Crate Training HELP needed!!! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

lisa89 · 02-07-2014, 07:43 AM

Well this will probably be a long one but I'm running on NO SLEEP and need to go into the calm & submissive mode!!! HELP!!

We got Ellie (who was born Nov 6th, so 3 mos old) on Sat Feb 1. We had previous dogs (it's been about 10+ years) and this time we want to do it RIGHT. Last dogs were never crate trained or sociable.

So we got her used to the crate & she went in there ON HER OWN. That to us was success! lol So, the first night home w/ her she was in her crate which was kept in our living room. I decided to sleep on the couch so I could get up with her to let her out. Well, I ended up moving the crate next to the couch & would put my hand in there until she calmed down & stopped crying. We did that for the first night. Second night, I moved the crate to our bedroom and had it next to me again in arms reach. Well, the next day we took her to the vet & he told me to STOP putting my hand in there. She just has to cry it out.

Ok, the 3rd night she cried for 35 mins before she fell asleep. She woke up I let her outside & then it was 20 mins before she stopped crying.

We basically repeated this the next 2 nights but first I would let her stay in bed with me while I watched TV...then when it was lights out I put her in her kennel (she went in freely) and not a whimpered. Slept for a few hours and then it wasn't too much crying. So we thought we were doing AWESOME & making progress.

Well until last night. Her 6th night. TOTAL NIGHTMARE. I let her in bed with me again until she was calm & ready for bed. She went into her kennel at 10:00 and slept until 12:30. I let her out, she didn't go pee. The next TWO hours were horrific. She went in her kennel but cried for 30 mins, so I let her in bed with me (which I know I should not have done) I then tried again after she calmed down....nope, crying barking whining for another 20 mins or so. At one point she did finally stop but it was only for 2 or 3 mins, then she started up again. She REFUSED to go back into her kennel & I read to never FORCE them in so I didn't want to do that. I tried everything I could. After awhile I turned the TV on & just let her on the floor of my room, she wanted on the bed, I said no, go in your kennel....over & over & over again. After I did get her in (which I did put her in myself, again not what I wanted to do) I left the door open but had my hand in front to not allow her out. I suppose 20 mins of this. Finally after the 2 hours of her not going back to sleep in her kennel. I left her in there & went to the couch. Well she went hysterical. Barking, crying, yelping etc...My husband who was already on another couch needed to sleep since he had to get up for work in a few hours, ended up letting her out of the kennel. I was on another level of the house, she found me & slept on the couch for the next 3 or 4 hours. She was exhuasted I know because she would have slept longer if I didn't have to get the kids up for school. Not sure why she didn't pee at 12:30 when I let her out, she was normally doing her business at night & then getting right back in the house (it's cold, subzero nights here)

I have been home with her pretty much the last 6 days but have gone out shopping a couple of times for a few hours at a time. So the most she has been in her crate along was probably the 3-4 hours at night. During the day it's only been 2-3 hours. She has only had 1 or maybe 2 accidents in her crate. Lots in the house but we are working on that. I am more concerned with getting her liking her crate. How can she go from walking right into it to refusing to go in there! I know she probably should be taking naps in there but she won't stay in there unless I lock it & if I am home during the day she will just cry.

I'm at a loss. I don't want her to have seperation anxiety but I think it's coming to that already as well.

She is on a med for roundworm and some other parasite. Does the meds have ANYTHING to do with this??

My sweet Ellie is really really testing me & I need help!!

pstinard · 02-07-2014, 02:53 PM

You might want to put a treat in the crate so she associates going into the crate with good things. Consistency is also important. We crate trained Bella from the start and NEVER let her sleep with us. We keep her crate on the nightstand where she can see us at night and where we can hear her scratch the crate door when she needs to potty in the night. She got used to going into her crate as a regular and expected thing. We put her in at 10 PM when we go to bed. She needs to potty once in the middle of the night around 2 or 3 AM, and we let her out when we get up in the morning--6:30 during the week and 8 on weekends (she sometimes needs a second potty break on weekends). I recall her whimpering and crying for maybe 10 minutes after we put her in the crate during the first week, but after that, no problems.

pstinard · 02-07-2014, 03:00 PM

PS - I doubt the medicines for worms and parasites have anything to do with your crate training problems.

Deb1 · 02-07-2014, 03:19 PM

Ok, I have 3 yorkies ranging in age 1 year, 1 1/2 yrs and 7 yrs. They all sleep with us at night! When a puppy is so young they miss their siblings and mom and need someone to snuggle with for comfort. That someone is you, right now! None of mine are crate trained. Lots of people crate train their pups, and it works for them. I just don't agree with letting a young, lonely pup cry for hours in a crate.......this is my opinion! Mine might be very spoiled and maybe I am wrong, but they love to be with us and sleep all night long!

Lovetodream88 · 02-07-2014, 06:38 PM

Remember the pup just left everything they knew and are all alone now no sibs or mom so be patient. In my opinion getting a new puppy is like having a new born and you can expect not to get lots of sleep unless you get lucky. I would switch vets if he told me not to put my hand in the pups crate at night its not hurting the pups health so its really none of his business. I would make sure the crate is where she can see you when you are in your bed and give her a treat to get into her crate, with my yorkie I say go to bed and have done this sense she was a pup. If you take her out or give her attention when she is crying she will just keep doing it because she knows it will get your attention. Yes its gonna be hard for a week or two. When she wakes up take her potty and put her back. Keep constant and on some what or a schedule and it will help. You also might want to try and burn off some of her energy before bedtime.

Gena34 · 02-07-2014, 08:17 PM

We also got our Yorkie at 3 months old and she only weighed 1.8 lbs. She slept with us from day one. She sleeps through the night also and not once has she woke up to go potty. She is now 6 months old and still NEVER wakes up. She just snuggles and is the best baby ever to sleep with. Now when she wakes up or I should say when I make her get up she goes to her pee pad and let's it rip.. Lol
My girl loves her sleep! This bedhead would sleep til noon if I let her. I Iove that she sleeps With me! She too would hate to be separated from me. Yorkies are velcro dogs!
I bought Paris a playpen so if during the day I couldn't watch her I would put her in her pen.
I wish you luck with your new baby!

02-07-2014, 07:43 AM	#1
lisa89 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: MN Posts: 7	Crate Training HELP needed!!! Well this will probably be a long one but I'm running on NO SLEEP and need to go into the calm & submissive mode!!! HELP!! We got Ellie (who was born Nov 6th, so 3 mos old) on Sat Feb 1. We had previous dogs (it's been about 10+ years) and this time we want to do it RIGHT. Last dogs were never crate trained or sociable. So we got her used to the crate & she went in there ON HER OWN. That to us was success! lol So, the first night home w/ her she was in her crate which was kept in our living room. I decided to sleep on the couch so I could get up with her to let her out. Well, I ended up moving the crate next to the couch & would put my hand in there until she calmed down & stopped crying. We did that for the first night. Second night, I moved the crate to our bedroom and had it next to me again in arms reach. Well, the next day we took her to the vet & he told me to STOP putting my hand in there. She just has to cry it out. Ok, the 3rd night she cried for 35 mins before she fell asleep. She woke up I let her outside & then it was 20 mins before she stopped crying. We basically repeated this the next 2 nights but first I would let her stay in bed with me while I watched TV...then when it was lights out I put her in her kennel (she went in freely) and not a whimpered. Slept for a few hours and then it wasn't too much crying. So we thought we were doing AWESOME & making progress. Well until last night. Her 6th night. TOTAL NIGHTMARE. I let her in bed with me again until she was calm & ready for bed. She went into her kennel at 10:00 and slept until 12:30. I let her out, she didn't go pee. The next TWO hours were horrific. She went in her kennel but cried for 30 mins, so I let her in bed with me (which I know I should not have done) I then tried again after she calmed down....nope, crying barking whining for another 20 mins or so. At one point she did finally stop but it was only for 2 or 3 mins, then she started up again. She REFUSED to go back into her kennel & I read to never FORCE them in so I didn't want to do that. I tried everything I could. After awhile I turned the TV on & just let her on the floor of my room, she wanted on the bed, I said no, go in your kennel....over & over & over again. After I did get her in (which I did put her in myself, again not what I wanted to do) I left the door open but had my hand in front to not allow her out. I suppose 20 mins of this. Finally after the 2 hours of her not going back to sleep in her kennel. I left her in there & went to the couch. Well she went hysterical. Barking, crying, yelping etc...My husband who was already on another couch needed to sleep since he had to get up for work in a few hours, ended up letting her out of the kennel. I was on another level of the house, she found me & slept on the couch for the next 3 or 4 hours. She was exhuasted I know because she would have slept longer if I didn't have to get the kids up for school. Not sure why she didn't pee at 12:30 when I let her out, she was normally doing her business at night & then getting right back in the house (it's cold, subzero nights here) I have been home with her pretty much the last 6 days but have gone out shopping a couple of times for a few hours at a time. So the most she has been in her crate along was probably the 3-4 hours at night. During the day it's only been 2-3 hours. She has only had 1 or maybe 2 accidents in her crate. Lots in the house but we are working on that. I am more concerned with getting her liking her crate. How can she go from walking right into it to refusing to go in there! I know she probably should be taking naps in there but she won't stay in there unless I lock it & if I am home during the day she will just cry. I'm at a loss. I don't want her to have seperation anxiety but I think it's coming to that already as well. She is on a med for roundworm and some other parasite. Does the meds have ANYTHING to do with this?? My sweet Ellie is really really testing me & I need help!!

02-07-2014, 03:19 PM	#4
Deb1 YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,983 Blog Entries: 3	Ok, I have 3 yorkies ranging in age 1 year, 1 1/2 yrs and 7 yrs. They all sleep with us at night! When a puppy is so young they miss their siblings and mom and need someone to snuggle with for comfort. That someone is you, right now! None of mine are crate trained. Lots of people crate train their pups, and it works for them. I just don't agree with letting a young, lonely pup cry for hours in a crate.......this is my opinion! Mine might be very spoiled and maybe I am wrong, but they love to be with us and sleep all night long! __________________ Proud Mommy to Max, Teeka, Tatiana and forever in my heart Tameka! My sunshine doesn't come from the skies, it comes from my puppies eyes!

02-07-2014, 06:38 PM	#5
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,247	Remember the pup just left everything they knew and are all alone now no sibs or mom so be patient. In my opinion getting a new puppy is like having a new born and you can expect not to get lots of sleep unless you get lucky. I would switch vets if he told me not to put my hand in the pups crate at night its not hurting the pups health so its really none of his business. I would make sure the crate is where she can see you when you are in your bed and give her a treat to get into her crate, with my yorkie I say go to bed and have done this sense she was a pup. If you take her out or give her attention when she is crying she will just keep doing it because she knows it will get your attention. Yes its gonna be hard for a week or two. When she wakes up take her potty and put her back. Keep constant and on some what or a schedule and it will help. You also might want to try and burn off some of her energy before bedtime. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

02-07-2014, 02:53 PM	#2
pstinard YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 3,648	You might want to put a treat in the crate so she associates going into the crate with good things. Consistency is also important. We crate trained Bella from the start and NEVER let her sleep with us. We keep her crate on the nightstand where she can see us at night and where we can hear her scratch the crate door when she needs to potty in the night. She got used to going into her crate as a regular and expected thing. We put her in at 10 PM when we go to bed. She needs to potty once in the middle of the night around 2 or 3 AM, and we let her out when we get up in the morning--6:30 during the week and 8 on weekends (she sometimes needs a second potty break on weekends). I recall her whimpering and crying for maybe 10 minutes after we put her in the crate during the first week, but after that, no problems.

02-07-2014, 03:00 PM	#3
pstinard YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 3,648	PS - I doubt the medicines for worms and parasites have anything to do with your crate training problems.

02-07-2014, 08:17 PM	#6
Gena34 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Monroe NC Posts: 17	We also got our Yorkie at 3 months old and she only weighed 1.8 lbs. She slept with us from day one. She sleeps through the night also and not once has she woke up to go potty. She is now 6 months old and still NEVER wakes up. She just snuggles and is the best baby ever to sleep with. Now when she wakes up or I should say when I make her get up she goes to her pee pad and let's it rip.. Lol My girl loves her sleep! This bedhead would sleep til noon if I let her. I Iove that she sleeps With me! She too would hate to be separated from me. Yorkies are velcro dogs! I bought Paris a playpen so if during the day I couldn't watch her I would put her in her pen. I wish you luck with your new baby!