Starting Crate discussion again about getting Waffle out of my bedroom!

[New puppy owner]

My 12 week old puppy hates his crate!  He barks non-stop during the day  in the one in the kitchen.  (or so it seems  -he must stop because his stuffed kong was cleaned out).  he's crated only a couple hrs a day when i'm getting kids or at work.  i then hire my babysitter to be with him until i get home from work hoping tht he will grow more comfortable with the crate and with being alone.    at night he sleeps next to me.  he barks unless i read next to him or go to slee with him.  most nites he wakes up once and whimpers nad di put my hand on the bars for give him a soothing comment.  the problem is that i am sleeping terrribly .  he shuffles around noisily and wakes me (he's asleep and i'm not). i'm afraid if i go to the bathroom he'll bark and wake the whole house.  he's been with us for 3 weeks .  i want to crate him in the kitchen and let him cry it out so i can get some sleep because he wakes eeven when he's not whimpering or barking.  last nite he woke at 4:50am and than an 6am.  ihe feel back asleep each time.  i make him stay in until 6:15am because he can hold it for 6-8 hrs. he's never had an accident in the crate at nite.  his barking drives me crazy. he's whimpering  wakes me and just his snoring and rolling over wakes me.  i'm so sleep deprived and i want to take my bedroom back.  i'm wondering if anyone has tried the cry-it-out in downstairs after 3 weeks of heaven in our bedroom. thanks. 

also our breeder socialized him in a way not conducive to being alone, as he was her was college-aged daughter's favorite so he spent the 3 weeks before he came home with us being carried around like a baby all through he house in her arms.  he's very friendly but super clingy if i just go in the other room (that part has improved a little).  if i relocate his sleeping to the kitchen and stick it out do u think he'll eventually deal with it?  will it affect his housetraining.   as i mentioned, he's never had an accident at nite in his crate?  please help from desperate sleep-deprived woman!!

[Amy and Truman]

I put our 10 week old pup downstairs after 3 days in our room.  Like you I couldn't sleep with the scooting and moving around.  He does great when I first put him in the crate (around 11) and sleeps fine until around 4.  I let him out to potty then and put him right back up at which time he whines and barks for 15 minutes or so.  He's back up for good at 6. 

 

I'm going to pull the water dish starting tonight early and hope that he can "hold" it little longer. Boy am I ready for him to start sleeping until 6.  I understand how terrible it feels though to hear him cry and not know if he is just whining or really needs to go out to potty. 

 

Good luck and hope you get some rest!

[Anne G.]

It may be hard for a couple nights but I think it would be best to crate him away from you and let him work through his anxiety. Unfortunately every time you respond to his barking or whining you are sending the message that the barking/whining is working and then it is reinforced. What you can do also is after he quiets down during the day reward him for that but if he is barking just walk past and don't make eye contact. Good luck and I hope you get some ZZZZZs soon!

[Adina P]

Am I understanding this correctly?  Right now he's in bed with you at night and you're wanting to move him to a crate in the kitchen?  Or is he in a crate in your room and you're wanting to move him to the crate in the kitchen?  I think you have to do what you WANT to do and train him to accept it.  But what about a middle ground with a crate in your room so he isn't shuffling around in bed with you?

 

You CAN also correct the barking/whimpering/whining.  Just give a loud, firm, deep, "QUIET" the MOMENT you hear the noise and then go to his crate and shake or bang on his crate.  Plan to do this when you have time to repeat as often as necessary until he stops making noise.  So don't do it after he's been barking for 5 minutes...do it THE MOMENT he starts.

[New puppy owner]

he has a crate in our bedroom and in the kitchen.  he's in the kitchen one during the day and i now want him to sleep in that kitchen crate all the time

[Judi, David & Maddie Irishdoodle]

I would walk the dickens out of him in the evening and play some ball etc and definitely don't let him drink much after that last bit of exercise.  I think if he is whimpering at 3 or 4 am I would take him out on a leash - go to one spot only and tell him to do his business.  As soon as he's done I'd take him back to his crate (make sure it is covered on 3 sides and the top). Lights out and the less words you say the better.

Good luck and hope you get lots of sleep.

[Ellen, Brûlée, and Tira]

You sound like a really exhausted light sleeper who could use some of your own "positive" noise to drown out Waffle's sounds.  If you have an iPhone/iPad you could look into the free app, SleepStream 2.  It is wonderful and can help you relax while you listen to wonderful peaceful sounds while you fall asleep.  It can be set to run a certain time, or can continue all night.  Volume is at your discretion...This might help if you decide to put Waffle in another room, and he is crying.  That's hard to tune out!  I'd do as others have said, and set things up so you are comfortable.  Sweet dood will soon be happy with your arrangement!  Good luck and sweet dreams!

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

ah the joys of new motherhood right? at least my boobs and other region does not hurt and I can crate her while we go out to dinner. we have had Lilly for a week tomorrow. The first three nights were terrible. Then someone said to put a shirt I wore inthe crate.. well really she said next to the crate..but I was so sleep deprived, I read it wrong. It worked!  Lilly has been sleeping from about 10-4.. I put her in the crate, turn on my sound machine ( I am also a very light sleeper) say good night and that is it.. when she whimpered I just went shhhhhhhhhh....shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. its okay Lilly.... good luck. I feel your pain.

[Anne G.]

The good news is how remarkably fast they become good dogs compared with those first weeks. Ours is now 6 months and the whining and wimpering and accidents are a distant memory, not that she won't still get in to trouble sometime, but it's SO much better than it was!

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

Because we didn't have a crate the day we brought Brady home from breeder I put him in his 'soft' bed beside ours on the floor.   First night, I figured (he'll never stay in that) so I scooped him into bed with me - he slept, I didn't)   Then, I thought how stupid of me ... now he won't sleep on his own!    We got the crate by day 3 and left it in the main living area, door open and I was actually afraid to use it until my friends on DKisses really advised I get him in it.    So, this would have Brady at about 10 weeks when I started 'ever-so-slowly' to use the crate.   First I left it in our front hall (good visual of most of the main floor).   Lured him in with treat....then let him just walk out.   This happened several times a day for about 3 days. (Fortunately, I am at home and could be 'on' him the entire day).   Day 4 or 5 - filled puppy kong with p. butter, sured him in with it, CLOSED THE DOOR, said 'enjoy your Kong' and proceeded to hang out in the same area of house, making my presence known going in and out of his sight.   I used the sewing machine, turned water tap on and off, cough-cough, sang, you get the idea.    Worked like a charm, he actually fell asleep, during which time I unlatched the crate door and opened it.   When he woke up (20 min. later) I said nothing to him as he walked out.  Did this for several more days - (making it a good experience only) before actually leaving him in it when we 'needed' him safe or wanted to go out.   

I wonder if you could try leaving the crate door open (and your bedroom door closed) at night and see if that works.   I find with Brady in his 'soft bed' I can get up and go to the bathroom and he is o.k. while I'm gone.   He also will settle down on the floor while I'm reading with light on - I do not talk to him after I say good night - and some nights he gets in a playful, silly mood but it lasts only a few minutes.    I hope something works - sleep deprivation is not fun!!

[New puppy owner]

Hi all, I just wanted to thank everyone for their wisdom and support. Waffle is now in a crate in the kitchen.  Last night, night #3 in kitchen crate, he didn't even cry when we put him to bed after a last pee at 10:30.  he was barking his head off this morning at 6am and had to pee and poop immediately.  I would love to get him to stay in there until 6:30.  rite now i give him dinner at 6:30 and take away water at 7:30.  he's stopped making a late nite poop since we gave up at lunch but he has to poop immediately int he morning.  any suggestion on how to set his schedule to sleep until 6:30am, and then maybe, 7?

[Becka]

I think that at this age it's not realistic to expect him to sleep past 6--he's only 12 weeks old. I would have been thrilled if Sadie had slept from 10:30 until 6 at 12 weeks--she only started sleeping past 5 a.m. at about 18 weeks.