New puppy advice
Discussion
Our 8 week old puppy came home yesterday. He was quiet intially and was really keen on going into his crate and slept in his bed. He kept taking himself back there yesterday - it has a cardboard box bed in with a towel from the breeder.
He has managed to poo and wee mainly outside - he goes outside on a short lead and gets praise/ treat and keeps on doing that.
Last night he chose to sleep on the back door mat and not go into his crate at 8pm.
We put him in his bed in his crate at 10 pm ish post toilet and he barked and whined. He quietened down after an hour. We took him out again at 12:30 (he was alseep) to go to the toilet which he did and went back to his bed and has barked ever since.
He was quiet for a couple of short stretches which I used to sneak in and check on him. I gave him a warm wheat bag and the radio was on all night.
But he simply just doesn't want to go into his crate.
I have not tried crate training before and friends (4) who have done it recently all had no problems doing it like thsis and out their puppies in the crate for the first night with no noise.
I am wondering whether he should be loose at night to choose where to sleep - he wants to sleep now but won't as he's barking in the crate.
We cannot have him upstairs and there isn't space for me to sleep downstairs with him.Clearly I am doing something wrong but my tired brain cannot work out what the next step is
He has managed to poo and wee mainly outside - he goes outside on a short lead and gets praise/ treat and keeps on doing that.
Last night he chose to sleep on the back door mat and not go into his crate at 8pm.
We put him in his bed in his crate at 10 pm ish post toilet and he barked and whined. He quietened down after an hour. We took him out again at 12:30 (he was alseep) to go to the toilet which he did and went back to his bed and has barked ever since.
He was quiet for a couple of short stretches which I used to sneak in and check on him. I gave him a warm wheat bag and the radio was on all night.
But he simply just doesn't want to go into his crate.
I have not tried crate training before and friends (4) who have done it recently all had no problems doing it like thsis and out their puppies in the crate for the first night with no noise.
I am wondering whether he should be loose at night to choose where to sleep - he wants to sleep now but won't as he's barking in the crate.
We cannot have him upstairs and there isn't space for me to sleep downstairs with him.Clearly I am doing something wrong but my tired brain cannot work out what the next step is
Not all puppies like or want to be crate trained. When our Patsy was a pub she wanted to be independent and decide where she went. (border collie)
We have a dog flap in the back door and dogs get the use of the back yard at night and when we are out.
Now Patsy has decided that the yard toilet is her kennel and Eddie uses the shower stall as his.
Perhaps let your pup decide where he thinks is his preferred safe spot?
We have a dog flap in the back door and dogs get the use of the back yard at night and when we are out.
Now Patsy has decided that the yard toilet is her kennel and Eddie uses the shower stall as his.
Perhaps let your pup decide where he thinks is his preferred safe spot?
We have just been through this.
We made a pact that if there was any whimpering/barking, then it MUST be ignored. especially for the first few days (nights).
we didnt bother getting up to let him out for wees, as the toilet training comes later anyway.
He loves his crate-and goes in it all the time.
I fitted a dog flap too and its great-he has not weed or pooped inthe house since he was 8 weeks. Amazing.
We made a pact that if there was any whimpering/barking, then it MUST be ignored. especially for the first few days (nights).
we didnt bother getting up to let him out for wees, as the toilet training comes later anyway.
He loves his crate-and goes in it all the time.
I fitted a dog flap too and its great-he has not weed or pooped inthe house since he was 8 weeks. Amazing.
If he doesn't like the crate you could use a stair gate to restrict him to just the one room or to stop him going upstairs. For the sake of 20 pound it could be worth a try.
Also have you put a cover over the top of the crate, I used a old duvet cover to go over the sides and top, to make it feel safer and more secure for my dog, the crates meant to represent a place of safety for the dog and it also helps keep it warm.
Best of Luck!!
Also have you put a cover over the top of the crate, I used a old duvet cover to go over the sides and top, to make it feel safer and more secure for my dog, the crates meant to represent a place of safety for the dog and it also helps keep it warm.
Best of Luck!!
Well he has been happy in there today. I do need to encourage him in with a treat in his kong. He then seems happy to go to sleep. He did start whining once at lunchtime for a couple of mins which I ignored. Once he has been quiet for a couple of minutes I went in and praised him and and again when he continued to be quiet. He has been much better at teatime. IN fact he started snoring whilst the children were eating tea. I have opened the door after a while and he looks at me and refuses to come out!!!
The radio has been on all day too - so I am hoping he won't associate that with just been left.
I do wonder if i made a mistake in waking him up last night to go to the toilet when he was fast asleep. It was after this trip that he wouldnt' settle.
ETA - put a cover over it today. I have been offered a lend of a border terrier sized crate - much smaller. Not sure whether to try this
The radio has been on all day too - so I am hoping he won't associate that with just been left.
I do wonder if i made a mistake in waking him up last night to go to the toilet when he was fast asleep. It was after this trip that he wouldnt' settle.
ETA - put a cover over it today. I have been offered a lend of a border terrier sized crate - much smaller. Not sure whether to try this
Edited by Coco H on Friday 17th December 17:34
Read the posts again, Coco has a crate for the puppy, not a cat basket...
That is indeed the cat carrier ! The crate is about 4 foot long and I metre high and 75cm wide ish.
Decided last night that he wasn't happy to have the door shut on his crate so left him in the kitchen with the crate door open. Not a peep out of him - the damage was 3 puddles and 1 tiny solid ( tiled floor so quick wipe and disinfect) . And he's happily asleep in there now.
I have arranged to borrow a much smaller crate today and we are goin gto try to get him wanting to go in there by himself. He's dry in the crate but he's not choosing it as his place yet. So I am hoping I will be able to work on that.
Decided last night that he wasn't happy to have the door shut on his crate so left him in the kitchen with the crate door open. Not a peep out of him - the damage was 3 puddles and 1 tiny solid ( tiled floor so quick wipe and disinfect) . And he's happily asleep in there now.
I have arranged to borrow a much smaller crate today and we are goin gto try to get him wanting to go in there by himself. He's dry in the crate but he's not choosing it as his place yet. So I am hoping I will be able to work on that.
One puppy in box in crate
ETA I was going to write something about that being the cat basket when I posted the picture and then I thought nobody could possibly mistake a cat carrier for a dog crate ... forgot this was PH where we assume everybody is a complete numpty!
Edited by Coco H on Saturday 18th December 08:25
Coco H said:
forgot this was PH where we assume everybody is a complete numpty!
to be fair its often the safest assumption- although the fatal error was made of not xchecking post count and time "served" lol- mist numpties have foxtrot Oscar'd by 100 posts and 6 monthsEdited by Coco H on Saturday 18th December 08:25
I am happy for him to have run of the room - would just like all the mess in one place eventually - will start paper by the door. He's done his business outside today so far. He's asleep again in the crate now. It's a good place for him to go to chill out when we are eating or if I need to pop out on the school run.
Coco are you still putting a cover over part of the crate? You may find he'll settle a little easier if he feels more cozy and secure at nap time, especially at night.
Put plenty of paper down at night for accidents if he needs the loo, then when he's got the hang of where to toilet (ie on the paper) you can just keep it to one area at night and hopefully he'll just toilet on the paper.
Give him time, he'll get better with toilet training as he settles and gets older. He's still only a baby and all new to him.
Soooo cute as well.
Put plenty of paper down at night for accidents if he needs the loo, then when he's got the hang of where to toilet (ie on the paper) you can just keep it to one area at night and hopefully he'll just toilet on the paper.
Give him time, he'll get better with toilet training as he settles and gets older. He's still only a baby and all new to him.
Soooo cute as well.
our first puppy we never took out at night, but we di take out after every drink, every feed, very last thing at night, very first things in the morning and any other point we thought he might need to go.
Luckly he very quickly learnt to go outside- maybe 4 accidents. what seems to work well is not to clear it up in front of him, not to admonish him (unless he is going right in front of you) and not to do something really stupid like rub his nose in it!
ref crate training- aim to make it like a den- and try not to go in there- also don't "lock" him in there to punish him. soetimes we'd close the door when we were in the room with him and when he was sleepy.
Don't wake him up in the middle of the night- just keep an ear out in case he starts making toilet noises- its very different noise to being lonely etc
Luckly he very quickly learnt to go outside- maybe 4 accidents. what seems to work well is not to clear it up in front of him, not to admonish him (unless he is going right in front of you) and not to do something really stupid like rub his nose in it!
ref crate training- aim to make it like a den- and try not to go in there- also don't "lock" him in there to punish him. soetimes we'd close the door when we were in the room with him and when he was sleepy.
Don't wake him up in the middle of the night- just keep an ear out in case he starts making toilet noises- its very different noise to being lonely etc
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