Crate Training

[Zilla]

I would love to crate train both of my dogs for night time. I have a 3 month old who is not potty trained yet, and a year old who is potty trained too well. Since we live in an apartmen Zilla will go by the door and whine or bark when she has to go out. For the last few weeks, no matter what time we pick up her food and water, she'll need to go out at about 3:45am. It's driving my boyfriend crazy (who always takes her out).
When we've tried to crate train her before she'll just whine all night, and then there is no sleeping for any of us. I know it would be the best thing if they both slept in the crate, but how do I possibly get passed the first week of whining all night???

[Hamoth]

Try going in steps.

First, if she doesn't know to go to her crate on command, you are going to need to do that first. It's pretty easy. Put food in the crate, hide all their toys there, say "go to bed" and when they go into the crate, praise. Feed them in the crate.

Once they go in voluntarily,

Lose an hour of sleep by crating for one hour before letting her out and into your bed. DOn't praise her for coming out...but praise heavily for going in. Have a cong or something precious in the crate, remove it when she comes out. Don't be surprised if the drama queen doesn't touch their treats or toys in protest.

They will learn (enjoy it in here, or not at all).

Do NOT reassure them verbally with "ooohhhh, it's oooo kaaaayyy....Shhhh...it's o.k....good girl..." or any of that. You are rewarding their anxiety and making them freak out more. I know it doesn't seem like it but I now have tested this enough to know it's a fact. Bit your lip, but don't praise pouting, whining, crying, or any other such. It's only an hour. They will live.

Do that for a few weeks, or untill they sit quietly for the hour.

Then step it up to three hours. When they whine, check the clock...is it time? No? Go back to sleep.

Get where this is going?

One day, you will fall asleep and wake up to realize that you didn't let the dogs out...because they didn't wake you. BINGO.

[twinkie]

To crate train my little ones I would lock them up during the day for a few hours at a time to get them used to it. I would slowly work them up longer and longer. You can also put something really yummy in the crate for them to chew, but only something you trust they won't choke on - I use cow hooves cuz mine can't chew chunks off them. I think that the 3 month old might not be able to hold her little bladder all night and could pee in the crate (most dogs don't like to pee in their crate though).
Have you considered paper training / wee wee pad training your little ones to avoid getting up a 3:45. Oh ya, as for the noise, I can't lock my little ones up at night as they will start screaming early in the morning - probably to tell my they have to go to the bathroom and don't want to mess their beds. I just let mine sleep with me with their potty box in the bedroom.
Anyways, be persistent and work up to crating overnight slowly, the 1 yr old will get over crying all night.