Crying puppy please help! I'm desperate

[Amanda and Wheatley]

So I've searched this topic a thousand times over and I see the same stuff, so I'm going to post it again to see if I get anything different. I just bought my puppy yesterday and brought her home, and by night of course I put her in the crate, and omg did she scream! She probably screamed, howled, and cried for 2 hours straight, and normally I wouldn't care but it turns out my roommate has a psychological problem with crying puppies. His family abused them when he was young I guess, so when he hears a dog cry he gets emotionally upset. Anyway, I did everything, I tried to tire her out before bed, I put in blankets, I put in a warming thing, I put in a toy with mom's scent, I played some piano music, I covered the crate with a towel, and NOTHING worked. I expected her to cry, but not scream bloody murder till 2 am. I dont know what to do! I have to make her stop crying before my roommate goes completely insane! And yes, when she quieted down and then started crying again I took her outside to potty, and she did, but when I put her back, the screaming started again. I did NOT take her out when she screamed though because I do not want to reward her bad behavior. I did put her in my room next to my bed, and I let her know I was there, but I think she just REALLY did not want to be in that crate. And I wasn't planning on using a water gun because I dont want to scare the poor thing.... Any ideas guys I'm desperate!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Agreed - Yvonne you really saved me the first few nights!! I can't thank you enough. Hope Amanda's nights get better :)

[Amanda and Wheatley]

Oh that's right! I thought astro was from tulas litter, my bad! But thank you for the encouragement! I really hope things go better and I will keep you updated. Honestly I don't care if she cries its just my roommate I'm worried about

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Amanda it has been one night. Didnt you get the memo? Puppies are like babies. She misses her littermates. It is a scary big world for her - being suddenly ripped away from the only family she knows. It will calm down. Peace.

[Amanda and Wheatley]

I'm well aware, and I expected her to cry, I just didn't think she would scream bloody murder for hours on end. And even still, its fine, I know shes scared/sad, but I'm looking for suggestions on easing the matter due to my roommate. When he hears a puppy cry he gets very emotional. His parents abused their dogs when he was a kid, so the sound of a puppy crying just sets him off.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh yes, it is the same thing with some babies. I have never had a crying baby or a crying puppy, so I guess we are lucky. One thing that I found worked well is to use a playpen instead of a crate for a puppy. It's my personal thing - I don't like crates for puppies. We had one, but it was for in the car only. Groucho Too outgrew it pretty quickly. Anyway, back to the playpen. For Hondo I got a playpen with a vibrator. I would put him into the playpen with his blanket (mother smell on it) and turn on the vibrator and turn out the lights. He never cried and never messed in his bed. First thing in the morning I would walk him outside and put him down where I wanted him to pee. He still goes to the same relative area first thing every morning. Groucho Too had a different playpen with no vibrator and within a couple of weeks he could jump out of it. I had to put a piece of pressed wood on the top with bungy cords. Right before lights out, I would put him in his playpen with his blanket, and also no problem.

[Kim]

I didn't have these issues at all, so I'm not sure that I can be of much assistance, but I did let her sleep in my bedroom (in the crate) the first night, but on and after the 2nd night, she slept in her crate in the living room. I did keep a blanket from the breeder with the scent of her siblings in the crate. She never went in her crate independently and at times struggled when we took her to it for bed. Now she still won't go into her crate without our guidance but she no longer struggles when it's time. I think she likes it to sleep in - but just won't admit it (lol). I hope that it gets better for you. I know she would have probably destroyed my house if it wasn't for the crate - it really is a good thing!

[Debbie and Thomas]

Our doodle slept thru the first night and has never made a peep. Lucky me. But I do feel for you-my first born screamed bloody murder for at least a month-I was beside myself with this little human devil. Nothing helped-then the doctor told me"if the little fellow wants to cry-then let him". However with a new puppy-this would be very upsetting. My sister ended up putting baby gates in her kitchen and threw down a mattress on the floor-she slept there on the mattress for two weeks until her pup had settled in. After that he slept in the kitchen and she went back to her bedroom. That was a last resort though. Also-maybe you should buy some ear plugs for your roommate?? I am not being feciscious-I think it might help if you knew he could not hear the noise. It might relax you a bit and your puppy will sense this.

[Janie]

Amanda, you have recieved great advice. I hope you find something that works for you soon. Good luck and congratulations on your new puppy. Let us know how it goes.

[Mary Burkovich]

Hi Amanda,
I am a breeder. My 1st suggestion is to get a wire crate. Also.. sleep on the floor and cuddle up to the crate as best you can. Stick your finger in through the wires of the crate to comfort this poor soul. When a puppy is removed from everything it has only ever known and all it's littermates..it can be a very scarey thing to be locked away in a crate.
You may need to do this every night for a few night and then you can most likley move yourself back up on your bed.

I don't actually crate train my pups before they leave..but an open wire crate is always a part of the puppy room setup starting at 4 week sold. They just freely go in and out of to play or nap at thier leisure. Most times I find them all piled in one crate sleeping.
I find that when they go to their new homes..the wire crate that the new owners have..it something that is very familair to them and actually gives them a sense of security.
During the day..toss treats in the crate and close the door for just a minute then open the crate door. Feed your pupp his/her meal in their too. The message you are sending is..Good things happen in this crate. If the transition to a crate is not a positive one..it can be a very negative association for a puppy. You can start to leave the room for a minute and then show up again so the puppy learns that just because they can't see you..that you are indeed coming back.
Do it in small steps by staying out of view for little longer times..maybe just 3 min. In no time, even when your puppy doesn't see you..it will know you are coming back

From the puppy's point of view..being isolated in a crate is a canine instinst of feeling shunned and abandoned by the pack, since, in the wild, when a pack member is up for banishment from the pack..the pack shuns them and ignores them. This is what your puppy thinks is happening. The puppy is already confused and afraid becuase it lost it's littermates and mom and everything else that made the puppy feel secure. It just takes some time, patience and understanding from a canine's point of view as to why the puppy is crying.
PLEASE do NOT lock the puppy in the bathroom where it will be more isolated as someone suggested. This could trigger a bigger problem later on with seperation anxiety .

Hope this helps..well wishes to you and your new puppy. Hopefully your roommate can hang in there.
Here's a couple of pictures of one of my litter of pups, at 6 weeks all piled in a crate for a nap

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Okay you have had lots of advice. I think the best of it is ipod heartbeat, wire crate, feed her every meal in the crate with the door open. Leave the food down for 10 minutes no more and pick it up. She will start to eat if you leave consistently feed her the same food, in the crate. You may stand nearby, but no talking. She is trying to figure everything out. Curl up by the crate for a few nights and then, move to the bed with your arm dangling down. Again, no talking. The site and smell of you is enough, she is probably on overload and the sound of you is less valuable to her than site and smell. I promise, if you are quiet, consistent with the feeding, in a week, it will all be over and her crate will be her comfort spot. Meanwhile could your roommate crash a few nights at a friend's house. It will relieve both of you and the puppy is aware of the anxiety your roommate is causing you. If you relax, she will relax.

[Christine + Ellie]

Hi Amanda - I completely empathize with you. Ellie (Peri's sister) was a nightmare on the 1st night. I stuck her in the wire crate and she cried and cried on and off throughout the night. I had to sleep on the floor next to her crate to appease her - and I can't say that was too comfortable. I added towels, blankets, toys, and puppy cuddle pal. Nothing worked. After observing her throughout the day, I noticed she napped in tight corners and nooks. I was reading some articles on crate training and figured she might have better luck sleeping in her pet taxi. (Ellie was shipped to NYC). Turns out, she sleeped quite well in her pet taxi, probably bc it is enclosed and feels comforting. I've had Ellie over a week and she loves going into her "home". I move her pet taxi from the bedroom to the living room and leave the door open and she goes in and out to grab her toys. If Maddie likes tight enclosed spaces, I recommend a pet taxi - not to mention it's cooler bc of the plastic. What I find funny is that Ellie never took a liking to her puppy cuddle pal. All she does is chew on it or ignore it completely. I gave her a stuffed animal which she prefers to snuggle with instead. Good luck!

[Tamara & Giada]

We ran a fan or the dishwasher for ours and it worked like a charm........no crying here! What age is your pup? They cry because of the seperation anxiety, could be he is too young. Be very careful not to be too strict with him, this is so hard for them and he'll need TLC. I had a puppy I sang to and that worked like a charm too. GL :)