Picking up New Puppy Tomorrow - Potty Training at Night

[Jen Raimondi]

Hello! 

We are picking up our new puppy tomorrow! The breeder has started the crate training and gave some instructions on how to continue. Was curious about the night time. When I read the Monks training advice they said don't put puppy in a crate at night as it will establish a bit of resentment with the owner? They said you just put the puppy in a bed or blank location by your bed? Or should we keep the pup in his crate at night? Curious for any thoughts or advise. 

Thanks!

Jen

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We crated Ned at night and when we were gone until he was about a year old.  We put the crate in our room and took him out to potty when he woke up (and put him back if it was still night). Ned sleeps on our bed now by choice.   We had a Springer Spaniel who was a crate failure as a puppy - he totally freaked out at being separated.  We put him on our bed to sleep and that is where he slept his whole life.  Personally, I would crate at night in your room until you can trust the dog's potty skills.

[Carrie]

Hi Jen! I'm a crate believer. We brought our doodle home at 8 weeks and had a small crate we put next to the bed. We would let him out around 11 and then again at 4. The first couple nights he would whine a bit when we first went to bed. My husband or I would lay near his crate for about 10 min with our fingers through the grates so he could touch them if he wanted to. Within 10 minutes he had settled in and we got back into bed and went to sleep. After those first couple of nights he only whined when he needed out (which at that age we responded to by getting him up and taking him out). After the quick trip out it was right back to crate/bed for all. He's 10 months now and we still crate him when we are gone from home for more than an hour or two. Overnight he's loose but still chooses to sleep in his crate at times.

[Tom and Tab]

We crated Beau right from the start (2 weeks ago, feels like forever) in our room so we could just roll over and say it was ok and let him know we are there. He whined the first two nights and by the 3rd was sleeping through the night. The 5th night we moved him downstairs in the living room in his crate. It was smooth transition. He doesn't always sleep in his crate during the day but he will tend to move there when he's ready for the night. We also crate him when we go out. The first day he cried and had an accident, kind of expected. The second time he cried with no accidents. By the third he was a pro. He is by all means not a fan to go in, he may give a "what's up with this whine" at first and then go about his business. We did find he was going after my wife's slippers. He didn't want to eat them, he wanted to nuzzle them. So we found an old pair and threw it in the crate too. The smell seemed to calm him down. We also took an old sock of mine and tied a knot in it and threw it in there. Get a crate with a divider. That will give him less space to work with. 

Get a Kong you can stuff with food or treats for when you're gone. Beau loves his. It really helps.

[Phoenix]

My puppy was crated from the very beginning. I woke up to let her out a couple times the first couple nights and then she slept through the whole night after that with no problem. I give her a couple treats when she goes in so she's not reluctant.

[Corinn Laitre]

My dogs love their crate!  I absolutely recommend kennel training.  It's a safe place for your pup to go when you can't be around and accelerates the housetraining process.  Remember that your pup will sense how you feel about them going into the crate so make sure you feel confident and positive about the kennel so they will too.  Crates are problem preventers not creators.  Your pup won't soil your bed or floor during the night, and they are much more likely to alert you when they need to go if they are confined.  It prevents destruction and accidents while your away from home and gives you piece of mind that your pup is safe.  It's also a great way to facilitate friends and family watching your pup or dog while your away since they have a safe piece of home with them wherever they are. It takes alot of the stress away from others knowing that your dog is happy to be crated when they need to go out without fear of the dog getting into something.  My boys both go into their kennel to cuddle and nap when they think we're about to leave lol be consistent and positive and they'll give it right back to you :)

[Christy L.]

We did a crate right by our bed from the first night.  Marli is now 4 months old and I am gradually moving her crate towards the hall so hopefully sometime soon she will be sleeping just outside our room.  We only had to take her out at night for the first couple nights and ever since then she has slept all night (from about 10 pm until 7 am) with no trips outside.

[Jen Raimondi]

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback.!! It really helped get us started and now that we are about 1.5 weeks in with our new pup, I think I might also make some adjustments given this input! We have the crate right by our bed - she did whine at first for a bit, but I did put my finger through the crate for a bit and that seemed to settle her down. Her schedule has been to go in the crate at about 10 or 11, then she wakes up at about 3 then again around 5 or 6. I'm considering trying to remove the 3am bathroom break. Not only because it's exhausting :), but it seems like when we go our at 5 or 6, she doesn't need to go potty, she's just hungry. So I'm hopeful that maybe we should just try and not let her out when we hear a ruffle around 3am. I'm conflicted because I don't want her to have to hold it for so long, but I also don't want it to become a routine....

[RBG]

It won't become a routine.  With my puppy, I started by taking her out every 2 hours (!) and then gradually increased the time by 30 min or so, and pretty soon ( in about a month ) we were getting through the night, more or less.  Now she is asleep in her crate by 9, and up at 6-6:30.  I have had her for 2 months.  

You could try moving the 3 am potty time up by 30 min.  if that works for a few days, move it up again.  If it doesn't work, try 15 min for a day or 2, then up to 30, etc.  Yes, I know this sounds tediious, but it really worked for us, and I think sometimes we just ned to bite the night time potty trip bullet, haha.  It won't be forever.