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

[tjandmegan]

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]

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!!

 

[Davidh]

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]

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]

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.

 

[tjandmegan]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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?

 

[loveabully]

hang in it should get better

 

[hnhammond]

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]

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

 

[Corlando465]

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.


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[Izzy's Mom]

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?