Puppy Crate Question!

[newtricks]

First the good news: We got our puppy Bella yesterday!! :) She's a Viszla and very very sweet.

The Bad News: We're having some trouble with the crate. Probably due to ambivalence. Dh has never had a crate-trained dog and I've never had a dog at all.

She came home yesterday. She took a nap in her crate and dh put her to sleep for the night in there. At 2:30 he took her out, brought her back in, played, sat, and put her in the crate. she slept.

I got her at 5:30am, took her out, blah blah blah. When I put her in the crate around 6:30 she cried, howled, and chewed the crate until dh came down and took her out. I have tried putting her back in the crate to sleep and she just cries.:(

It's my fault. I accept that. But what do we do? Just let her cry it out? I'm afraid she's going to associate the crate with stress, not as a place to relax and sleep.

Talk me off the ledge my friends.

[JJeannette]

She has to see the crate as a good place--are you feeding her in there? That helps her know it's a good thing. You can also give her a tiny treat when she goes in the crate--.

I'm thinking that at 6:30 in the morning, she felt it was time to start the day! I've had great luck convincing pups and dogs that it is time to sleep by putting a cover over the crate and lowering it over the sides so that it's dark in there. I only use it at night so they know when it goes down, it's time to be quiet.

I'm sure others will have even better advice for you, but, for now, remember we've all probably gone thru something similar :D

[armel]

I also think she was ready to start the day at 6:30. If you know she does not have to go potty, then yes, let her cry. She will stop when she realizes that you don't let her out.

If you think she has to potty, get up, take her outside on a leash. Be boring. No playing. No talking (except to praise her for going potty . . . which you do generously). If she doesn't potty, don't say a word. Just take her back and put her in her crate. And ignore her if she cries.

This is what I do at night when I am crate training. During the day it is different, but it sounded like you were talking about night time.

Your husband really should not play with her at night when he takes her to potty. That will have her thinking that she gets out of her crate at night to play. And that is not a habit you want her to have.

What time did you put her in the crate to sleep at night? And what time are you wanting to sleep in the morning? I usually put the pupsters in the crate around 9 or 10 and get up at 5:30 or 6:30.

[TKay]

When we crate trained our last dog, she would cry and whine in the night (like a baby left in a crib). It was hard, but we left her in anyway. It didn't take long for her to get the hang of it and realize we hadn't abandoned her. She grew to adore her crate and spend times napping in it even when not required to do so.

With the dog we have now, she never once protested going into the crate and she slept through the night immediately. However, she doesn't love her crate the way our other dog did.

I guess they are all a bit different. But I would agree to just hang in there. Armel's advice would be the same as mine. No playing in the middle of the night. Potty time and then back in.

Congrats! Don't be too hard on yourself. You're both working out a new routine. You'll get there. How is the pup, btw? I think that makes a difference. FWIW, it goes much faster with a pup than it does with a baby. Don't despair!

[bobmark226]

The first couple nights I had Selma, who really took to her crate and has never fussed about it at any point during the day or night, I kept it in my bedroom right next to the bed as was recommended. Your own breathing and scents are comforting to the pup and much like a human baby, it's no big deal to stop and pet them a bit if there's fussing. It's to be expected after being separated from all those litter-mates and being in a new place with all those strange things.

Secondly, I set the alarm and took her out twice during the night in the early weeks. Sure I hated it, but at that early age it's really necessary, they get a small treat or reward for doing their business, and they get to know you're there. Eventually it becomes just once in the middle of the night, then before you know it, not at all, though most pups are up at the crack of dawn no matter what,

I also don't know how much play, how much energy your new dog is getting, but lots of it means a very tired dog. Even at 7 months, Selma needs to be kept crazy busy, but, believe me, at 6:30 PM until the same time in the morning, she's dead out! :)

Just my thoughts on what worked, really really worked for "us." Remember, too, puppies are a LOT of work, very frustrating and very demanding. You need to lower your expectations and know that every ounce of patience you have is most likely going to be required.

Bob

[Shugness]

Congrats on the new puppy! A lot of good advice has been mentioned for your particular question, but I just wanted to ask why we didn't get to see a picture yet? ;):D

[newtricks]

Thank you everyone. :) I knew I could get some straight talk and commiseration. In retrospect yes, 6:30 didn't make much sense for a nap. She did end up having two naps in the crate today though.

We were actually happy with how the night went, my anxiety is more about leaving during the day. I don't want her to hate her crate if I leave her in there for any amount of time (30 min to 2 hours max). But the rest of the day went much better than when I wrote my post.

Shug - a) she moves around a lot so I don't have many pics and b) the ones I have are on my iphone and I can't get them on here. :o But rest assured she is cuuuuute. And I will post pictures.

Great advice and tips - thank you!!

[newtricks]

She has to see the crate as a good place--are you feeding her in there? That helps her know it's a good thing. You can also give her a tiny treat when she goes in the crate--.
.....
for now, remember we've all probably gone thru something similar :D

We have moved her food bowl in her crate.


I chuckled at the last part of your post because I feel like we have a newborn! (and I wasn't any better about sleep training :rolleyes:) Today all we did was hang about and pay attention to her and huh, now that I think of it I never showered. :rolleyes::D Dh and I are back to our newborn routine as well - I'm early to bed early to rise and he does middle of the night duty.

[newtricks]

If you think she has to potty, get up, take her outside on a leash. Be boring. No playing. No talking (except to praise her for going potty . . . which you do generously). If she doesn't potty, don't say a word. Just take her back and put her in her crate. And ignore her if she cries.

I usually put the pupsters in the crate around 9 or 10 and get up at 5:30 or 6:30.

Yes, we're very boring unless she does something. ;)

I'm not sure when dh put her to bed but I'll be getting her up at 5:30/6:00.

[newtricks]

Remember, too, puppies are a LOT of work, very frustrating and very demanding. You need to lower your expectations and know that every ounce of patience you have is most likely going to be required.


Ha, I am trying to go into this with very low expectations and partly, I have you and your Selma posts to thank for that! Kids are the same way - it's a very good thing they're so darn cute and bring us so much joy to go with the aggravation.

[newtricks]

Congrats! Don't be too hard on yourself. You're both working out a new routine. You'll get there. How is the pup, btw? I think that makes a difference. FWIW, it goes much faster with a pup than it does with a baby. Don't despair!

Thanks, really we're very good. She is a very sweet, mellow, but fun girl. And my kids are just so in love with her (and helpful!:confused::D) Thank you!

[newcook]

I'm also looking forward to those pictures

[armel]

We were actually happy with how the night went, my anxiety is more about leaving during the day. I don't want her to hate her crate if I leave her in there for any amount of time (30 min to 2 hours max). But the rest of the day went much better than when I wrote my post.

30 minutes to 2 hours max should be fine. I always think of what my trainer says. Puppies already know how to be wild and crazy. They need to learn that sometimes they have to be quiet and calm. And as long as the crate is only big enough for them to stand up and turn around and lay down, it will help with the potty training. You want to remember to put them in there after they potty. Otherwise, the pupster might not be able to hold it.

When you put her in the crate, you can leave a kong filled with something yummy for her to eat. So she will associate it with something good . . . going into her crate. I use cheese whiz in the kong because for some reason none of my dogs like peanut butter.

So you might try that.

My pupsters now love their crates. At night as soon as I make any indication that it is bedtime, they run into the bedroom and get into their crates and wait for their treats.

What Bob says is what I did too. The first week with the puppy, I kept the crate right next to the bed at night. So I could reach down and put my hand in front of it. It may be the first time the puppy has been away from the mother and littermates and thinks she is all alone. After the first week, I moved the crate slowly further away.

I still keep my crates in the bedroom. But if you don't want them there, you can slowly move them out of the bedroom, down the hall and to where you ultimately want them to be.

P.S. This is one of the many reasons why puppies drive me nuts!!! I end up sleep deprived in the beginning. My newest puppy is 10 months and sleeps thru the night. Thank goodness. I always just grit my teeth to get through it and keep myself focused on when they finally get old enough that they are good canine citizens and not evil puppies anymore.

[newtricks]

Well... Last night was fine, she woke up at 1:45 (dh had set his alarm for 2:30) and then I got up at 5:30. She woke up as soon as I went down of course.

I went to church at 9:00 and when I came back at 11:00 she was sleeping in her crate. she had gone in herself right after I left! :)

Therese and Bob - Dh wanted to have the crate in our bedroom and honestly, I'm just protecting the man from himself. He is honestly the lightest sleeper EVER and would be way more sleep deprived than necessary because every little noise would wake him.

My kids are dying to put squeeze cheese in the Kong! So that's really ok for a little puppy? And one more question, someone gave us a pig ear for her and I feel nervous about it. Overprotective? or Prudent? Thanks. :)

[JJeannette]

Personally, I'm torn about what to give as chews---I've had one pig ear give a dog the runs; and known other dogs that ate a half dozen without a problem! I've had a dog crack a pre-molar on a hoof and had another that could chew them down to almost nothing.

JMPO--for now, I think I'd stick with the kong---unless you can find a way to cut the ear into smaller pieces for her (but not too small--)

Oh, you could put pieces of her food in with the cheese in the kong---and when she starts cutting teeth--freeze the filled kong--.

[FLFlygirl]

Hi Barbara,

Glad to hear the crate training is going better. We crate trained our puppy, and she is all good with it. We did not put her crate in our room, and she was ok with it in the family room. She has, however, with DH's help, found her way onto our bed... :eek: :o :D Believe it or not, she holds it and has not messed up once on the bed.

Kong makes squeeze-filling specifically for puppies. Cocoa loves it. PetSmart and Petco carry it. It looks like this: http://www.petmountain.com/product/paste-treats/502511/kong-puppy-stuff-n-treat-8-oz.html
I have tried to buy only "puppy" things for her as her tummy seems to get upset with non-puppy specific items. Take it from me, I know first hand, a 5 mo. old puppy and a long-forgotten (stashed away in a book-bag), unattended hi-protein Zone bar don't mix!:eek::eek::(

Our dog sitter made her steamed chicken breast, and she LOVES it. That is now the high-value treat that she gets when she does her business outside. It is working very well.

As for chews, I have been sticking to bully sticks. The kind my puppy likes best is the Merrick Flossie: http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/treats_detail.php?c=21&s=15051
I get these at the smaller, independant doggie stores in my area. PetSmart and Petco also carry similar products, I don't remember if they carry specifically the Merrick ones or not. My pup likes all the bully sticks and will chew them, just the Merrick ones she likes a little better. Someone told me rawhide is not digestible, so I have stuck with the bully sticks that are digestible.

Good luck with your puppy! And post a pic when you can.

Colleen

[armel]

I second the bully sticks. I think it is good to have chewies. I also use lamb ears. And Texas Toothpicks. I find that keeping the puppy stocked in chewies helps to keep her from finding other stuff to chew.

Cheese whiz is fine for the puppy. It shouldn't hurt its tummy at all. None of my puppies have ever had an issue. I've also bought the special kong formula to put in it too. But I don't think it is really necessary.

[FLFlygirl]

hmmm... will have to try cheez whiz. Thanks for the info!

[armel]

hmmm... will have to try cheez whiz. Thanks for the info!

Have you tried peanut butter? My dogs don't like peanut butter, but that should be fine on the tummy too.

[newtricks]

Thanks again for the advice and reassurance. Just wanted to post an update. Bella likes her crate now. :) She has actually gone into it on her own to rest during the day and last night she slept from 9:30 - 5:30. I think my kids are wearing her out ;). Bob, I took you seriously about keeping her crazy busy.

She did develop some tummy issues, I don't know if it's the food we're giving her (California naturals Puppy formula), the teething chew treat she ate, or the peanut butter in her kong. So no treats until she seems totally normal again and then I'll introduce things one at a time. Dh didn't know I had given her peanut butter and I didn't know about the teething treat :o.

I tried to take some pictures for you but she had crazy flash eyes in all of them so maybe some outdoor shots tomorrow.

[GoneWithGreen]

Your lucky your pup got used to the crate. I thought my pup had gotten used to the crate due to the fact she was quite when I left in the morning and sound a sleep when I got back after work... to find out a few months later by my extremely annoyed neighbors that mid day she would bark and howl non stop for hours. So I stopped using the crate and she has been by find ever since... no more barking (and luckily she did not destroy the house with her new found freedom).

When my dog was a pup I used to use organic baby food in her kong. I would fill the kong with the baby food and freeze it overnight. It would take her a long while to get through the kong and the baby food was very easy on her stomach. The organic baby food is cheaper and definitely free of any harmful chemicals you find in the dog treats at your local pet super store.