Crate training advice!!

[Katy Henry]

Our puppy Dolly is 10 weeks old today :) She is sweet and playful and we love her to death! But, I need crate training advice. She originally (8 weeks old) was going into the crate for the night at 11pm and sleeping until 6:00am/7:00am. When I took her out as soon as she woke up in the crate...she would immediately pee and poop. Over the past week Dolly has been getting up earlier and earlier. It is like she is going backwards! Mostly right before 5am. Two nights ago she got up at 4:30am. When she gets up she is ready to play. She will not go back in her crate and will not settle down to rest for the remainder of the night (which is the main problem). We made the mistake two nights ago of putting her in our bed after the 4:30am potty break (she still paced around and only took little short naps). Last night - back in the crate - she cried every hour on the hour for at least 10 minutes. We do not want her sleeping in our bed so we tried to stay strong and just let her "cry it out" (as our vet recommended). What am I doing wrong?! I understand that she is a puppy and we will have long nights, but it has been a full week of regression.

The crate is in our bedroom, with a divider so it is smaller, with a tshirt that smells like the kids and a comfy dog bed.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Well, the honeymoon is over! She might have been really tired those first few nights as she adjusted to her new home and now she is acting more normal...my advice is no food after 5 pm, no water after 6 pm and get her out and playing during the day and evening--she needs to run off some energy so that she sleeps better at night--it might be a while before she sleeps through the night, but that 4:30 am thing is a problem...keep the lights low, take her out to potty, put her back in the crate with little or no talking --oh, and cover the crate with a blanket. 

I think though that she will be up and ready to go by 6:30--not much you can do about that. 

[Bonnie and Kona]

Good advice, Ginny. I am a believer in covering the crate to help the sleeping process. I learned with my second child to NEVER turn on a light or talk to the baby in the night. I retained that lesson with the dogs. I hate to tell you, but our 3 year old doodle still gets up at 6:00 am every morning. The 6 year old doodle slept until we were ready to get up from only weeks old. sigh. Good luck! This too shall pass.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Great advice all the way around. Enzo is now 7 months and as soon as the sun rises, she is up and about. She comes and lays her head on my side of the bed and just "stares", willing me to open my eyes. Once she sees me open my eyes..,HER day has started and there is no rolling over and going back to sleep.

[Kelly]

Skeet will sometimes get up early ( he is 7) and I will say " it is too early... Get back on your bed'. He settles down for awhile. Of course he is a mature dog but as your baby gets older you may be able to put them back to bed for a short while.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Quincy is a licker when he wants to go out in the early hours.  How lucky am I that he licks my DH and not me...LOL.  

Good advice from Ginny, Bonnie, Ro- above, good luck and keep to a routine that hopefully you make, and not Dolly!  (easier said than done)

[Kristina 'n Parker]

What worked for us - wearing her out with exercise (evening walk & indoor fetch), get a Snuggle Puppy (that soft toy pup with the heartbeat) and move her out of your bedroom until she gets the schedule. Take her out at times appropriate for her age (at 12 weeks - should be able to wait 3 hours).  Once it's morning (6-6:30am) take her out before you take care of your own needs.  After about a week on your new routine - you can bring her back into your bedroom.  You might need a soft crate - if she is waking herself up every time she moves - or maybe someone is waking her up?

[Katy Henry]

Thank you all so much for your advice!  6:00/6:30 is fine...but I can not handle our day starting at 4:30!!  We listened to you all...took Dolly on a walk right before bed.  She slept 11:00pm - 7:00am!!!!  We are going to try it again tonight - fingers crossed last night wasn't a fluke :)

[Bonnie and Kona]

Awesome!!!