Crate whining it stops eventually right?!

[Tara Daukas]

We've had our rosie for almost 8 wks. From the day we got her she's been placed in a crate to sleep at night or when we leave. We started with the plastic crate by our bed and about a month ago moved her to the midwest metal one downstairs in our main family room. She sleeps through the night like a champ! But she just freaks out every time I put her in there. I try to coax her in with a treat. I'll hide a treat in there for her to find. Sometimes she won't come and I need to leave so I will gently place her in and say I will be right back matter of factly and walk away. Doesn't matter what I do she whines, cries, jumps up to try to claw out. She does give it up after a few minutes- particularly if she can't see me.

So I guess I just need someone to tell me that that's normal and maybe a day will come when she will like it and go in there without throwing fits! I dread leaving the house and having to put her in there but a girl needs to get groceries now and then :) Also everything I read says put the crate where she can be with the family. But I am finding she only stops crying once she can't see us anymore. If she sees me or the kids she is more likely to beg to get out for a long period. So it's just making it difficult to actually clean anywhere she can see me!!! I do take her potty right before I put her in so I can be confident it's not a potty thing. I've had pretty good success of her not going potty in her crate. One or two accidents when she was younger. 

Also I set up a larger play pen type area. She's been using that for a few weeks now- and actually fights going into that area less. But yesterday she climbed herself up and jumped out! EEK! So I'm guessing those days are gone :( 

[Wasseem Sidhom]

you're doing the right think...but sadly my 2 year old is not a fan of his crate. he'll go in grudgingly and definitely not by choice. but once he's in, he'll settle fine for the night without the whining and the bloody murder screaming.

But that took 3 months or so. It wasn't easy for us.

[Emery & Watson]

we struggled for a few months as well, but it does get better.. 

we had to "trick" him with treat hiding games to get him to go in his crate and then close it and sometimes he would cry so pathetically even if he couldn't see us

it wasn't until he was about 7 months old that he would go into his crate willingly on his own to take a nap (with the door open) 

[Cynthia Shoe]

Lambeau hated the plastic crate. He cried for two weeks, non-stop and really was panicky.  I cried a lot too. We switched and he will go into his Midwest crate and we bought the Midwest playpen that attaches to it. We got a fairly tall one at at almost 6 months old and 40+ pounds, he has not been able to climb out of it. 

One of my friends told me to have special treats that they only get in their crate and no other time, so that they know it is a special treat for just being there. That helps us. We rarely shut the door on our crate and just have the pen attached to the crate. His dog bed is in the crate, and some toys, water and a blanket are in the pen. So he moves from crate to floor. Most nights he falls asleep on the tile and when I wake up, he is sleeping in his crate. At the beginning we would feed him in his pen and crate too. 

Good luck! 

[Tara Daukas]

Thank you Cynthia! I will have to look into the midwest playpen. I am using a play yard thing that I used with my babies... part of me thinks since it's not made for puppies it's easier to get out of. I'll check out the midwest one! Do you work from home? Stay at home? Just curious how long and how often you use the playpen area. Thanks :)

[Cynthia Shoe]

My husband and I are on opposite work schedules. I work days and he works nights. Lambeau goes in the playpen at night from about 9:30/10 pm til 6:30/7 am. Otherwise he is only in it when we are running errands or for the 45 min while I am still working and my husband leaves for work. We haven't left him for more than 3 hours on a weekend in the pen/crate area. This is the pen I bought - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H8YTJI?psc=1&redirect=true...

And it attaches to this crate - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AT3ME?psc=1&redirect=true... 

I also like the pen because it can fit in my car and the crate won't. So I can take his pen and bed with me when I go visit my parents. 

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

Completely normal and hang in there! Moose cried constantly until 4-5 months old, he's such a vocal guy to begin with and HATES being separated from his people! I found that softly playing meditation music on my laptop right by his crate did help him settle in, maybe it was just the noise or that it was actually soothing to him- either way it helped me not go crazy!

[Jenn and Bogey]

I noticed Bogey started doing better with his crate once we started using a crate cover. We first started with just a blanket on it, but for Christmas I got him one from Molly Mutt. Also, playing music and leaving his puzzle ball filled with his meal helps.

[Tara Daukas]

Thank you Jenn! I keep mine covered with a blanket too... read that it helps somewhere and have a sound machine I play background noise on. I'll have to check out the puzzle ball :)