# Crate training appears to be going in reverse. =(



## Menelly (Jan 21, 2011)

When I got Robie last week, he was really good about going to bed in his crate. I put him in, he was quiet nearly all night, and we woke up 8 hours or so later.

Fast forward a week, and he's practically inconsolable if he's in his crate. I haven't slept in 4 days. You know that scene from Lady and the Tramp? Yeah... he's doing that high pitched pathetic whine all night long.

I'm trying to reward him when he's quiet, but that often only encourages another 2 hours of puppy whine. I've tried ignoring him (what puppy? I hear no puppy) but it's affecting my roommate's ability to sleep too. I don't want him to think whining is what gets attention... but it's GOT to stop. I've literally been hallucinating today due to lack of sleep. (I'm severely bipolar.) 

I've NEVER rescued him from his crate due to whining. Ever. I'll stand facing away until the whining stops to even open the door in the mornings. But I'm now on several days of no sleep... and something's gotta give. I eventually got so frustrated last night I had a spray bottle and sprayed him with water every time the whining started. But then it feels like I'm teaching him that crates are Bad Things For Poodles, which I absolutely do not want.

Help? Please? My sanity is literally on the line here.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Oh, poor you! There is something about puppy whining in the night that drills right through your head.

Mine tried this as a strategy when he was very young. I had about three bad nights where every time he whined, I would whisk him outside to go potty, wait a minute or two to see if he really had to go, then whisk him straight back to the crate. I made the crate very comfortable, with a couple of enticing chewies. The connection I was trying to make was that if he whined at night, the only possible outcome was a potty trip, so if he wanted a game or a cuddle, too bad. You do want them to tell you if they truly have to toilet, so you don't want to completely train a signal out of them, but they need to understand that you will only interpret the whining as "I have to go potty".

Luckily poodles are smart, so it doesn't take long. 

I did cheat a bit and put the crate right next to the bed, so I could hang a hand over if he did the little "I'm so lonely I could die" whining, just as a brief reassurance. It is sometimes hard for the little ones, learning to sleep without their littermates.

Naps are critical!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I tried very hard to leave Poppy in the kitchen, while Sophy and I sneaked off to bed upstairs. Trouble was, as soon as she began to cry, Sophy mithered to go and see what the matter was ... Same when I put the crate in my bedroom. I chickened out, and simply took them both to bed with me (piling cushions and rugs around the bed just in case of falls). That way I was woken by her squirming when she needed to go out, and had a much better chance of getting her out in time than when she was downstairs. Crate training was not an essential for us, as I am at home all day - we had a few incidents, but those were my fault for dawdling getting her outside.

Other ideas - crate next to bed, microwaveable heat pad or teddy bear, ticking clock wrapped in a blanket, really interesting chew toy. But none of them distracted Poppy from wanting to be snuggled up in bed with me and Sophs!


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Vegas's crate was right next to my bed when he was a puppy. I am a very _grumpy _sleeper. When he whined I would roll over and WHACK the top of his crate HARD, scaring the crap out of him. While it was quiet, there was peace for him, when he cried, the crate made scary sounds. 

You may think this would make him afraid of the crate, but he got a treat every time he went in, even when I said kennel he would go in, and now even goes in on his own and sleeps in there during the day.

I would also randomly hide treats in there when he wasn't looking as a puppy, so he would go in without me even telling him and explore and find the treats.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

Ugh that stage is tough. it's the stage when they've started to bond to you and OMG are going to DIE if your not RIGHT THERE> 

im' with fluffy- if they cry loud they either get whacked on the top of the crate OR they get sprayed with water. They get quiet quickly. 

And give goodies in the crate WHEN he's quiet- send him in with a kong with some PB in it and a couple cookies at bed time.


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

Oh also wanted to ad- when pups come to me i have two priorities. Crate training and house training. Crate training comes FIRST> 

im' not worried about getting them out in the night (BTW number of accidents i've woken up to? 0 ) if they get hollering and crying they are NOT let out. EVER until it's a reasonable time (no i'm not a horrid person i usually get only 5-6 hours of sleep at this time- i wake up and take em out and we're up for the day) then it's 8 hours. Usually with in 2-3 days i've got pups who 1- sleep through night 2- are dry 3- like their crate. 

If you get up and take em out when they cry- they learn 1- to cry to get out 2- to not hold the piddles.


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## Feathersprings (Jul 15, 2010)

How old is this baby?? I always try and have the kennel close to the bed so they dont feel isolated. I was lucky with hoolie , he has never been kenneled and never cried at night but he was 4 mos old. when i got him. I have found younger puppies tend to be more inconsolable about being alone at night


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## FozziesMom (Jun 23, 2010)

we found that covering fozzie's crate completely helps him calm down immediately, he seems to love the dark, cavelike atmosphere.


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## Menelly (Jan 21, 2011)

Well, we got a bit of sleep last night. 

I moved the crate right to the head of my bed, and I'd been putting a cloth over it, and ended up removing it. He calmed down when he could see me. So, finally got some sleep!

We'll see how tonight goes. =)


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Menelly said:


> Well, we got a bit of sleep last night.
> 
> I moved the crate right to the head of my bed, and I'd been putting a cloth over it, and ended up removing it. He calmed down when he could see me. So, finally got some sleep!
> 
> We'll see how tonight goes. =)


Ah, welcome to the velcro breed .... if I step outside to put trash in the bin (total time gone - 2.5 seconds), I get the same overjoyed greeting as if I've been gone 5 hours.


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