puppy does not like kong, any suggestions for a substitute? trying to get him used to crate

[Danna]

So my 10 week old labradoodle is cautious and needs a lot of reassurance when experiencing anything new.  I have seen some improved confidence with him in the two weeks we've had him.  He sleeps in a crate in our bedroom at night and has reluctantly accepted that crate.  However, he really does not like his downstairs crate.  I have been working with him quite a bit trying to get him used to it. He will go in with some hot dog pieces and even lay down for about 25 mins, but then it's full on crying/whining/howling.    I have tried filling a kong with peanut butter to give him something to do while in the crate, but he is just not interested.  He won't touch it.  (He really has no interest in the kong - even when it's available to him when we are home).  

My vet suggested I try another type of similar mental toy with a treat he will only get when in the crate. Any suggestions?

[Phoenix]

None of my crate trained dogs have ever played with toys or chewed on chew toys in their crates. They will only eat treats as they are given. They only sleep/ lay down in the crate.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

Mine don't usually eat or chew anything in the crate, either. But for chewing I give them bully sticks. And only for about half an hour at a time, and then I take them away.

[Rhoni Ann]

Try draping a sheet or a light blanket over the crate. It worked with my new 3 month old goldendoodle we only had to use for two days. I but her crate in our entry, turned it toward the door, placed it up against the wall, just draped the rear and one side of the crate. She still doesn't go in fully on her own but it has taught her to not cry the whole time she is in there. And when she did cry I ignored her, kinda hard to do. My 3 year old goldendoodle runs to his crate anytime he is told, so I've been working on her watching him. He doesn't think it is funny, so he gets rewards for being a good teacher. And I allow her a toy in there, a soft bear with a squeaker. She doesn't tear her toys up, the 3 yr old destroys toys.

[Danna]

Thanks for the advice.  We have a sheet draped over the crate on 3 sides.  Even tried draping all 4 sides but he really screamed over that.  

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

I used a Snuggle Puppy in the crate. And at night time it helped to keep the crate right next to my bed and stick my finger in. That calmed them down right away and they'd curl up and go to sleep. No problem.

[Danna]

Thanks!  I just ordered a snuggle puppy.  Hoping that it will keep him company while I am away during the day.  Night time is not a problem for us at all.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My dogs are not Kong fans - just aren't.  They do like Nylabones though.  We have bought hollow bones at the pet store and put some peanut butter inside them.  They love those.

[Tara Daukas]

Mine isn't a huge fan of the crate either! I just keep putting her in it with a few toys and walk away... she cries every single time, but always settles down after a few minutes. Do you feel like yours will settle down eventually? Mine doesn't care for the Kong either. LOVES bully sticks though :) I think over time their whining will get less and less and probably eventually, hopefully, stop altogether!

[Sue]

Our Lexee hated the upstairs crate but LOVES her main floor crate....As I was reading up on this a couple of months ago...I was told that puppies sometimes only like 1 "den"......Since we have 1 pen we have no problems with her in the crate...day or night....perhaps she just likes the bedroom crate , try moving the crate downstairs , throw in some treats and a toy and see if that works....
good luck.....and sometimes you just need to let them cry it out.....

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

With Moose I had a snuggle puppy which is still his buddy at 10months old lol. I also would softly play meditation/nature sounds when I first put him in his crate and that seemed to calm him down. I have no idea if it was just the noise that made him feel not so alone or if the sounds were truly relaxing. Either way he would settle in faster than the whole place being quiet. Hope this helps!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Google "The Tellington touch". It is a method of massaging your dog for relaxation. I know when Daphne was small I used to it before I even knew what it was. Massaging her really relaxed us both.