Dog owners-need help with crate training, please

[Nails<3]

Hi,

We got our golden retriever pup duke last Sunday and have let him settle in etc but now it is time for him to be crate trained.

He won't be crated in the day unless I have to pop out but he will be in the evening as obviously puppies chew and he can't have free reign of the house this early on.

I have his crate set up, he has old towels, soft blanket, my tangle teaser which he has made friends with and his retriever teddy who he doesn't go anywhere without

I put his food in his crate to feed him then close the door but not lock it and then when he has finished he opens it and out he comes. I have been throwing treats into the crate and he runs in and has no problem on being in there he just yelps when the door closes. Do I just
Keep him in there and let him cry it out.

I am currently sitting next to the crate he is in and he has gone to sleep, but obviously I can't sit by the crate every time surely?

Any help and ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks x

 

[80's Girl]

Hi, we crate trained our puppy and it worked really well.

We only put her in the crate at night when we went upstairs to bed. Through the day we took her outside every 2/3 hours especially after she'd eaten or just woken up. We'd plop her on the grass and say "do wee wee" so she'd start to make the association.

We made her crate really cosy inside with bedding and favourite toy but no food and water. We'd take her for a wee and put her to bed at about midnight saying "go to bed".

She did cry the first night and my husband had to stop me going downstairs to get her! The second night we put a hot water bottle (not boiling mind) wrapped in a towel in the crate for her to cuddle up to and we also put a blanket over the top of the crate to make sure it was draft free and she felt really secure. She only cried a little.

By the third night she was sleeping through. We'd go down in the morning quite early 6ish so she wasn't in there for a really long time.

Within a month we didn't even close the door on the crate because she totally got it. She had a few accidents in the house but that's only natural with a puppy - she never did a poo in the house though!

It seems like hard work at first but it's totally worth putting the effort in when they're little (like kids!).

Good luck. Have you got a pic? X

 

[Crystal colleen]

Hey I only used my crate at night that's it so when we got our puppy bullmastiff I took him out for a wee and poo at night then put him straight in it and went up he cried alot lol but that's normal.I went down to let him out every 2-3 hours to let him out for a wee so he didn't do it in his crate.don't be fooled by them crying and you thinking he needs a wee lol they are very cleaver lol.as long as you going down and letting him out regulaly you know it's just because you have put him in there.

Our boy Gary cried for about 5 nights of being in there but after that he soon realised that's where he had to sleep and then it was just a matter of letting him out for a wee and popping him back in there.

Don't go soft though because all your hard work is broken it's hard to hear the crying but trust me it's worth it in the end.

We've only just got rid of ours and our boys a year old.xx

 

[Nails<3]

That's the hard part, his little whine, puppy face and huge ears get me every time

It won't be a permanent thing, its just to make sure he isn't destructive at night. As soon as he is old enough he will be out of it.

So tonight I will take him outside for his pee and poo and then put him in the crate and cover it up. Would you recommend I sleep down stairs tonight with him. I will set my alarms for every 2/3 hours to take him to do his business. I know it's going to take a few nights. I have been sleeping down stairs with him since I got him which probably wasn't the best start.

Thanks girls I will keep you updated! here he is my little duke!

 

[80's Girl]

Hey I only used my crate at night that's it so when we got our puppy bullmastiff I took him out for a wee and poo at night then put him straight in it and went up he cried alot lol but that's normal.I went down to let him out every 2-3 hours to let him out for a wee

Ahh yes I forgot that husband went down in the night at about 3am to take her out. So she was in there from 12-3 and 3-6.

The theory is that a dog won't mess it's own bed (when they are tiny babies the mum dog eats the mess) so while it's in it's crate it won't go to the toilet.

I agree that you have to persevere and not give in to the crying. My pup is one year old now and I can't imagine life without her!

 

[Nails<3]

Also, I take duke out the back for him to go do his poo and sometimes he will go and then earlier he came back in an pooed in the kitchen straight after he refused to do it outside. I have been waiting for him to start circling and sniffing then take him out. Is that the right thing to do, and should I be waiting outside untill he has done his business? X

 

[80's Girl]

Ahh adorable!

I know it's really really hard but I wouldn't sleep downstairs - puppy will get used to you always being there and that's going to be hard for them in the future when you have to leave them.

Another thing you can do is leave a radio on at low volume at night near their crate. X

 

[80's Girl]

[QUOTE=Nails

Yes, we used to wait until she had 'been'. We'd look out for the circling thing and scoop her up, also taking her straight out after meals and naps. I think even if they do it in the house you're meant to pick them up as quickly as possible and still take them outside so they make the association.

 

[Gemgem675]

We crate trained our puppy he was in his crate at night and when we went out in the day. We also put a water bottle in the crate wrapped up and also we got told to buy a cheap travel clock that ticks as the sound is soothing to the dog as it mimicks there mums heartbeat that was also wrapped up in the crate.

It only took us 2nights before he was crate trained but definitely really hard not to want to check them when they cry, good luck

Sent from my HTC One X using SalonGeek

 

[Nails<3]

Ahh adorable!

I know it's really really hard but I wouldn't sleep downstairs - puppy will get used to you always being there and that's going to be hard for them in the future when you have to leave them.

Another thing you can do is leave a radio on at low volume at night near their crate. X

That's what I thought, plus my back is killing and could do with a good night sleep so I will crate him tonight before I go to bed and set my alarms to take him out.

 

[Nails<3]

We crate trained our puppy he was in his crate at night and when we went out in the day. We also put a water bottle in the crate wrapped up and also we got told to buy a cheap travel clock that ticks as the sound is soothing to the dog as it mimicks there mums heartbeat that was also wrapped up in the crate.

It only took us 2nights before he was crate trained but definitely really hard not to want to check them when they cry, good luck

Sent from my HTC One X using SalonGeek

Ah ok, we have a clock that ticks so I will put that in. I have a water bottle and will fill that up and wrap it up in his blanket and hopefully he feels a bit more secure.

 

[tanfastic]

I have pm'd you

 

[dandelionpoppy]

I've had so much help from other dog owners on here when I (very )unexpectedly became mummy to a 10 week old puppy in April. I still have much to learn, but I wanted to help a little bit, if I can.

My first instinct was to take her into my bed the first night; I felt so sorry for her being away from her real mummy. I fought against it and it was for the best. She is quite a wilful breed, but she never attempts to go upstairs, climb on the furniture or bother us when we're eating. We've only used tone of voice to discourage her, not even shouting.

She sees her crate as her special place. She only goes in it at night now, but sometimes goes in of her own accord when she is ready for bedtime.

Basically, what I've learned is that what you expect, and are firm on, is what she will do.

You sound like a lovely pup mummy. Enjoy x

 

[Christine Mary]

My dog is crate trained and is quite happy to go in there. She sleeps in there all night too, and has a routine last of all, ...................down the garden to do wee wee and poopies, them she comes straight in and goes to her crate without being told.

Initially when we put her in we did it just for 5 minutes, and increased the time gradually. We let her see us walking round, but ignored her whines.

After literally a couple of days, she was fine. She now see's it as her place. she has no food or water in there, but has a lovely quilt and a fluffy blanket, being a whippet cross she does feel the cold....so much so that we have bought her a sleep suit for the winter!

They need a routine, you'll get there, try to ignore the sad eyes that ask to be let out, they certainly try it on. Nice and slowly does the trick.

 

[Nails<3]

I'm so pleased with duke! I put him in his crate at 10pm, put in the clock etc and covered his crate. He cried for about 5 minutes and has now gone to sleep.

Have set my alarm for 12.30am, I will probably still be up so I will take him out for his business then put him back in.

I thought he would not settle but he has done so well. Proud of my little man!

Thank you all for your advice, it's really helped. X

 

[Nails<3]

Update - my little man now knows his place to do his business and he will go out. He still has a lazy moment which he gets a firm no from and gets put outside to finish off his business.

He cried for about 10minutes last night and then went to sleep. He slept thought till 6am when I got up. I have my alarms set for 2 & 5. Do I disturb his sleep and make him go out or just leave him to sleep? X

 

[Christine Mary]

Remember the saying: "Let sleeping dogs lie".

He will soon let you know if he needs something.

And you need your sleep!!!

 

[Jen889]

[QUOTE=Nails

Just leave him sleep! He won't go in his crate either way. My little guy sleeps his whole night in the crate and doesn't go out until we wake up

 

[80's Girl]

[QUOTE=Nails

Well done you and well done Duke!