Crating Questions

[armyboot]

The first night home with my pup and he just would not stop whining.

Last night I slept next to the crate and it was much better. I could hear when he got up and would immediately take him out before he started to whine.

However, when we came back in, he wanted to sleep with me, so I'd put him to sleep next to me, then in the crate w/ praise. Is this ok? Or should I just stick him straight in the crate? He goes in for a session of about 2 hours about once a day so he learns whining won't get him anywhere.

Also, this is the 3rd day and we've had 3 accidents. The first happened the 1st time in the crate. I figured this was due to stress. The second time was also in the crate, but it was my fault as I lost track of time. Just now he was wondering around the house, hopped in the crate and peed. Each time I've cleaned it using a diluted bleach, is this ok?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Grimmja]

use the search engine for potty training, there's looooooots of great advice in several forums. accidents are normal. what worked for us was to do everything we could to prevent them, even if that was taking him out every 5 minutes for half an hour, then every half an hour, and ever increasing. they'll gradually learn the only place they go is outside. at night, i would set your alarm for every 2 hours or so, and wake your pup up, by doing that it will be easier for them to fall back asleep because they weren't waking themself up more by crying for you. it also helps them get it that crying isn't what gets them out. also, i would put a very firm foot down with the crying from the first minute. if crying, there's no way he's getting out of the crate. wait for a quiet minute and then out, praise praise praise. even at night, it's defintley worth a lost night or two of sleep because your puppy is whining nonstop than to go through the trials of separation anxiety which can set in if you don't set groud rules and give in to their every whim. i'm speaking from experience we put our fingers in his crate at night the first night to help him calm, when we should have been firm and let him cry it out. oh if i knew then what i know now...

search, research, good luck, adn have fun!

 

[armyboot]

Thanks for the advice.

I hear when he wakes up immediately and before he even starts to cry I take him out.

I was wondering if my putting him to sleep outside the crate, then transferring him to the crate was a bad thing?

As far as accidents, I know they'll happen, I just thought it was weird that he decided to walk into the crate to do his business.

He's also going into the crate twice a day for two hours with absolutely no one home. He is not let out until he stops.