I was super spoilt by have such an easy going dog and was hoping for the same again ;) I know laundries are heat sinks that's why I got him the heated bed but also put his day bed in there for him if he gets too warm. With the crate training I'm afraid that if I put him in there to get used to it he won't calm down long enough to get praised for being in there so am afraid to use it as a "sleep spot" beside my bed...if that makes sense I am willing to have him in the bedroom with me though so any suggestions on this would be great Any suggestions on what type of crate (if there are different ones?) would be best or you like yourself? Thanks again :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Its a baby. It hasn't had time to settle since Sunday, its only Wednesday, it still won't know where it is, whats going on & where its mum & litter mates are. Of course it doesn't want to be outside alone. It doesn't know whats out there, where it is & wants you with it naturally. Give it chance to settle in & gain confidence. Crate or not doesn't matter. Crating is the modern fad, pups still managed to live with people without crates. Warmth, comfortable, feeling secure & well fed & time is what it needs. Especially time & most important lots of cuddles of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The beauty of the crate is you can put the puppy in your room by your bed so he can see you. It would be hard to have a puppy in your room without it! You can then easily slowly move the crate further away until it is completely out of the room. I have the metal crates with a plastic floor. It is very normal for a puppy so young to not want to be outside by themself. He is still getting use to his new home! You will need to stay outside with your puppy until he is confident enough to be outside alone. When he is start leaving him out for short periods and slowly increase this. Also I do not think it is a good idea to leave a puppy so young outside unsupervised - it would be like leaving a toddler alone unsupervised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) He is just a baby, in a strange place & all of his siblings are gone My boy cried all night, every night for the first 3 weeks Then he just stopped. New puppy, broken sleep for you,very usual. Crate goes into bedroom, in crate also goes fluffy toys/ kong with something yummy in it i.e. vegemite & plenty of comfy bedding,they just want to be near you, doesn't mean that pup has to remain there forever, gradually move crate towards b.room door, then over time as he settles in, move it out to where ever you want him to sleep. Good luck. Edited June 30, 2011 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 When I got my puppy, I didn't have a crate or know anything about them. But even if I got another puppy now I don't think I'd use a crate for sleeping at night. I put my puppy in a bed next to my bed (in a box) and attached a lead to her, and under me and to the far side of my bed so she couldn't move without me knowing and I wouldn't tangle up the lead like I would if it was attached to me. I also set an alarm for 2am and 4am to let her out for potty until she was about 14 weeks old or so. I got her at 10 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Funny, I used to be dead against crates just cause I thought they looked like a jail, no other reason, Now I love them & so do my 2 furry kids. I think when used properly they are a god send. Puppy is safe & secure & I think they feel den like to them. They can also be used when travelling, e.t.c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warval dobe Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Years ago I was always against the idea of using a crate but now I realise how naive I was Our last two puppies have both been crate trained and my advice is get a crate now, it is one of the best things you can do for your puppy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 If you have a smart puppy ... you might need to put clips on the crate doors. I woke up one morning to a licky pup ... convinced I hadn't shut the door properly. Only to later find out he could let himself out of the crate ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just1more Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) Thanks so much everyone for the replys All seems to be settling down a bit now. Last night was great as he only woke a couple times (as to be expected)but went straight back to sleep (did do a 4am potty trip) but the trick with Ripley was to sleep with one of my "smelly" t-shirts. So thanks for the tip poodlefan :D I have noticed he now goes to his night time bed during the day sometimes just to be alone (I assume) for 5 mins then comes trotting back out so it seems he likes it and it only took a couple days He's still not liking going outside by himself but it has been raining a bit this week so I don't really blame him ;) We'll work on building this up hopefully when the sun comes back out. As with the being left alone all together...need to go food shopping one of these days and my current puppy sitter goes back to school in a week so won't have a choice soon so the heat is on ;) Wish me luck Edited June 30, 2011 by just1more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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