Help Needed! Crate Training

[stacyh]

We have a 7 week old EB that we have started crate training. This isn't our first round of crate training but seems to be the worst. Now I have to say this is only our 3rd day but there is literally NO sleep by anyone. He howls and cries for HOURS, sleeps for a few then up and at it again. I have to get up sometimes around 2 am and sometimes it will be 4-5am and sleep on the couch with him just to give the household a break. I'm exhausted!! We are using ear plugs at night just to be able to sleep because he is sooo LOUD. I haven't ever encountered it so bad. I know it will take time but we are a working family and are now walking zombies during the day. Any suggestions? He has an extra large crate with an extremely comfortable bed with blanket. I have a puppy pad in the front of his kennel for accidents as well. Like I said, this isn't our first round at this and our past has been extremely successful but I'm getting a bit discouraged. Please help!!

 

[Marine91]

I have a 9 week old that we are crate training as well. We are putting her in her crate for an hour or so for naps throughout the day and we are also feeding her in there as well. At night we took our breeders advice and placed a light sheet over top of the crate so she would begin to understand that it is bed time. She whined and howled like mad the first night but we stayed the course and did not let her out unless she had calmed down to which we would then remove her every 2 hours at night to go potty. The 2nd night was a little less whining and by the 4th night she had stopped whining all together when we put her in there and is now going about 4 to 5 hours between night time potty breaks which to me is odd but I am not going to complain. My wife has also been working with her on using a key word for her to know when it is time to go in her crate that she is picking up on as well and she will now go in there from time to time on her own to get away from the hustle and bustle of the house. We also have several of her toys in the crate to give her something to do. The key is to stay the course and while it is aggravating and you are losing sleep keep at it and she will he will eventually get the picture and calm down.

 

[ChanelnBrutus]

Brutus I thought was torture compared to Chanel! It takes time and its very stressful! That's the hardest part is getting them on a schedule! Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lisabear123]

I remember Brie at 8 weeks. It was so hard cos I had to take her out every couple hours throughout the night and even more during the day. It took time and A LOT of patience. It might be extra hard at 7 weeks with separation anxiety. Try to b patient and get naps in when she naps? She'll get there...

 

[DudleysMom]

I feel really guilty -- Dudley was a breeze. I started him at 8 weeks...but I had a small crate for him in my bedroom...so he knew I was nearby. I would turn out the lights and honestly...he pretty much slept from 11 until 5...almost right from the start. When he was about 6 or 7 months old, I moved him down to his big crate at night -- no issues. Sorry...wish I had a horror story to make you feel better! Best of luck.

 

[4WHLN]

With Dooley (at 8 weeks) I had to move the kennel right next to my bed. It also helped A LOT that I would rest my hand on the bars so he could see and lick my fingers. After about a week or so I was able to move the kennel farther and farther away from the bed. He is still in my room now but his kennel is in the corner. No whining or howling until he needs to go bathroom. Most nights he sleeps thru till around 5:15-5:30. He is only 13 weeks now and is just coming around to the whole "Kennel is my home" thing I kept reading about.

Stick with the training, its hard at first but this worked for me and hopefully you find what will work with him.

 

[Davidh]

First off the breeder should have never let him go so young. 8 weeks is the earliest to leave the nest. But you have him now, so lets try to help you out. One thing that will help is put his crate in your bedroom with his crate next to your bed, so you can touch it with your hand. At night when he cries, put your hand down so he can feel you there. After a little while he should settle down and go to sleep. Leave it there for a week or so then move it further away from the bed. Once he gets used to this you can move it further away. In a few months once he gets used to the house and gets a little older, you can move his crate to his room and he should be good with this. we sometimes move ours to different rooms with no problem at all.

 

[Lisabear123]

David is spot n w his advice. I didn't mention it and I should have.. Brie's crate was and still is in the bedroom which I think makes a huge difference w things.

 

[stacyh]

Thanks for all the advice. We have crate trained 2 others and never had this problem so it has caused some confusion. He is near our others that are in their kennels as well. I will take the advice to move him to our bedroom. He's a pretty big clinger and only calms when you pick him up but I'm willing to try. I'm not too concerned about his age when he was let go. He was just 3 days shy of 8 weeks when I got him so I guess I should have said 8 weeks. I got my others pretty close to the same age. I have had multiple weekly visitation with him since he was 2 days old and he has adjusted well with his separation from his mom since that process had started. Thanks for all the great advice, I'm definitely going to try it out.

 

[Lisabear123]

How is the crate training going? Has moving crate to bedroom helped at all?

 

[stacyh]

Well I haven't tried it. That same evening that I posted we had a pretty good night so I kept him there. He's getting better now. We went from 10:30-5:45 last night so I think he's catching on. I usually don't let him go that long but I think I was so tired I slept right thru potty breaks, lol. Thanks for checking in. I pray it continues to get better. How soon I forgot all the puppy issues

 

[christyjulene]

That's great news! Now I hope you can get some sleep.

 

[Texas Carol]

I agree w/David & the others, for bullies, 8 weeks is the earliest and that
doesn't apply to the shyer, more clingy pups and really, 10-12 weeks should
be standard before leaving Mom & Siblings...those last 2 or 3 weeks they learn
social behavior. Some effects are not noticed until later with these too early
placed pups such as aggression towards other dogs and/or people. Other effects
like anxiety, separation problems, training stubborness...even tho you may have
gotten your other pups early, they might have been more confident, etc.

As you say, you have the pup now and so onward...try putting a frozen Kong
w/peanut butter or something so if he wakes up, he can divert his attention to
that and hopefully, tire himself out! Placing crate close enough to reach down
& comfort him, placing a sheet over the crate, putting fav toy w/him...all great
suggestions. He will be maturing & growing up quickly so even tho it feels like
forever, he'll adjust soon. Hang in there and just love him.

And yeah, I think we all forget & underestimate puppy training...same with
human babies...we just forget it all then think we're up to raising another one!

 

[mbd963]

Hey there. I can speak to having a baby bully - I got my Ramsay at 6.5 weeks. For the first week he would whine every night when I put him in his crate to sleep. All you can do is ignore it. I've also heard that you should have the crate in a room that is not your bedroom... this can make them even more attached you you and make separation anxiety worse in the future. What I did during the day was every time Ramsay would fall asleep, I'd put him in the crate so he would get used to waking up it. This seemed to also work.

You can also play games that make your puppy enjoy the crate! Like putting his food bowl in there and then closing the door with him on the outside! He will go crazy wanting to go into the crate! You can also put him in the crate and feed him treats/kibble through the sides - again, teaching him that his crate is a happy place.

Also, I found this really helps! If he begins to bark or whine at all when in the crate, you can put a blanket over the crate so he cannot see out. He will soon learn that barking = owner go away. Once he stops barking, uncover the crate and reward. If he continues to bark, rattle the crate a little to make him stop barking. Say 'quiet', uncover and reward. This method worked for Ramsay like a charm! I was so happy when the behaviorist told me about it.

Ramsay is now 3.5 months old (15 weeks) and I feel comfortable leaving him for 1.5-2 hours alone in his crate and I know he won't bark. He is great at night and will go into it when I point into it. He sometimes even goes in on his own!

It is definitely not an over night thing, but with making the crate seem like a fun place, your puppy will love it soon enough! Hope all of this helps :D

 

[brutus77]

We covered brutus' crate with a lightweight sheet from day one and he slept until we woke him to potty.