My girlfriend and I picked up our new girl on Saturday afternoon, she was 8 weeks exactly when we got her. She is doing well with potty training and seems to be adjusting well... However she is having a real problem with her crate, she wasnt crated at the breeders so it was new for her and basically she goes balistic <u>all night long</u>. Honestly I dont know how she even stays awake and isnt exhausted from doing puppy stuff during the day. The crate is in the family room, so tonight im going to move it to the bedroom and try that... Any suggestions or other experiences anyone can share with this would be helpful, I know we shouldn't give into her crying, and we havent but it sounds like she is being murdered. Please help us, we are running on like 5 hours sleep for the whole weekend. Thanks
Need new puppy help!!!
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
I highly recommend moving the crate to the bedroom, right next to the bed preferably, where one of you can reach in and she can sniff and lick your fingers. I fell asleep many nights with my arm hanging off the edge of the bed.
![]()
It might not be so much the crate per se, as being separated from her mom and littermates for the first time. Being able to sleep near you and your comforting scent will help her bond with her new pack.
I also highly recommend earplugs. Some puppies adapt pretty quickly, some continue to fuss for awhile. Dena only woke me up at night 3 times total, from 9 weeks on. Keefer fussed a lot more before falling asleep, and got me up, sometimes more than once a night, for much longer.
I also highly recommend earplugs. Some puppies adapt pretty quickly, some continue to fuss for awhile. Dena only woke me up at night 3 times total, from 9 weeks on. Keefer fussed a lot more before falling asleep, and got me up, sometimes more than once a night, for much longer.
Why crate? My new GS at 8weeks slept with me and a pigs ear. She slept several hours, then would wake and chew on her pigs ear awhile, then fall back asleep. Me too. I realize alot of people crate, but I never have and never will. I've never gone through the nightmares you speak of. But maybe you aren't into sleeping with your pup either. That's ok. Some people don't.
By the way, she was sleeping on her own bed beside mine in 3days. All nite. Oh yeah, housebroken in 3days also. Good luck!
Sherry
By the way, she was sleeping on her own bed beside mine in 3days. All nite. Oh yeah, housebroken in 3days also. Good luck!
Sherry
Joined
·
25,398 Posts
So, if your dog has to stay overnight at the vet, do you think the stress of crating will add to the trauma of being away from you? I believe all dogs should be trained to a crate for this reason and in case of emergency. Why put a sick or injured dog thru more stress because they have never been in a crate? It is for their safety and not in anyway cruel or inhumane. I crate Onyx who hasn't yet proven herself at 1 1/2 yrs. She keeps chewing up my daughters stuff only~LOL~ electronic expensive things like gameboys, remotes etc. when I've left her out.
Last night though Kacie who has never been crated in the year since I've had her(though I know she is ok in one) was inside Onyx crate just chillin! We did have a storm brewing about 2 hours later, and she doesn't like storms, so maybe it was comforting for her to be in the crate...
Joined
·
5,675 Posts
There are many reasons to crate train.
Traveling with your dog, much much much easier if they're crate trained, and actually they're probably much safer crated in our vehicles than belted in.
Over nights at the vet are stressful enough, at least Dante is used to being in a crate. (Though of course we all hope we'll never have this one, Dante has more than once)
Time outs worked better in a crate than in a room.
I'm sure there are more, just can't think of any right now
![]()
For the OP - When I brought Dante home at 4.5 months he had spent no time in a house so I treated him like a puppy and the first week took him out every few hours to potty. It was a long week!!
Some young pups like yours sleep through the night quickly, others take longer. Moving the crate to your room will help I'm sure in quickly deciding which stirrings are just that and which are "I need to go potty NOW"!!
Have a great time with your pup, they grow up very fast
Traveling with your dog, much much much easier if they're crate trained, and actually they're probably much safer crated in our vehicles than belted in.
Over nights at the vet are stressful enough, at least Dante is used to being in a crate. (Though of course we all hope we'll never have this one, Dante has more than once)
Time outs worked better in a crate than in a room.
I'm sure there are more, just can't think of any right now
For the OP - When I brought Dante home at 4.5 months he had spent no time in a house so I treated him like a puppy and the first week took him out every few hours to potty. It was a long week!!
Some young pups like yours sleep through the night quickly, others take longer. Moving the crate to your room will help I'm sure in quickly deciding which stirrings are just that and which are "I need to go potty NOW"!!
Have a great time with your pup, they grow up very fast
Joined
·
12,331 Posts
Crates are great. Neither of my adult dogs have them but I always use them for my own puppies and my foster puppies and foster dogs until I trust them.
I second Cassidy's mom's suggestion to bring the crate upstairs next to your bed. I've had some screamers but if they can smell you they usually settle down much more quickly. Some take a while to get over the trauma of being separated from their pack but usually after a week or two they get the whole routine.
Good luck!
![]()
I second Cassidy's mom's suggestion to bring the crate upstairs next to your bed. I've had some screamers but if they can smell you they usually settle down much more quickly. Some take a while to get over the trauma of being separated from their pack but usually after a week or two they get the whole routine.
Good luck!
Joined
·
14,562 Posts
we were lucky when it came to the crate. our breeder crated him some before we got him. his night here he whined for a 1/2 hour or so. the second night 15 min. or so and the third night 10 mins. or so. so bring the create into the bedroom or leave it in the family room? so bring it into the bedroom, i would say this is going to work. what happens when you want the create out of the bedroom? i don't know i'm just asking. i do suggest crating her during the day for short periods of time. if you can crate her a few times a day for short periods. during the night one of us got up to let our boy out every hour or two. we did that for awhile. then i found out that wasn't necessary. good luck with your new pup. it's going to all work out and soon.
Joined
·
1,418 Posts
Jesse at 8 weeks was in crate and drove us nuts for 2 weeks solid and I was walking about like a zombe during the day (we covered the cage with a sheet, we had cage by the bed, we had toys and chews inside). Finally at 10 weeks, I went, what the heck, and put him in bed with us (our Saint Bernard spent last 9 years of his life sleeping with us on the king size bed - had Queen until St. Barnard came along and had to go out and get a king size). Once he started sleeping with us I got my wonderful REM sleep back and has been a great experience, he has a toy and chew on the bed and never leaves the bed.
As I said, it's not for everyone, and I know alot of people crate. Pigs ears wash off in the morning just as easily as your skin that's shedded during the nite. ECKK! Now that's gross.
It's whatever works for the individual and their pupster, and I'll honestly have to tell you, also, any time I had to leave my dog at the vet, there was no fuss, no muss. But I suppose they were just very adjusted and secure doggies. Glad to hear there was another one of us that slept with his 8wk old puppy and pigs ear!
It's whatever works for the individual and their pupster, and I'll honestly have to tell you, also, any time I had to leave my dog at the vet, there was no fuss, no muss. But I suppose they were just very adjusted and secure doggies. Glad to hear there was another one of us that slept with his 8wk old puppy and pigs ear!
Joined
·
492 Posts
For pups who REALLY make a fuss in the crate at night, I have taken a different approach.
I have 3 small boys, and it's a nightmare to be sleep deprived or have them up due to a loud pup at 3 am.
Put the crate right against your bed....put things for the pup in it, but not the pup.
Pup comes into bed with you. ~
![]()
No she didn't just say that!!!????~ LOL
For the first few nights I have done it. Sometimes the separation from mom and litter just hits pups hard.
Show pup the crate and goodies inside -including a shirt that smells like you- before bed and in the morning. When you're ready, pup pup in the crate at bedtime, and sleep over enough that it can see, smell, hear you..and keep an arm down.
I have 3 small boys, and it's a nightmare to be sleep deprived or have them up due to a loud pup at 3 am.
Put the crate right against your bed....put things for the pup in it, but not the pup.
Pup comes into bed with you. ~
For the first few nights I have done it. Sometimes the separation from mom and litter just hits pups hard.
Show pup the crate and goodies inside -including a shirt that smells like you- before bed and in the morning. When you're ready, pup pup in the crate at bedtime, and sleep over enough that it can see, smell, hear you..and keep an arm down.
Joined
·
27 Posts
stick w/your crate training! I did not crate train Mojo at all in the beginning and of course put him in bed w/us but I do wish I had started the crate from the beginning. If you do any obedience, rally, agility, etc, they need to learn to be in a crate. Overnight at the vet...needs to be in a crate. Fortunately Mojo was an overall good puppy but I think it can be "risky" not using a crate especially if you work during the day. Once Mojo got used to being in a crate I was able to use the crate for a variety of different things and it wasn't a "stresser" for Mojo.
There is nothing better than a GSD in the bed w/you!
There is nothing better than a GSD in the bed w/you!
Joined
·
16,893 Posts
Crate training rock!!!!
![]()
For all the good reasons mentioned. Let me tell you how much more hotels/motels and RELATIVES love the crate when you go to their places with a pup that may not QUITE be housebroken and may still like to chew things a bit.
Put the crate in the bedroom right beside the bed at night.
And EXERCISE that heck out of the puppy during the day. A tired pup is much more likely to sleep thru the night. In fact for the first month or so I set my alarm clock for about 2 am so I grab the pup out of the crate, run outdoors for a pee/poo break, then right back in the crate for the rest of the night.
For all the good reasons mentioned. Let me tell you how much more hotels/motels and RELATIVES love the crate when you go to their places with a pup that may not QUITE be housebroken and may still like to chew things a bit.
Put the crate in the bedroom right beside the bed at night.
And EXERCISE that heck out of the puppy during the day. A tired pup is much more likely to sleep thru the night. In fact for the first month or so I set my alarm clock for about 2 am so I grab the pup out of the crate, run outdoors for a pee/poo break, then right back in the crate for the rest of the night.
Joined
·
14,562 Posts
we've put our boy in bed with us but he doesn't like it. he'll stay there maybe 5 minutes and then it's to the floor. one night we put him on the bed and stayed his five minutes but this time i when he would jump off the bed i would put back on it. so after a few tries instead of laying down in our room he walked quickly down the hallway and went to his crate. he doesn't like being on the sofa either at least not with us. my feelings were hurt because he wouldn't stay in bed with us.
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
