Crate training a puppy/teaching them not to cry when left

[Raymond Reddington]

Hi all,

We got our black lab puppy Stanley 1 week ago at 11 weeks old.

He's brilliant, and we love him to pieces already, even with the baby shark phase he appears to be going through at the moment.

I am working weekend shift until August so that we can settle him in properly, but I do want to make sure he's okay being left alone, and I definitely don't trust him to have the run of the house.

We started crate training on day one and followed all of the usual advice. Unfortunately, we have to consider the neighbours to a certain extent as we're not detached, so letting him 'cry it out' for extended periods of time isn't an option, which is something the in laws did with their lab who is now wonderfully happy and quiet In his crate. We did try this as a last resort when the neighbours were out but he just doesn't stop for hours on end and gets distressed.


He sleeps fine overnight in his crate with no barking or crying as long as he is upstairs near us. On the first few nights we tried crating him downstairs after making it a positive place to go in and out of during the day, but he was so loud when leaving him at night we had no other option (wouldn't be fair on neighbours).

Things we do already:

Keep him stimulated with snuffle mat/Kong, training, let him get rid of some energy in the garden
Feed him in his crate
Treat him for going in the crate, shut the door, leave it a while and open the door, for longer periods, several times per day (the problem starts when you leave the room no matter how gradual this process is when training!! He barks and crys without fail, getting quite distressed).
Make sure he doesn't need the loo
Make sure he's been adequately fed and watered

Worth mentioning after one or two noisy attempts, he's nice and quiet in his crate when in the boot of the car.

Maybe I'm expecting too much of him too soon, and perhaps things will be better next week when he's allowed proper walks, but I'm at a bit of a loss at the moment.

I'd appreciate any tips that helped you with your puppies that didn't like to be crated/left. He doesn't have any issues going in the crate but it's the being left alone part he's struggling with.

Thanks in advance

[Pieman68]

Try leaving a radio or TV on for him so he has some "company" - there are some good playlists around with music for stressed dogs

[Raymond Reddington]

Pieman68 said:

Try leaving a radio or TV on for him so he has some "company" - there are some good playlists around with music for stressed dogs

Thank you, we have tried this, either TV, white noise or 'puppy music' on alexa. White noise did the trick in the car eventually but not indoors once we leave the room. Will try a playlist for stressed dogs and hope for better results!

[moorx]

How long is he going to be left alone from August?

[Raymond Reddington]

Up to 3 hours twice a day for 4 days.

There is a possibility I will stay doing weekends in which case he won't be left other than if we go out for dinner or go to the gym etc.

I would like to be able to leave him though either way.

[moorx]

I think maybe, as you say, wait and see how he is when he can go out for walks. That will probably tire him physically and mentally. He is still a tiny baby who has only just left his 'pack'.

[Zetec-S]

We made sure the crate was a positive place for our lab. All meals were in there, loads of treats, etc. We had it in the kitchen so to start with would shut him in the crate sometimes while we were cooking, then he could get used to being in there while we were around, and then gradually we could move away into another room and he would settle. It did take some time, I can't remember how long, probably about a week, but I do recall the first couple of nights giving in and sleeping on the floor closer to the kitchen so he could "sense" my presence

Walks will make a big difference, no matter how much play around the home he gets, the additional stimulation of exploring the big wide world will tire him out a lot more.

The main thing is to keep persevering, despite what you think he will get used to it. And however tempting it might be, make sure you never put him in there as "punishment". I know with ours there was a few times we just wanted to chuck him in there for a break, but always resisted doing so, and the end result was a wonderful dog who gave us 12 years of joy.

Good luck!

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

They do get better and it sounds like you're on the right track... Short of another lab.

Best advice I can give is proactively manage your neighbours... Take them a bottle of wine... Warn them and promise its a short term transition whilst they adjust.

[Boosted LS1]

OP could you section off an area of room for him instead of the crate?

[BoggoStump]

Boosted LS1 said:

OP could you section off an area of room for him instead of the crate?

Crate inside a play pen +1