Crate training a puppy

lee8040

How did you get your puppy to sleep without crying in the night? We're getting a puppy in 3 weeks time and been told best way is crate training, wondered what routines/methods everyone used? Thanks

Person_one

My dogs have always slept in my bedroom, its the most natural place for them to be and pretty much eliminates any distress caused by being separated at night.

catkins

When we got our dog at 9 weeks me and my husband took it in turns to sleep downstairs with him. We didn't want him in our bedroom - we have never allowed pets in our bedroom and if he had started off there he would have expected to always be allowed in.

We were lucky in that his breeder uses crates so he had seen them and had wandered in and slept in one although had never been locked in.

We started with the crate next to the settee so that if and when he whimpered in the night we could reach through and gently stroke him while talking to him softly. Often he went back to sleep. If not we took him in the garden to see if he needed to do something.

During the day we would leave the crate door open and occasionally put a treat in there. Every time he went in we praised him.

We gradually moved the crate further away from the settee and I think it took about three weeks before we left him on his own downstairs overnight. We probably could have done it quicker but we wanted to make sure he was completely happy with the crate and sleep through all or most of the night.

We did intend getting rid of the crate once he got to about a year. He is now 4 and loves his crate. He chooses to sleep in there more often than not - we never close the door any more. He also goes in if he is nervous or scared i.e. when there are fireworks

Timpu

My post disappeared on me so have PM'd you a summary

Caroline_a

I used crates for both my dogs. My German Shep very quickly adapted to it, i used to put a blanket over it at night and pop down every hour or so to let him out. He was housetrained in a few days and didn't bother at all being left alone. The Spin had my Shepherd for company, so no issue at all.

I don't let my dogs upstairs for a couple of reasons - firstly I don't think it's good for young large breed dogs to be up and down stairs, and secondly it's my hair-free zone! Means I can just about get out of the door for work without being covered!

dontone

lee8040 wrote: »

How did you get your puppy to sleep without crying in the night? We're getting a puppy in 3 weeks time and been told best way is crate training, wondered what routines/methods everyone used? Thanks

Our Hound has always slept in a crate on a night. It took a little bit of getting used to, but it's in our kitchen, covered with a old, dark bed sheet and it's always been a snug little den for him.
One thing we did was to make sure he had a bit of company on a night during the first few weeks. If you have an old teddy bear to put in there as a 'comfort' toy, that helps. All we did was we left the crate door open and he went and stayed in it when he wanted to and we got him used to the door being shut by closing it for 5-10 minutes at a time.
Now, he sleeps in his crate with the door locked. But, tbh he's also rather mischevious, and we have a back door with a bottom window, so if he isn't locked in, he'll go to the door and bark at anything that blows past - usually a leaf. He's so used to it, he isn't bothered, and he lets us know if he needs to go out, or when it's time for breakfast.
It's just a gradual thing at first. Now, he kips in that just as much as his basket in the living room. HTH.

svain

Crates are designed to replicate a den for a dog. It should be a place of safety for them. Dont get a crate that is too big. If it is too big then find a way of dividing the crate to make it smaller. Cover it at night. At the beginning make sure whenever he/she goes in it gets treats or praise.
Feed dog in the crate (leaving door open).
Walk dog last thing at night and put to bed (with a small treat), cover, shut door and walk away making little fuss. No need for him/her to be going out every hour. Just set you alarm nice and early 6-7am and make sure first thing you do is let dog out.

Never let dog sleep in your bedroom unless a last resort unless you plan on dog sleeping with you permanantly (not a healthy/clean option imo but many people do).

Dogs love crates and most will happily go in one freely in very short space of time. A dog rarely messes in his crate either, unless unavoidable.

Good luck with puppy. Its a lovely, if sometimes frustrating time to have one

Threebabes

We have used a crate with our pup since 12 weeks (when he was dry at night) before that used a pop up puppy pen. He goes in the crate on a night, he was fine, didnt cry. He goes in during the day we are out. Eventually when he can be trusted we will not use the crate, he can chew. He settles on a night quickly in his crate. We can sleep knowing he is safe. All he has in his pen is his blankets to make it comfy. Good luck on getting your puppy.

aylesby

Savin has sensible advice.
We added a baby alarm and maybe that is why progress was slow but we are softies. The recuperation after spaying probably put us back a month.
The key is to make the dog comfortable in its owned space so do not use it to punish. A cage is also useful to bundle the dog into during the day for a short time that allows you to deal with the unplanned callers and tasks.