Crate training
Just finished crate training our new boxer... all you have to do is put the puppy in the crate at night - in your room, next to the bed. The puppy will not go in of its own accord for the first two weeks or so - you must physically pick up the puppy and put him/her in the crate. Then, while you are trying to sleep - give a command... we use a long running - quite monotone (as we are sleeping - or trying to) "be quiet, good girl - go to sleep... thats a good girl, be quiet, good girl - go to sleep" sometimes a " no, lay down... go to sleep - lay down - good girl"
that goes on and on... the first night or two I slept with my fingers in the crate to help her not feel so isolated - but not longer than it took for her to settle...
it took about 3 days for her to simply lie down and go to sleep after I put her in (the first three days - dont expect to sleep much - cuz she's gonna try everything from yapping, to crying to howling to whimpering... that last I hate worse than anything) but after about three days she only cried in the morning - about 3am to go out to pee... and then back in the crate until her second morning pee at around 5am...
having a puppy is like having a baby.. so the early mornings shouldnt' be too much of a surprise (nor should the crying)- they cant hold it longer than about 3 hours until they're about 8 weeks old... and 5 hours until about 3 months old... by 4 months they can and should hold on through the night... but I never hold em to it cuz I've also got another dog and a 3 year old... so 5am is about right for the entire family.
keep the crate in the same room as the dog - we move it into the living room in the am and DO NOT put the dog in it unless we are planning to leave the house - or when the puppy is really younger and still needs naps (when we PUT the puppy in and do the same as above until she sleeps)... but we only leave the door open if the dog goes in of their own accord... we NEVER shut the door if the dog puts itself in...
we never expect the dog to go in without physical direction...
our puppy is now 3 and half months - she will willingly go into the crate when I reach down an touch her collar... I expect by next month she'll be going in on command... but I'm not in a hurry - she does go in - and she's quiet while in there.
she will often, now, seek out the crate for privacy (like I said, I have a 3 year old)... and naps there for the most part -as the kids are forbidden to bother her/play with her when she's in there...
she is quiet in the crate when we go out of the house during the day because she learned at night that the crate is for - being quiet and lying down and going to sleep. so it doesn't really matter when she goes in now cuz she knows why she's in there.
there it is -
good luck
