# Crate Whining



## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

We picked up our boy Koda on Saturday. First night in the crate was fantastic, though he was passed out when we put him in it! These last two nights have been very trying...Koda will bark and whine so much after he gets put in his crate...how long does this last and is this very common? We have never crate trained before, but the end result sounds fantastic! 

One good thing about our lil guy is that he has not made one mess in the house yet. He knows to go outside to do his business...for that I am very thankful!


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

If I recall, the really bad crying only last about 3 nights or so and not for very long each time. I think she wore herself out. After that, we still had the occasional whine here and there and she was awake at the crack of dawn but getting her to go to sleep in her crate wasn't so bad. Hang in there. It gets better!

I know a lot of people have different opinions but the first few nights I put her crate right next to the bed so she could hear us breathing etc. and knew we were there. After that, she stayed in our room in the crate for a few months. Now, she sleeps in a different room (with our other V too) - sometimes in their crates and sometimes they share the guest bed . I know, I know, but we mix it up so they still spend nights in the crate and do fine in there. They get to snuggle in bed with us in the mornings. 

PS - Koda is adorable!


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## dmp (Jan 23, 2012)

Love Koda!

ONE word of advice? Yes, Koda knows to potty outside. Today. Maybe tomorrow. 

In four days he may forget; heck, he'll likely forget. If I'd realized my pup's propensity to forget things I was SURE she'd mastered I'd have spent less time thinking I'm a failure.


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## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks for the words of wisdom! I wish bringing him in my bedroom was an option, but I am not willing to risk having my kids wake up to his crying..so I guess we just have to tuff it out until he realizes that this is the way it is...

I am hoping you are wrong dmp! Koda was raised as an outdoor dog with a shelter and going outside at 4 weeks..so hopefully it's something he will remember..but if an accident happens..I am ok with that too 

One problem I see is he is so tired during the day...when that's the time to play. He must have his days and nights mixed up. I tell ya, raising a baby seems like a walk in the park to raising a puppy!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Stick with it you will not be sorry.  If it takes 2 months of whining it will be worth it, believe me! Being consistent is very important when training a V. They have the memory of an Elephant and if you or anyone else screws up it will be remembered FOREVER. My V still will not let us clip his claws because of a bad experience with my son over a year ago! He remembers it like it was yesterday. He know what is in each cabinet in the kitchen and if it's good or bad. Open the clipper drawer and he runs and hides before he even sees the clippers. By the way, the brush and other good things are also in that drawer.

Crate training:
1. NEVER open the door when he is making noise of ANY kind
2. Always clean it with a pet urine cleaner and follow the directions on the bottle. I have used Natures Miracle and the Walmart brand which both work well
3. Do not leave anything in the crate accept a nylabone
4. Make it a good place to be. He should find treats in there from time to time and sleep in there most of the time
5. This is where he gets the steak bone!

What you get:
1. A dog who will go into the crate on his own when you are ready to leave the house
2. A dog who will sleep and stay in the crate when guests visit
3. A dog who will go and take a nap in the crate with the door open
4. A dog who will sleep in the crate anywhere you take him
5. A place to put the dog for time out when his/her energy level is off the charts and you can't deal with it at that exact moment
6 A happy confident comfortable dog


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Puppies sleep about 20-22 hours a day!!!   

We didnt exactly crate trained Elza, she does have a crate and she sleeps in there every night. The door stays open but she's closed into the corridor and she's happy like that. We slept with her for 2 weeks in the living room but she kept getting up and trying to sleep with us on the sofa which was a no no for us. We moved her crate in front of our bedroom, 3rd week first night my partner went to work (nightshift) and I as a stronger person 8) let her cry for 45 minutes! Then she stopped! That was the last time she cried during the night! She might whine for a few minutes but then stop soon. Wish I would have done it earlier. We had two weeks with barely any sleep. 
It's not easy but it will be over soon. Stick it out and try to place the crate further from where you sleep.

Happy puppy days! ;D


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## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

Yet another night of deathly barks and whining...along with "digging" in his crate. I feel so bad!!! We try to entice him to get in his crate with treats and toys but he is totally unwilling to go in it himself. From what I read, crates are supposed to be happy places, their own safe haven...not so much for Koda. He wants nothing to do with it...and fights us when we have to put him in at night. I hope he comes around soon as he is trying my patience! Any recommendations as to how to get him to want to go in his crate?


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

Kodasmom, have you tried feeding him his meals in the crate? We did that for the first few months (and even still her food bowls are in the room where the crate it).


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

I just posted this recently to another forum member.

Here are some things that worked for us:

Put the crate in the furthest part of the house away from the bedrooms

Make sure water in take is limited before bed time so no need for night time potty

Cover the crate with a sheet or something breathable....it makes a huge difference.

Try putting a piece of a family member's clothing in the crate. We used my husband's undershirts that he wore that day

We use a sound machine to sooth our girl - she tends to like nighttime sounds (crickets)

Buy earplugs for the family. We put on fans in our bedroom and used our own sound machines to drown it out.

Your pup will scream but it will get better and you will be so happy in the long run. We had about 2-3 weeks of this and then it got better. She regressed again when she got a little older and now at 18 months she loves sleeping in her crate. We have to wake her up in the morning now and sometimes puts herself to sleep in it. We just moved her crate up to an extra bedroom last week so she us officially graduated and can trust she won't wake us.

Don't expect your young pup to go into the crate on their own. We would feed Ruby in the crate the first week or 2 that we got her. Then did training sessions with treats and taught her the command "Load up". Now she knows when we say load up she walking into her crate. Right now Koda is so young and everything is so new - just need to stick to a routine.


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## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

Our original plan was to feed him in his crate, so I purchased bowls that would fit as he knocks the bowl off the door. Well turns out, he likes to play with his bowls now too and ends up dumping all of his food and water on the floor. So I recently purchased heavier bowls...which now won't fit in the crate. I just wanted to make sure the deathly whines and barking like he is going to lose his "voice" is normal...along with having to be pushed in. I just want reassurance that it isn't us and that it will get better... : )


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

Hmmm, I tend to think that pushing him in is going to make him associate it as a negative place. Can you maybe throw some high-yield treats (something really yummy to them, like hot dog or beef jerkey) in there and have him go in there after them and then give him lots and lots of praise for doing it?


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## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

Good idea!! I will try that!!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

I forgot to say Koda is a cutey! 

Here's what we did to make Elza like her crate:
Look at the pics attached. ;D ;D ;D 

1st we throw all her toys in there and try to close it on her for just short periods
2nd she loves it!!! Look at her, she's there hiding under her teddy! ;D


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## Kodas Mom (Jun 5, 2012)

Wow!!! That's a big crate for such a lil puppy! Maybe mine is too small then?? Good news though...we took the crate out and put it in Koda's pen..he tried to pull out his blanket, but we put it back inside his crate. Later in the day he went in all by himself!!!! One baby step in the right direction! I was so happy!!


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

hahha, adrino, you can barely see her under there!

Kodas mom, good news re: Koda going in all by himself. Also, as long as Koda can comfortably stand up and turn around in the caret, it's not too small.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

It rakes on my nerves when I hear a puppy "screams". They do not scream! People do. Don't forget that the crate should only have enough room for them to lay down, no more. Your job is to make it a happy place. Any pup that hates the crate, hasn't been properly introduced; or had been let out when it making noise. Understand, they are training you! Well, maybe they aren't, but certainly are trying their best.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

It was a huge crate until she grew into it. We had that huge teddy for her, it seemed she felt like its her mum.
She dragged it out loads of times when she wasn't staying in her crate. Sleeping on it, with it all the times, until teddy died... Well for now, she started to destuff it!!! ???  
I tried to sew it up numerous times but the material just worn out now. I'm thinking on destuffing it myself and giving it back to her. It'll never be the same though. :'(

Although some of you might think the crate is too big for her, she actually never had any accident in there. She only scratched the bottom of it. 

Just one more pic for lunasmum! ;D


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

Im with adrino. I used the 36" crate after two nights with the divider. I think it worked out better because my puppy could stretch in it and sleep in those crazy twisted positions. I think she liked it better because of the extra comfort.


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