# Crate Crying and Barking Getting Worse (it seems)



## Mrbo

Edit: He is 11 weeks (we got him right before he turned 10 weeks).

Hi all,
I've scrolled through and read some other threads about specific circumstances and what to do re: crates/crate training, but none that I read seemed to be wholly applicable. 

Here is my current situation:
As recommended by the breeder, we went cold turkey with the crate (meaning we put the puppy in there from day 1 and didn't give in to his cries/barks). 

Day 1: Bark and cry for 30 min (mostly bark), wake up at 2 am, cry again for 10 min, wake up at 6:30 and bark and cry again
Day 2: Same but no cry at 2 am
Day 3: Bark and Cry for 2.5 hours (mostly barking). 
---on this day, we may have made a mistake---once silent for 2-ish minutes, I went out there and slept next to his crate so that we could get some sleep.
Day 4: Bark and cry for 2.5 hours (usually 20-30 min barking/crying, 5-10 min silent). Wake up at 5:45 am
Day 5: Bark cry for 1 hour, then bark cry every 2 hours. Let out at 5:30 am.
Day 6: Bark cry for 1 hour, then bark cry every 2 hours. Let out at 5:00 am.
Day 7: Bark cry for 1 hour, then bark cry every 2 hours. Let out at 5:00 am.
Day 8: Fell asleep in the crate (worn out from playing with another dog)--I put him in there and sat next to the crate for 5-10 min, woke up 1.5 hours later bark and cry for about an hour. Silent until about 3 am for 30 minute. Silent until 4:30am (bark cry for 30 minute), start bark and cry at 5am. Let him outside, did his business, put him back in until 6:00 (when he bark/cried again) 


We put him in his crate around 945/10pm. and plan to get him out around 6am. Breeder said she had kept him in his crate for 8 hours at night and that we should do the same. Most nights he has an accident (pee) but 2 nights (night 4/5) he did not. 


Should we keep going cold turkey?
We have been feeding him in his crate, giving him treats and praising him when he goes in to get food and treats. Things do not seem to be improving. The crate is in our living room because we are trying to keep the bedroom as a "safe zone" for my husband until we are 100% sure he isn't reacting to the dander. 

Other suggestions are definitely welcomed (E.g., should I sleep on the couch a few nights to where he can see me?)

Losing my mind a bit here.

Thanks!


I should also mention that I put towels in the crate along with a kong with pb and a treat or two (which he ignores).


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## MollyMuiMa

First off, how old is he? Very young puppies sometimes need reassurance that they are not alone, it's scary being away from all his litter! Most people, for the first few weeks keep the crate in the bedroom next to the bed, where they can reach out and reassure the puppy with their voice or a touch thru the bars of the crate. Also very young pups need to be taken out at last once during the middle of the night to potty......a puppy's bladder is not really mature enough to 'hold it' all night! They really don't like to pee in their bed but if they can't wait........ 
As far as the matter of dander, because the coat of a poodle is so dense, dander does not fly around as much as it does on short haired dogs, and to keep dander at a minimum, bathing him once a week would be good if your husband is really allergic!
If the crate in the bedroom is a big no-no then yes sleeping on the couch for awhile would be good............for him anyway Hahaha!!!


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## asuk

I am exhausted just reading your post. How old is your puppy? It doesn't sound what you are currently doing is working.

When I brought my mini home, I also did it cold turkey. Took him a week to be OK with his crate. I also found out that he will only sleep or if we have to go out he goes in his crate. He won't nap, won't eat, won't play games in his crate. I work from home, so I have a flexible schedule. He is 11 months now and still will only do those 2 things, I can give him a big juicy steak in the crate but he won't touch it. It's amazing and also peculiar.

I suggest you sleep on the couch for a few nights and see if it changes, also what worked for us was putting a cloth in front of his crate so it's like a den. Depending on his age, he might need to go to the bathroom, but when you do bring him to the bathroom, make it the most boring time. No play, no eye contact, in and out, no fuss. 

Good luck!


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## Mrbo

I completely forgot to mention his age: He is 11 weeks old now. Thank you for your replies--sleeping on the couch may be our best option. Not only the dander concern but also the crate doesn't fit in the bedroom.

My fear was that if I slept on the couch, I may undo any good that may have come from the cold turkey (although I didn't see any good yet).

Thanks again!!!


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## lily cd re

Don't sleep on the couch with the puppy out of the crate if you do that. Sleep with the crate near the couch. Ideally it is good to bring a towel or something you can use as "expendible" bedding in the crate when you pick up the pup and to rub that on the mom and any litter mates that are still there. That can be a great comfort for the suddenly only and "motherless" orphan who goes into the crate. If you don't have that and the pup is bonding well put a dirty T shirt of yours as the comfort bedding.

Overall though if the crate is going to be your friend as you want it to be you need to exert some tough love. I know whereof I speak. When Javelin was about ten weeks old Lily and I went to a weekend trial. He had only been home about ten days and wasn't doing well with the crate. To get the sleep he needed BF took him out of the crate and put him on the bed. He has never been good in a crate since and busted out of the one I took this weekend, so now it is back to jugging a metal crate for him. Ugghhh.


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## Mrbo

Thank you for your advice. I planned on leaving him in the crate and sleep on the couch. I'm not sure if I should move the crate closer to me or not...you can see the couch from the crate (not a huge house). 

We didn't get anything to smell like the mother/litter but he has bonded with us very well and so we put an old t-shirt in there with him. We have also tried leaving on a couple of lights and putting talk radio on a low volume. 

I definitely want the crate as my friend, so I'll be sure to keep in him there until it is time for the bathroom or to get up for the day. 

Thanks again for the advice!


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## glorybeecosta

I think he is to young to hold it that long, When he whines I would put him out to potty, but no play just praise when he goes and back in the crate


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## lisasgirl

I would put it right next to the couch so he can smell you, personally.

Is it a wire crate? You might try covering it with a blanket so it feels a little more den-like and cozy. It also blocks out some of the input at night so they're less stimulated by noises and stuff.

I also agree he should get a potty break at night. You want to avoid accidents in the crate if at all possible - some puppies who get into the habit of pottying in the crate lose their natural instinct to not pee where they sleep, and then it gets lots harder to potty train. Any nighttime breaks should be very boring, though - just straight to the potty spot and back in.

Crying for attention tends to get worse before it gets better. I think their first assumption is that they're just not making _enough_ noise to get what they want, so they try as hard as they can before giving up. It does eventually get better though (but only if it never works).


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## lily cd re

And yes on the overnight potty breaks. Keep them very business oriented, no talking other than a quiet good boy when he pees and straight back to the crate.


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## Mfmst

Ah, the memories...My soft-hearted husband could not bear to hear Buck crying and barking. We have a house configuration that allows us to close off the kitchen and hall. I stowed the rugs and easily cleaned up any accidents from the tile floors. I took him out in the middle of the night and got up extra early. The upside was he was quiet at night and was housebroken quickly. His “den” went way beyond the crate. I had to get Buck used to the crate and quiet in the crate, though. And I did, but not during those first few weeks when everything was so new. (He was an August puppy in a hot climate and the tiles are cooler than any dog bed or crate mat.) He is the only dog at the groomers that is absolutely silent. I don’t buy into the thinking that a crate is a dog’s safe place and neither does Buck. His safe place is with us. The crate is a place he has to go sometimes. He’s okay with that and the no bark clause.


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## LizzysMom

If the crate can't go in the bedroom, I vote for sleeping on the couch next to the crate. Lizzy cried for a couple of nights in the crate, even on the floor right next to my bed. When I put her crate on a chair (she's a mini, so she was a pretty small puppy) level with my bed, and could put my fingers through the crate door to comfort her, she never cried in her crate again. And, even though she no longer sleeps in it, on those rare occasions she has to go in, she doesn't even whimper.


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