# 8 week old and crate training.



## katy13 (Apr 29, 2014)

Hello,

So I know most/all 8 weeks old will bark/howl/cry/scream etc. when they are in their crate, but it has now been the 6 day we have had her and she does not stop. She cries the entire night. I mean ENTIRE night. I live in an apartment so I know our neighbors now hate us. But what else can I do?

We give her treats and she willingly goes in and lays down. I can even get almost out of the house or in bed before she starts screaming. But that is it, from then on out she cries. I have put her in there during nap time with the door open and she stays, but right when that door is closed and I am out of sight she starts up. I have never put her in there for punishment only when I leave and when it is either nap or bed time. 

Any more suggestions?


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

It's been 6 days! It will take about 6 more weeks for her to figure out what you expect of her in the crate.

Your puppy is a baby, expect it to act like one!!!

Try putting the crate in your bedroom.


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## katy13 (Apr 29, 2014)

Yeah I know, I just feel like there should have been some progress...
I guess not.

Well the crate has been in our bedroom... and its not helping. Plus the neighbors complained that they couldn't sleep so now I have to move her to the other bedroom. :/


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Our guy actually did better when he couldn't see us and was crated in another room (each pup is different!). So that might not be a bad thing!

I totally intend on trying the Snuggle Puppie product the next time we have to crate train (heartbeat, stuffed animal, heat, all in one):

http://www.snugglepetproducts.com/store/snuggle-puppies

But I can't report back as to whether it's helpful or not yet  Do you have a stuffed animal in the crate with her that will feel like she's snuggling with a littermate?

Are you crating on a consistent basis? NEVER letting her out when she's barking unless she wakes up for a potty break? (I know that's a tough call when they never stop barking and you don't know if they need to go potty or not.) Hiding cookies in the crate for her to find throughout the day? Stuffing a delicious Kong?

Hang in there. It's no fun but it does get better (just not for a while yet ). I suggest lots of thank you notes and gifts to the neighbors!


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

I didn't crate my dog at night but trained him during the day as I was working from home when I got him a couple years ago.

I would put him in only when he was falling asleep and I would let him out before he woke up so he never had a chance to scream. I just slowly increased the time. After months of setting up for success, he got it.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

The first couple nights we had Tucker I slept on the floor next to his kennel and had my fingers through the crate door. Our kennel in the bedroom is a shipping style plastic crate which he now just walks into at night when we go to bed. After a couple days of spending the night on the floor I would lay next to his kennel till he fell asleep. Once he was asleep I went and got into bed. If he stired or started to whine I would just calmly tell him its ok and that its bedtime. We always have his favorite stuffed animal in there with him and an article of clothing I wore the day before. That way my/our scent is on it. It will get better but sometimes you have to try different things like really wearing her out before bedtime.aube she will be to tired to howl. You could try a different style of crate. If your using a shipping crate go to a wire style or vice versa. You could also use a baby gate between the bed and a wall to create a small confined area that is cozy, not to big where she will go to the bathroom. That way you can have her confined but open and near you to where you could touch and or calmly stroke her if she is upset. That way she doesn't feel separated and you can still make sure she is secure.


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