[kjcmsw]

Originally Posted by Robsn0325

Ok, so I know this is a common problem, but Bax gave it a twist. He is fine when I'm gone. I spend the weekends with my boyfriend, who's in the Army and at a post 2 hours away. I live with my mom and my sister, so they take care of him while I'm away. The nights when I'm gone, he's a little angel...quiet all night, holds it til someone wakes up to take him outside, he's perfect. But when I am here, he cries and whimpers and barks and moans for hours on end when we know he doens't need to go out. I tried putting the crate near my bed, but he seems to think "well mommy, if you're right there, I should get to cuddle with you!" So, now the crate is in another room...big problems with the noise. I live in an apartment complex, and a screaming yorkie at 3am doesn't make for happy neighbors.

He gets a flavored "chewie", a rawhide, a kong toy with goo inside, a teddy bear, a rope, and a blankie that he adores everytime he goes "to bed"....he really enjoys all those things, and outside of the crate they'd each keep him busy for hours...

The problem is really only when I'm here, please help me!

One of mine is just the opposite...absolutely won't go in the crate at night when I'm not there. As long as I'm in bed next to the crate she's okay...yes, I do have to "tip-toe" out of the room...but even with that if I'm out of the room too long she notices and starts to whine...but as long as I scoot right back in and say, "Mama's here ... go back to sleep" she quiets down. Maybe silly, but it gets me a good nights sleep...maybe try saying in a soothing voice some assuring words so he knows you're near. Worked for us. The one thing that's hard not to do is give in, as once you do, that's it. Also in the beginning when we first brought her home and wanted to keep her safe from the bigger animals at night - thus the crate for sleeping - I'd hang my hand in the crate (off the side of the bed) and talk "soothingly" to her. Just some ideas. Or of course, you could always give in and let him sleep with you. We probably would have but as it turned out they like sleeping in their crates at night. ~KC