General Question Crating - breaking our hearts with the "you're abandoning me" howls

tjandmegan

New member
Sep 12, 2012
16
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Jack
Jack is 11 weeks old and I know that he's probably sleeping most of the day while we're at work, but the yelps and howls when we first put him in his cage before work and on lunch breaks are killing us. You'd think we were killing the poor little guy.

He's not really big on going into the crate at all, but we've been wearing him out and letting him fall asleep on his own, then moving him into the crate. Works really well most of the time, but I'm wondering how long it took other people before that heartbreaking noise stopped?
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
It will stop ........ maybe ...... either way he's in there for his own safety right now so for goodness sake don't let him break you so that you give in!!

As soon as he realises the noise isn't having any effect he should stop!! You could always try putting a toy in there with him ... I'll be honest we never have done because I'm so paranoid that I would spend the entire day with visions of them eating it!!! But that's just me!! :blush2:
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
He will get used to it, plus you can try to make it fun for him, maybe offer a treat when he goes in.
 

nyerathrt

New member
Jun 30, 2011
400
19
New York
Bulldog(s) Names
jameson and titan
definitely give him a treat....make it fun...don't make him think it's a punishment...it will stop as he gets used to it.
 

Baconator

.........
Apr 12, 2012
2,969
127
Northern NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Bacon
We got earplugs :-) Actually they were given to us by the breeder when we picked up Bacon as part of the package. We still give Bacon treats at night to go into his crate at bedtime, I think he howled for the first few days then was fine. He will still occasionally do it if we put him in his crate for the night and are walking around upstairs before going to bed. Don't cave into the pressure yet, he is only going to test you more.
 
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tjandmegan

New member
Sep 12, 2012
16
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Jack
  • Thread Starter
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Oh, no intention of giving in :) He gets treats when he goes in (all the expensive treats we've tried, and he's crazy for string cheese) and we're not using it for punishment at all.
 

Izzy's Mom

New member
Sep 25, 2012
817
43
Houston - TX
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USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Izzy
Give him something that will distract and take his attention away from you locking him. I give Izzy her frozen kong (I put peanut butter inside) or maybe a chew toy and she doesnt even care that I left.... the toy will distract her for at least 30 minutes and they fall asleep after playing with it (at least mine does). By the time I get home she is just waking up from her afternoon nap ;) trust me it works!
 

Izzy's Mom

New member
Sep 25, 2012
817
43
Houston - TX
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Izzy
Oh, no intention of giving in :) He gets treats when he goes in (all the expensive treats we've tried, and he's crazy for string cheese) and we're not using it for punishment at all.

Maybe with the treats he eats them fast and then his attention is even more on you, the treat provider!!!! Give him a chew toy that will keep her busy! Petco has a great selection on those. Mine is 15 weeks old now and I had to do that especially during my lunch break.
 

Meggs19

New member
Oct 14, 2011
290
16
Madison, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
You are stronger than I!! haha! When we tried crating Tonka as a puppy he would cry and howl all night. The first time we tried, after two hours of him being in there and us lying awake, I went down to check on him and he was SO upset. He was shaking and he had thrown up. I just couldn't do it after that. I am a big wimp, I admit. A total pushover. He would go and sleep in his kennel all the time on his own, it was never a negative place, he just hated the door shut. So we kept the kennel in our kitchen area and gated the entrances to the kitchen and put a pee pad in the kitchen. That way he was in his kennel at night and during the day but not with the door shut...yet gated in the kitchen to keep him safe and the pee pad there to continue potty training.
 

elearn

Bully lovin' gypsy
Community Veteran
Jul 31, 2012
1,207
53
Northern New Jersey
Bulldog(s) Names
Herman
We got earplugs :-) Actually they were given to us by the breeder when we picked up Bacon as part of the package. We still give Bacon treats at night to go into his crate at bedtime, I think he howled for the first few days then was fine. He will still occasionally do it if we put him in his crate for the night and are walking around upstairs before going to bed. Don't cave into the pressure yet, he is only going to test you more.

You got earplugs??? LOL all i got was Herman wrapped in a towel because he peed on the table where I was filling out the forms, so they gave me the towel to dry him off and told me to keep it. :ROFL:

But I did get a wonderfully quite, independent bulldog, who has NEVER howled in his crate. Except of course the first morning when he woke up in his new home, I guess he didnt know what to expect. I even got him a SnugglePet because I figured he'd be crying all night - he never did.


I dont think we did anything special, but we do have an x-pen set up attached to his crate. You can try that, make it like a play area so he's not confined to the crate itself?
 

hnhammond

New member
Aug 20, 2012
470
33
Los Angeles, CA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Matilda (Tilly)
Jack is 11 weeks old and I know that he's probably sleeping most of the day while we're at work, but the yelps and howls when we first put him in his cage before work and on lunch breaks are killing us. You'd think we were killing the poor little guy.

He's not really big on going into the crate at all, but we've been wearing him out and letting him fall asleep on his own, then moving him into the crate. Works really well most of the time, but I'm wondering how long it took other people before that heartbreaking noise stopped?

Matilda is pretty tough, she stopped howling after a week or two.

The trick is to make them learn to love the crate. You need to make it a positive experience. We started bribing Tilly into the crate instead of carrying her. Unless absolutely necessary, don't force him into the crate. We'd use stuffed kongs, string cheese, anything really! But we would ONLY give her these special treats in the crate. I would also hide her favorite cookie treats in her blankets, so after we left, she'd find them later! Now she's completely convinced all the best treats come from her crate. Even when the door is open, we see her digging around in there looking for treats :D



Also, try treats that give them something to do for a bit. Marrow bones and stuffed kongs are the best! If I lure Matilda into her crate with either, she COMPLETELY forgets I exist. Even when I try to say goodbye, she will not divert her eyes from it.

When she sees me getting a "special" treat, she runs straight into her crate now, because she knows that's where the treat will be.
 

TonkaTruck28

New member
Mar 19, 2012
401
21
Alberta, Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Tonka
Tonka gets a treat everytime he "goes to bed". We also have an xpen attached to his crate so he has more room and can get at his water and play with toys while we are gone. We have never had an issue with him in there and he often goes in on his own and hangs out when we are home. We also feed him in there so it solidifies that it is his space. The door is always open if we are around. Heres a pic :)
nasa8y8u.jpg
 

Corlando465

New member
Feb 16, 2012
365
23
Lexington, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
I make Tank "kennel bones". Our puppy trainer gave me the great idea. I soak his kibble in water to make it mushy and then fill the center of a marrow bone and freeze. With these, I don't have to worry about him breaking off a piece and choking. When we leave, I give him one in his kennel, as a distraction. He actually gets excited sometimes to see me grab my purse. :) These also come in handy when you need a break or time to yourself.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

Izzy's Mom

New member
Sep 25, 2012
817
43
Houston - TX
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Izzy
I am going to give all of us a throphy for best moms EVER! Izzy is my first EBD but I have never been around so many great dog owners that would go beyond their efforts to make your puppy happy!!! :) should I say that the bulldogs are the most spoiled dogs ever? :) :) :)
 

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