Puppy will not use crate

[brandeeno]

Hey All,

Our new puppy is here. Today is her first day, and she has been doing well. She came home around noon (no food for the day). Of 6 pee breaks, 5 were outside. She ate her first meal at home around 5pm, which I think is a good sign.

It is now 9pm, and she has not gone #2 yet. I am concerned she is not liking her crate much. My wife and I did NOT force her in... we made her go in on her own will several times now. But she doesn't care to stay in. She would much rather nap on the floor outside of it. We put treats in... and 50% of the time she will follow them in... but she is not very food motivated yet. Also tried a bully stick, which temporarily worked, but then she comes out. At one point, she fell asleep inside, so we closed the door and locked it... a couple min. later, she started whining. We waiting maybe 3-5 before she paused for about 10 seconds, and that is when we opened the door.

Any tips or pointers to get her to love it?? I am scared to close the door on her tonight and her have another bad experience which could make her associate the crate as a bad thing. Should we not lock her in tonight? Thoughts?

if we dont lock her, she could get into trouble of course.

[msvette2u]

Well...we have a rescue here, and they get crated, like it or not. It's not in a puppy's nature to "like" being confined. But in order to keep them (and your home) safe you have to confine them at times.
Just do it, grit your teeth and get ear plugs if you must. She'll get used to it.

[Emoore]

Put her in, shut the door, and use your earplugs. She *will* scream the first few nights. It's what they do. Then they get used to it.

[brandeeno]

Thanks guys. Do you suggest we take her in 1 room and e n a different room. Or should we cater in the same room where we are going to be hanging out and watching tv?

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by brandeeno

Thanks guys. Do you suggest we take her in 1 room and e n a different room. Or should we cater in the same room where we are going to be hanging out and watching tv?

Keep her in the room with you. You can stick your fingers through the wire of the crate and if she doesn't bite them off, she won't feel so lonely with your fingers in the crate. Although if you're hanging out watching TV, why does she need to be in the crate at all? Tether her to you with a leash.

[brandeeno]

We want her to get comfortable in the crate so she can sleep there all night long with out problems. It sounds like from what you guys are saying to jess bear and grill in the whining. In the end we are going to have to go to sleep in a few hours. And we don't want her getting into anything once we fall off to sleep. Please excuse the typos, I am using my phone's voice recognition. She just went number 2 right now. !

[llombardo]

Mine whined for about 4-5 days..it was nerve wrecking. During the night your going to have to get up every hour to two hours to let the pup out anyway After about a week you'll still have to throw treats in and let the puppy follow them in, then shut door but the puppy will most likely be quiet unless it has to go to the bathroom. After about 6 months to a year, they will wander in there on their own and when their 5 they'll want to be in there

[Liesje]

I've never had the luck of having a puppy that always willingly went into the crate from day one. I always just put them in. They get over it pretty fast if you are consistent and don't make a big deal.

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by brandeeno

Please excuse the typos, I am using my phone's voice recognition. She just went number 2 right now. !

You'll be just as excited when she sleeps all night for the first time too

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by brandeeno

We want her to get comfortable in the crate so she can sleep there all night long with out problems. It sounds like from what you guys are saying to jess bear and grill in the whining. In the end we are going to have to go to sleep in a few hours. And we don't want her getting into anything once we fall off to sleep. Please excuse the typos, I am using my phone's voice recognition. She just went number 2 right now. !

Getting a puppy used to the crate is exactly like having a colicky baby. You don't get much sleep. Put her in her crate, put in some ear plugs. Mine screamed for about 72 hours straight, with occasional 15- to 30-minute breaks. That's when we napped. Y