# Crate training question...as he howls



## helxi70 (Aug 9, 2017)

At night I put Hunter in his crate downstairs and his fussing is getting worse every night. I've tried treating him in there or throw toys but he just ignores them. I even put my sock that he carries around sometimes.

He is a very good boy and I wouldn't mind him sleeping in his bed upstairs in the hallway but in a week I will have to go back to work 2x a week. I will need him to be ok when we are gone...he climbed out of his expen so that's not going to work..

Is there anything else I can try? Or does anyone allow their dogs to sleep outside the crate but still crate during the day? 

Thanks! He really is the calmest dog except for being crated.


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

My puppy slept in a crate in my bedroom at night and in a separate crate downstairs during the day when I was/am at work. I have other crates as well for the car and shows/hotel rooms. It's easier for me than hauling heavy crates around.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My thought is that as he is getting more attached to you he is finding it hard to know you aren't nearby at night. If it is possible to put his crate very close to your bedroom (ideally next to your bed) I would try that. I don't think you want to give up on teaching him that a crate or ex pen is a happy time out place. Look up Susan Garrett's Crate Games for some ideas on how to make the crate fun. Having one dog who was a puppy crate train failure who I had to get to be happy in a crate I will say it takes tough love to make it work if you have someone who is crying pitifully about it, but in the long run it is worth it.

I suspect that he will probably learn to settle when you are absent from your home pretty well when you go back to work. To test that before the time comes, put him in the crate and walk out of the house and listen. If he remains quiet return and give him a nice treat while he is quiet or after he resettles in the crate or pen. If he makes noise listen and see if he keeps it up or if he settles reasonably quickly. Once quiet go back and reward calm and quiet. If he doesn't seem to settle down then play the crate games in the next two weeks.


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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

helxi70 said:


> At night I put Hunter in his crate downstairs and his fussing is getting worse every night. I've tried treating him in there or throw toys but he just ignores them. I even put my sock that he carries around sometimes.
> 
> He is a very good boy and I wouldn't mind him sleeping in his bed upstairs in the hallway but in a week I will have to go back to work 2x a week. I will need him to be ok when we are gone...he climbed out of his expen so that's not going to work..
> 
> ...


I used to crate my SPOO during the day when she was a SDIT and I was at work. She slept in a bed by my bed at night. She complained a little but she quickly associated high quality treats with the crate and she is very food motivated. When I was ready to go I'd give the crate command while getting 2-3 meat treats or her Kong filled with frozen peanut butter and she would be waiting in it or go in on her own. I'd treat her and quietly leave without making a fuss while she was distracted. 

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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I am not sure if you are familiar with the extinction burst in learning. An extinction burst is when the unwanted behavior gets worse before it gets better. So, your pup may cry extra loud right before he is going to settle down... sort of a last ditch effort. I, second the comment about calmly leaving your pup. Many times new parents (pups or kids) will delay leaving until the get the youngster all worked up. It can be the same about coming home, too. I even know of a husband, who banned his wife from speaking to their dogs until she had come in, and changed out of her work clothes. He was fed up with the whirling dervish that she created every evening. She agreed that it made a huge difference; the aussies were no longer knocking over furniture, and tearing her clothes. Sometimes we inadvertently make small mistakes that can snowball. By the way, I recommend that you leave your pup without a collar when you do start leaving him alone. It is just too easy for an active puppy to catch his collar on his crate. Good luck!


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## helxi70 (Aug 9, 2017)

Thanks Charmed...you give me hope. I always make my kids go upstairs before I put him in his crate and I say night night and leave. It seemed that he whined for less time last night. Fingers crossed.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I hope you are ready to turn a corner. It sounds like maybe you are. I also second Charmed's note about not leaving collars on dogs in crates, especially not ones with tags on them. The tags can get caught, scare the dog (or worse) and then you have to start all over with getting them to believe the crate is a safe place to be.


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## helxi70 (Aug 9, 2017)

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions. Charmed, you were right. He has been quiet for 2 night now. He still won't voluntarily go in the crate so I cuddle him a little and set him down in front and he goes in.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I am glad things are going better with the crate. For the time being since Hunter is wary of your husband make sure you are the one dealing with the crate. I wouldn't want to have a crate set back. But I also bet things with your husband will go the way of the crate, sketchy for a little while then a big leap forward.


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## Red lippy mel (Mar 1, 2017)

Stuff a kong with a little liver treat and his fave kibble. See if he is happy to chew himself to sleep! Use part of a meal ration so he is hungry enough to work at it.


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## helxi70 (Aug 9, 2017)

Update, besides the 2 nights he was quiet, he has whined and barked every night for about 10 or 15 min. I tried putting treats but he just ignores them. 

Now as soon as he thinks it's getting close to bed time, he runs and hides. Won't come out.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

I know most people say to stick it out, they will settle eventually etc etc, but I disagree. If a dog is that adverse to being contained, then I don't think the issue should be forced. Abbey hated the crate, she would cry and scream and never really settle. I did all the games and everything else people suggested but nothing worked. She always slept in our bed, but I started leaving her free in the house as soon as she was house trained and she never chewed or damaged anything. i did continue to treat her in the crate and she's fine to go in there now. We don't need to crate her at home, but there are times it's necessary. Now with Dolly, crate training was never a problem. I did exactly the same with both of them with two very different reactions, that's why I think if a dog is so disturbed by being confined you may be doing more harm than good.


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## asuk (Jan 6, 2017)

So a similar story, my friend adopted a husky/lab mix from the shelter, he was 5 months old. He cried,barked, howled in his crate for bedtime. He doesn't care if the gets crated when they go to work/school. So my friend sort of let the the pup take the rein when it came to bedtime. He went to the kids bedroom, plunked himself on the carpet and slept there the rest of the night. He doesn't He's been doing that for about 3-4 months now with no issues. So perhaps you can try something similar?


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## Toy Mama (Feb 11, 2017)

Wilby hated his crate initially. I also tried everything. I put it near my bed, gave him treats there, fed him his meals there, etc. For two weeks, he just cried and cried. After that, he settled down to crying for 10-15 mins when I first put him in, but then he'd stop. It took a few more weeks, but he eventually came to love his crate. It's now his favourite spot in the house. It was hard, but I'm glad I persisted. I'm sure it will be worth it for you as well.


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