Quote:
Originally Posted by Taryn0405  Hi everyone-
I just adopted a 3 month (4 months old on the 21) boy Yorkie. He's adorable as all get out. And loves to cuddle. But, I'm getting very discouraged with crate training. He howls randomly in the middle of the night, eliminates in his crate (both ways) and is just simply panic stricken it seems. I'm not getting any sleep and I feel terrible that I don't go out there to comfort him, but I know that'll just basically undo everything I've done.
I feel like a failure, I have never had this much trouble crate training a dog. Any tips and or tricks would be useful. I went out a bought him an actual cage as opposed to one of those little travel crates. Maybe that'll help. But please, any suggestions. I feel like my fiancée and I are losing our minds.
HELP!!
Gizmo's Mommy |
What worked for us through 4 dogs (which may, or may not work for another) is the first few nights a little pup in a new and different situation is going to fuss. Not to mention most likely has to eliminate every 2-3 hours. Play with them, put them to "bed" tired. They'll sleep a bit -- when they fuss we take them potty, comfort them, if they're "wide" awake give them a few minutes of play time, then right back to the crate...pups require this a couple (or more) times a night...they'll eventually start sleeping through the night. We also have their night crates in the bedroom with us...if we know they don't need to go potty and fuss I'll say to them in a soft voice something like, "go back to sleep, I'm here" --- they need to know they aren't abandoned to another room which might as well be another home to a little pup.
We've never had one fuss for more than a few nights with that routine. And for what it's worth: they all now go to their individual crates between 7:30 & 8:30 every night and want to go to bed. They sleep until morning...even the 3 1/2 month old.
Patience and a little bit of exhaustion and all will work itself out.