Crate training, going poorly

[Tinarmrz]

Abby is a stubborn pup. How long do you ignore their crying when you put them in the crate ? Geez, my Schnauzers never cried for as long as she does. Also it is worse than crying she sounds like she is screaming and howling and just making awful loud noises (sounds like she is saying help me). I don't like to let her out until she stops crying, I don't want her to think she can get out by crying, but the crying never ends. I wanted to make it a positive experience for her so I give her a treat when locking her up, I feed her in there, the has toys and a chew toy and so far she has never been locked up for more than 30 minutes, I was trying to take it slow since she had never been crated before. The crying and howling is insane though. I wanted her to start sleeping in a crate at night, right now she sleeps with my son, but someday she will be as big as my son and he sleeps in a twin bed. It is harder to ignore her at night because when she cries my Schnauzers start barking and then nobody can sleep. I even tried crating her with one of my Schnauzers and she still cries.

 

[ELubas]

Hi. How old is Abby? Hate to say but it will be tougher to get her "happy" in theh crate at night since she has the luxury of sleeping with your son. Don't get me wrong-mine sleep with me but it could be a little trying to go back. Lot of threads on crate training wth tips here but age is a big factor. Post back with some details and I am sure someone here can help you. Good luck

 

[Tinarmrz]

She will be 9 weeks tommorow. We have had her a week. Two of my Schnauzers sleep with me and the other two in crates. The two that sleep with me knew how to get thier way. One of them has slept with me for a long time the other not as long just a couple of months. I don't have any more room in my bed, besides the Schnauzers are still trying to adjust to Abby and no way would they let her sleep with us. I worked on Abby being in the crate today several times and she was only queit long enough to eat her food or treat and then started the awful crying.

 

[RMMRKK]

Sarge cried horribly thru the night when I first brought him home too. Thought it was going to drive me insane. I found on here that someone had laid down beside their puppies crate so the puppy didn't feel alone. So off I went to grab my pillow and blanket. I laid on the floor in front of his cage for what seemed like an eternity before he fell asleep. I would then get up and go to bed. This went on for about 3 days, but I wasn't giving in....I knew the safest place for him was in his crate. I do believe it was his 4th night with us that he slept peacefully in his crate. Hang tight, the whining and crying will come to an end, even though it tests your nerves.

 

[Indy's mom]

9 weeks is really just a little bit of a baby. I have no doubt that she is making you crazy but I promise it will get better. Keep up with making the crate a warm inviting place. Since she has slept with your son, try putting something that smells like him in her crate, she might like that. Maybe a t-shirt or even a towel that he sleeps on for a night. It will reassure her. Is her crate in a room with one of you? We have always had two crates for our dogs. One is in the kitchen in the center of where we live and one in our bedroom, right next to our bed. After being house broken we have never closed the crate door at night, certainly your choice if you do or not, but Indy still chooses to sleep in it every night. He has come to love his crate.

You are doing the right things. It just takes a while for some pups. She's young and confused. Misses mama and her siblings no doubt. Make sure that the area available in her crate is no much bigger than she needs to move around, a close area will feel safer for her, more 'den-like'. Will also help with house breaking. During the day and evening, occasionally put a treat or well loved toy in her crate very casually, she will come to associate going in there with something good. You might even want to place her in there when she is tired and has fallen asleep somewhere else, leave the door open so she can come out on her own when she wakes up.

It will get better! Really!

 

[lirpa23]

I feel for you. We went through the same thing with Rocko. We brought him home when he was 12 weeks old. I thought I was going to snap. I never knew that a dog could cry for hours and hours at a time. I'm not kidding, he would cry and bark and howl all night long. I would go in to check on him after he had cried for three or four hours straight, and he would be so sleepy that his little eyes would start to close and he would almost fall over, but he refused to lie down or sleep. I would take him out to potty and put him back in the crate, and he would cry the rest of the night. I'm talking five or six hours of crying and barking, with maybe very small breaks lasting just a few minutes. He finally got better after about a week and a half, and it was a good 2 1/2 weeks before all was okay. Just be patient, and maybe buy some ear plugs. It will get better.

 

[Tinarmrz]

Thanks guys ! I guess patience needs to become my middle name. LOL

 

[ELubas]

Thanks guys ! I guess patience needs to become my middle name. LOL

Absolutely-you have an itty bitty baby on your hands but it will pass

 

[Lola's mum]

I must confess I gave up with the crate with Lola, she hated it and I gave in quicker than I should have. Zeb was fine in his though.
It's down to perseverance and I think I knew I didn't want to leave Zeb being so small with Lola in case they played too rough. With Lola I knew our last dog would be fine with her and vice versa so I gave up.

 

[Louise501]

Ruby was great with her crate, but Luka and Angel pined so much. In the end I shut them in the kitchen with the crate doors open overnight.