# First night with puppy and other questions



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I recommend the puppy be crated at night until you KNOW you can trust it. And I suggest the crate be right by your bed, so if the pup fusses, you can just calmly pat the crate and let him know you are right there. No fussing or excitement...just in, close the door and that is that. They have gone from being part of a pack to joining a new pack. I think the biggest mistake people make is putting the crate in an isolated place where the puppy feels entirely alone. You could put a KONG in the crate with some peanut butter up inside it to give him something to keep him occupied if he should wake up.

And yes, I would put the crate in a public place for everything but bed time. He should not feel isolated or punished. Not in the middle of household traffic, but where he can see and hear what is going on and he is still allowed to be part of the pack. You might want to get a second crate off Kijiji so you do not have to lug the one around the house.


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

crate in bedroom by the bed and pillow over your head if the baby whines. 
don't put the pillow over the baby's head. 
or drink wine and you won't hear the whine.

okay. i need to go work.

see, ya'll don't realize it, but i'm most helpful here when i work and don't post. tee hee.


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

I agree that crating the first night (and subsequent nights until you can trust the pup) is fine. I always have a new puppy's crate beside my bed during the night - they don't like to be away from their pack (Wow - Arreau... great minds think alike, huh?? )

I also agree that having a crate in/near the living center of your home is a good learning experience for your puppy. My dogs are fine being crated anywhere now, they're quiet and well behaved even if there's activity around them - they know the crate is a place for relaxation and quiet. I think that if I ONLY crated them in a bedroom, they wouldn't be as relaxed if they ever needed to be crated someplace where people were around... you want the dog to know that the crate is ALWAYS OK!

Good luck and keep us posted about how it goes once you get him home!

Barb


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

my girls love their crates. temperance sleeps with me now and spends most nap time on the bed. eva naps on couch. but they will also voluntarily go to their crates for napping on their own.
i'll say "in the box" and they go when i need to go somewhere. doors left open all the time so they have access.


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## Keithsomething (Oct 31, 2009)

I think the advice given is right on the money!

My new puppy is fantastic in her crate, she whimpers for just a second when I turn the light off but after that she knows I haven't gone anywhere and will just lay in there calmly.

And like Barb, all of our dogs are comfortable being in their crates in the middle of the living room in the middle of the day. We made the crates a happy fun place for the dogs (with the help of a billion hot dogs >.>) so now they absolutely love them and have no problem climbing right in! Elphie will go right into her crate and nap all day if given the chance, lol


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## taem (Mar 5, 2011)

Man I don't think I'd ever tether a young pup at night, it's going to buck like crazy trying to get to you, lots of stress on neck. But the Monks would know better than most, even if you don't like their methods you can't doubt their knowledge I don't think.

My only hesitation with crating first night is that you might have to place the pup in it past resistance. I would want to have at least some coaxing work, teaching the pup that crate = good with treats and toys, before it's locked in there when it wants out very badly. I plan on staying overnight near the breeder and then setting out on the drive home at the crack of dawn so I'll have the whole day to teach that crate = awesome.

They sell stuff to put in a crate to make it more enticing for pups, like a buckbean filled stuff toy that heats up in the microwave and stays warm for 30 minutes, a stuffed animal with a faint heartbeat sound, etc. Amazon.com: Pet Stages Puppy Cuddle Pal: Kitchen & Dining
Amazon.com: Petstages Heartbeat Pillow: Kitchen & Dining

Oh here's an interesting crate training video:


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

Wow!! That video set my teeth on edge!! I agree with letting a puppy work it out to a point, but I would have interupted his pattern of panic before he got so worked up. Six and 1/2 minutes doesn't seem like a terribly long time (unless there's a husky puppy screaming the entire time!) This is one reason I keep the crate beside my bed at night, or in an area where I can supervise. If any of my puppies ever started to get worried in the crate, I'd tap it on top and say, "Uh uh! Shhhh!" This would interupt the pup long enough for them to have a moment or two of quiet. Eventually, they'd understand that I wasn't going anywhere - they weren't being abandoned... and they'd settle down.

I never release a pup from a crate if they're in that barking, screaming panicked state. They HAVE to be calm and quiet (even if just for a few seconds) before I open the door. There was no one there to explain to the husky pup that he wasn't going to die, and it's OK to lie down in the crate for a bit! No wonder some people give up on crate training!


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

dog in crate dog doesn't come out until dog is quiet. Period. 

And you've never enjoyed crate training until you've had two siberian crosses or a house full of aussie pups to crate train. omg they scream. SCREAM. it's jsut their bark but god it's horrid LOL 

But the tone you set that first night sets the life. 

So into the crate- with a toy and a cookie- and go ot bed. Cover your head with the pillow. 

NOW I don't tolerate the screaming- if they dont' settle ontheir own the spray bottle comes out and they get squirted when they make loud noises (Small quiet whines are allowed IMO). This usually teaches them to be quiet and keeps them from getting TOOO worked up. Set your alarm wake up ever 3 hours and take puppy outside. IDeally not until he's quiet. BUt open pen pick puppy up outside and straight back intot he kennel. No talking to the puppy except a good puppy when/if he potties outside. Cover head with pillow again. 

That siberian pup aint scared- he aint worried. He's just trying to figure out how to get out. .. he's smart and is figuring out the puzzle- can i dig here? how about if i gnaw on this? HMMM this is the door what if i push here?>>> well i'm a husky so i'm gunna SCREAM teh whole time i'm doign it so the world knows i'm not impressed. BUt he sure as heck aint scared. 

I have 8 dogs crate trained inthe last 6 months. I'e got a litter coming up of aussies this fall. My ear drums will kill me. but im YET to make it past 2 days with a yelping dog. spray bottle comes out and day 2 is usually quiet past a bit of moaning when it's bed time. 

Of course also do things like feeding meals in the crate, and crate games to build the enjoyment and trust of the crate in.


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## taem (Mar 5, 2011)

What I'm hoping is that this guy just wanted a dramatic clip to put on youtube and doesn't actually do this to his pup all the time. Meh I shouldn't be so glib. I don't even have a dog right now, and with our toys we didn't crate train the way folks understand that, the doors to their crates never got closed, so I really don't know anything about this. But I feel pretty confident this isn't the way I want to crate train. Like did this guy go through anything like this?


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

neVar said:


> But the tone you set that first night sets the life.


I think this is so true. Jäger had never been in a crate until he came to our house so I was worried he would protest. The very first night when it was time for bed, I took him upstairs to our bedroom (where his crate was), turned the bedroom lights down very low and sat on the floor with him in front of the crate just calmly petting him for about five minutes. He was already sleepy and I wanted to make sure he was good and calm before I put him in the crate. When he seemed ready to sleep, I just placed him in the crate and shut the door and that was it. He went to sleep. I didn't hear a peep out of him all night until early morning when he had to go potty. I continued this routine for the first few weeks and never had a problem with crying in the crate. I think since we started it like that the first night, he thought, "OK, this is what we do here" and just went with it.


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## Theo'sMom (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for all of your responses, they are very helpful!
So, to summarize...
1) It's ok to feed a few meals in the crate so puppy associates crate with good things, especially during the first few days.
2) put crate in a public place during the day (or borrow an extra crate for a few months so I won't have to lug it from the bedroom)
3) Safe toys and a treat are a plus in the crate
4) It's ok to crate the first night, but practice associating good things with the crate the first day.
5) Don't throw pillows at the dog, but instead, gently say "it's ok" :act-up:
6) tolerate whining in the beginning, which may stop soon, depending on the puppy

As you can see, I like to have a plan. :amen:


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## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

i dunno i throw the pillow  

Reality is most 8 week old pups WON"T cry all night long- eventually they tire out and go to sleep it might FEEL like it's all bloody night but it's not- it's usually no more then 15-30 minutes. 

The harder ones to crate train are the 3-4 month old pups. THEY have stamina


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## Beach girl (Aug 5, 2010)

Be prepared that you might have to get up in the middle of the night to take the puppy out to potty. If it's somewhere around 8 to 11 weeks old you can count on that! So don't totally ignore all whining, especially if it starts up after he has been quietly sleeping in the crate for 3 or 4 hours. Whining at that time probably means he is looking for a place to piddle.


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Moral of the story: You are not going to sleep much for a few nights. Plan on it, know it won't kill you, and as the English say, "Keep calm and carry on."


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## schpeckie (Jun 29, 2010)

When I brought my girls home, I put them in the same crate. After 4 nights - they each had their own crate in separate rooms. They adapted and absolutely love their crate. I didn't have any food in it except a small cookie before bedtime. I stayed home from work for a week to adjust to the night time whining but after a week, everything was quiet. I played them out before bed!


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## nlrussell (Mar 13, 2011)

Everyone gave such wonderful advice! I wanted to add that maybe your new baby will surprise you. Expect the best, and maybe you will get it. 

I've never owned a pet that didn't love his/her crate, willingly went into their crate, and even chose to sleep there themselves. Mine always seemed to feel safe and secure there. Sometimes they do prefer their crate to be covered, like a den. 

That puppy in the video seemed to feel trapped. Poor baby.  I'm wondering if he needed to go outside, or maybe he had prior issues with being trapped or crated too long? Maybe he would have been more content with a cover on his crate and the lights out? Maybe it wasn't his normal sleeping time or he wasn't active or challenged enough during the day. Maybe it has something to do with personality. I'm not sure..I've never had one act that way.


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

I have always put my puppies in crates from the first day I got them. Years ago, when I didn't know any better, I got my Golden at 10 weeks and I stuck her in the crate downstairs and she never made a peep!

However, my various shih-tzus, I put the crate beside the bed and if they whined, I put my fingers through the door - this was a plastic crate. I don't think they made too much fuss after the first couple of nights. If they started barking, I took them out for a pee break. But it was just out - no talking or playing - pee - back in the crate. It was winter when I got all of them - and so they were in an ex pen with newspaper on the floor during the daytime because they were too little to go out when it was 30 below!

Lucy was five months. I have a couple of wire crates and she still sleeps in the one in the bedroom. I don't think she made a fuss and she has never messed in her crate. But I am around most of the time and she was older when I got her. 

I am not sure that she has ever voluntarily gone into her crate - the door is open all the time - and slept. But Sam, my older Shih-tzu goes in there all the time and sleeps. In fact I sometimes have to persuade him to come out when its time for Lucy to go to bed!

In my experience, some dogs love them - but other dogs will go in willingly when you tell them to - but won't choose to go in by themselves.


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## pudel luv (Jan 23, 2010)

PaddleAddict said:


> I think this is so true. Jäger had never been in a crate until he came to our house so I was worried he would protest. The very first night when it was time for bed, I took him upstairs to our bedroom (where his crate was), turned the bedroom lights down very low and sat on the floor with him in front of the crate just calmly petting him for about five minutes. He was already sleepy and I wanted to make sure he was good and calm before I put him in the crate. When he seemed ready to sleep, I just placed him in the crate and shut the door and that was it. He went to sleep. I didn't hear a peep out of him all night until early morning when he had to go potty. I continued this routine for the first few weeks and never had a problem with crying in the crate. I think since we started it like that the first night, he thought, "OK, this is what we do here" and just went with it.


WOW, PaddleAddict, that is "exactly" how we crate trained our boys as pups. There was no trauma ... we tried to keep it calm and peaceful. This method worked well for all of us. It is not always easy putting your new pup in a crate that first night, when you know he is missing his littermates.
It definitely pulls at one's heartstrings. Letting him/her know that all is well, will go a long way to facilitate a smooth transition.


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## Theo'sMom (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for the positive and detailed examples everyone! They are all helpful in keeping me optimistic, which I'm sure will help the puppy too. We can make the crate a positive place for the puppy.
I'm getting used to the idea of possibly not sleeping well for a few nights and my husband and I came up with the plan that if the puppy does whine a lot, we can alternate sleeping in the other room so at least we each get good sleep every other night. 
I think I'll be so excited by the puppy that I won't want to sleep much anyway. And I usually wake up for a few minutes between 3 and 4 am so that could be the bathroom break for him. (I like the "no talking or playing suggestion" because I don't want the puppy to think that I like playing at 4am.
Ellen


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## all that jazz (Feb 6, 2011)

I hope I don't offend anyone, and I am posting from the position of receiving an already crate trained puppy but----I think it was terrible to keep that dog in the crate for so long in that state. I think it was cruel. In addition, the tail wagging like a pendulum signifies great stress and fear on the part of the dog. (This was taught to me in puppy kindergarten class). I also think it was absurd to have posted that video.


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## northerndancer (Jan 27, 2011)

This worked well for me. The first two nights, I put the crate right next to the bed with the door open. The crate was raised off the floor enough that I could reach into the crate but the puppy could not climb out. She settled right in without a whimper. The third night I put the crate on the floor further away from the bed. I settled her into the crate and slowly closed the door. I sat on the floor for a few minutes beside the crate and then went to bed. Again not a whimper. 

Good luck with your puppy. It is quite a fun adventure.


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## Theo'sMom (Mar 23, 2011)

Daisy looks adorable.
I like the idea of raising the crate off of the ground to bed level! I think I will try that. Then the pup may think he's in the bed with us, sort of.


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