First night in a crate

by rascal_dog on Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:25 pm

After two weeks of using the bathroom as sleeping quarters, Rascal's crate arrived today.

Having read all about tempting her in with treats and such, we were very happy to see her walk straight in and have a good look around, and by the end of the day, without any cajoling, she was finding various treasures (an old plastic Coke bottle, a small cardboard box and a couple of rope toys) and carting them very purposefully back into her new den.

I've tried a few times shutting the door, and she's not very excited about it, and have tried walking into the back end of the house for a couple of minutes.

Right now she has curled up in a 'spare' bed that was sitting in the middle of the lounge room floor, so I have removed the one that was in the crate and picked her up, bed and all, and put her in the crate, where she seems happy to stay for now.

What can I expect for this first night?

While we are still working on toilet training (Rascal is nine weeks), I plan to take her outside around midnight just before I turn in, and hope that does her for the night, as there is no space in the crate to partition off a toilet area.

Are we resigned to a few nights of whining and carrying on? Would it help if this first night I slept on the couch next to the crate so she can see and hear that I am still around, until she gets used to the idea? Any other tips for a first night in her crate would be very much appreciated.

by **dayvie** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:39 pm

both our puppies barked and whined the house down.coco only did it for a few long nights lol but kaiser still does after 2 weeks! with coco we introduced him slowly ie we would put him in his crate and close it while we put the washing on the line outside for instance.then make a big fuss of him when we came back in.eventually when we were popping to the shops and so on we would do it.this worked a treat and coco knows instantly and is more than happy in his crate whereas kaiser who is 11 weeks will not have any of it!! he will scream bark poo wee every single second the little monkey.so i guess patience and consistancy are the key.you cant give in no matter how much you want too,or at least i think so.not sure this is any help tbh as all pups are different as our 2 clearly show.good luck lol

by Guest on Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:43 pm

Sorry, i've never used a crate so can't help......but GOOD LUCK thumbs up

by Kerrby on Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:46 pm

With any dogs, I've never had a first night in the crate that wasn't just whining and crying. No matter how much they loved it during the day, it becomes a trap at nighttime.

Usually I spend the first night sleeping on the ground right infront of the door so they can see me, smell me, and I can pet them through the wires.

After that, it comes down to getting them to spend all their sleeping/rest time in the crate. Closing the door, walking away, then when they settle down (stop crying) come bursting in with lots of love and attention.

Rinse and repeat for awhile, and most pups will calm down, however, like Dayvie said, there are always a few holdouts as all pooches are different.

by **vanessa** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:54 pm

I am still waiting for our wire crate to arrive for Winston. But where he sleeps now, in a room off the kitchen, the first night he howled and cried and barked...We just ignored him..it was hard! ( He was 6 weeks old ) Now when we have been for our last walk of the night, he knows that he is going to bed.. he might make a few noises, but then he goes berserk playing with his toys and having a mad minute ( must be out of frustration ) and then he just goes into his little plastic airline carrier crate that he sleeps in now, and goes to sleep. The secret is to ignore the bad behaviour... and be consistent! It can be very hard I know! If I can crawl out of bed before 8 am ish he hasn't gone to the toilet.. but any later than that there is always a wee and sometimes a poo on the paper.. I need to get up when my alarm goes off ( makes mental note to self ) as I want to lock him in his crate overnight when we get it. Our first staffy Jethro destroyed so much stuff.. don't want Winston following in his footsteps ( paw prints ) and I figure he can't do much damage locked in a crate!!

by **shontelle** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:32 pm

The key is patience and consistency. Yes, I'm afraid you're in for a few sleepless nights, but when you put her in, don't go running back when she whines.

Don't make any fuss, just put her in quietly, make sure she has some blankets and maybe her fave toy, then walk away. If she whines, or should I say WHEN she whines, and barks, and howls, just ignore it. It's the only way she'll learn.

When you take her out for a wee, just take her out quietly, no fuss, and put her back in when she's done. It will be a pain for a few nights, and you'll feel like she's never gonna be ok with it, but she will soon come to understand that it is her bed, and that's where she'll be each night. She'll soon get used to it.

Good luck,and let us know how it goes Smile

by Stevali on Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:04 pm

If wasnt for the crate i think Archie would have destroyed the house by now.

by **shontelle** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:05 pm

Stevali wrote:If wasnt for the crate i think Archie would have destroyed the house by now.

Snap with Charlie. It really has been a godsend Smile

by **lynne** on Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:38 pm

shontelle wrote:The key is patience and consistency. Yes, I'm afraid you're in for a few sleepless nights, but when you put her in, don't go running back when she whines.

Don't make any fuss, just put her in quietly, make sure she has some blankets and maybe her fave toy, then walk away. If she whines, or should I say WHEN she whines, and barks, and howls, just ignore it. It's the only way she'll learn.

When you take her out for a wee, just take her out quietly, no fuss, and put her back in when she's done. It will be a pain for a few nights, and you'll feel like she's never gonna be ok with it, but she will soon come to understand that it is her bed, and that's where she'll be each night. She'll soon get used to it.

Good luck,and let us know how it goes

perfect shontelle

by rascal_dog on Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:23 pm

Well Rascal was a little champion last night.

I work night shift and had not got up until early afternoon, so sat up with her until 2am. She wee'd in the crate on her blanket about 1am, so I mopped that up and gave her a little cuddle, then put her straight back in. She settled down and went to sleep. She stirred as I was getting ready for bed, and whimpered for about ten minutes after, and apart from hearing her once during the night, she went right through to 8am, with no evidence of her having toileted in the crate at all.

I think we have a winner. Smile

by Guest on Sun Jun 19, 2011 1:58 am

rascal_dog wrote:Well Rascal was a little champion last night.

I work night shift and had not got up until early afternoon, so sat up with her until 2am. She wee'd in the crate on her blanket about 1am, so I mopped that up and gave her a little cuddle, then put her straight back in. She settled down and went to sleep. She stirred as I was getting ready for bed, and whimpered for about ten minutes after, and apart from hearing her once during the night, she went right through to 8am, with no evidence of her having toileted in the crate at all.

I think we have a winner.

Great stuff

by **lynne** on Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:32 am

what a star

star

by **vanessa** on Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:45 am

good girl Rascal !!! Love Struck

by **jstaff** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:47 am

The first night I had Suki in her crate it was a nightmare. She whinned and howled so much I expected the police to come to the house. Other than her favorite toy and an article of clothing. Exercise right before bedtime seemed to work well with me. Try not to force her into the crate but lure her into it with food. What for her to settle down and close the door. I also found that putting a blanket over the crate so it is dark seemed to do wonders I'm not sure why though. Best of luck.

by cowboydave on Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:58 am

I am unsure on the crate thing???? What is it all about and how is it helpful??? I know we are told about it all the time at our puppy school and they really push us into the idea of a crate but I dont understand why???? confused

Stanley sleeps withus in our bedroom at the end of the bed, he is always chillin with us on the couch when we are watching tv or reading. Maybe we are doing things wrong but we treat him like a person to a point. If he wants to be alone which is hardly ever but sometimes he will toodle of into the sunroom or somewhere quite and have a little nap alone, but like I said hardly ever he always like to be with us.....

Cheers

by **jstaff** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:08 am

A crate is basically just a cage. This allows the dog to have a space of their own where they can feel safe. They are a bit difficult with younger pups unless you can seperate an area for them to use the bathroom at night. It also helps for transporting the dog which with Suki she can't go on a car ride without her crate because she will jump in the front seat to try to be with us.

by cowboydave on Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:24 am

jstaff wrote:A crate is basically just a cage. This allows the dog to have a space of their own where they can feel safe. They are a bit difficult with younger pups unless you can seperate an area for them to use the bathroom at night. It also helps for transporting the dog which with Suki she can't go on a car ride without her crate because she will jump in the front seat to try to be with us.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Jstaff. Big Grin

by rascal_dog on Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:55 am

Night Two - not a peep. Big Grin

And now she happily goes in there to eat and drink, and while she still likes to cuddle up and fall asleep on one of us, when we move her into the crate and close it up, she just looks up at us, then settles down and sleeps for ages.

cowboydave, one way I have heard the crate thing explained is to think of it as a den. That's certainly how Rascal treats it, scouring the house for 'treasures' and then hauling them back there to horde and chew (although the kitchen broom was a little ambitious).

The other thing in our situation is it gives her a safe place where the cats won't hassle her, and the children have been told that it is out of bounds, and Rascal's 'safe spot'.

by cowboydave on Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:05 am

rascal_dog wrote:Night Two - not a peep.

And now she happily goes in there to eat and drink, and while she still likes to cuddle up and fall asleep on one of us, when we move her into the crate and close it up, she just looks up at us, then settles down and sleeps for ages.

cowboydave, one way I have heard the crate thing explained is to think of it as a den. That's certainly how Rascal treats it, scouring the house for 'treasures' and then hauling them back there to horde and chew (although the kitchen broom was a little ambitious).

The other thing in our situation is it gives her a safe place where the cats won't hassle her, and the children have been told that it is out of bounds, and Rascal's 'safe spot'.

I totally understand it to be used as a den, just could not get my head arounfd the locking them in there. As I said ealrier the people at the puppy school do it with their dogs. They even bring their dog down to the socialising day and then leave them locked up to watch all the other dogs playing together, I felt that was bit cruel and almost punishing them but I am not a dog training but a dog lover Love Struck

. My wife and I do not have children so Stanley gets treated more like a child to us and he is involved in everything from deciding what he has for his dinner to coming on drives with us....LOL... Dogs truely are awesome companions Big Grin

Thanks for adding to the info for me though rascal dog applause

by **lynne** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:27 am

wow good boy rascal

Smile

by rascal_dog on Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:33 am

Girl

by **lynne** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:40 am

oops - sorry its a bit early in the morning here

Big Grin

by rascal-girl on Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:21 am

Must take after her "human mum" Big Grin

hehe

Cowboydave, that sounds sad for the pups locked in watching everyone else play! The only time we close the door to Rascal's crate is when she's put to bed for the last time late at night. Oh, and if the cat's harassing her when she's trying to eat!

We're very proud of her and love her to bits Big Grin

This is our first experience having a dog in the family and we are totally hooked. Staffy's are awesome!

by **janey** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:49 am

rascal-girl wrote:

We're very proud of her and love her to bits This is our first experience having a dog in the family and we are totally hooked. Staffy's are awesome!

Agree

by piggy on Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:33 am

We got Mini on Friday and she has been in the crate every night.... apart from Saturday when she was in a storage box in our caravan with us... it was only yesterday that she seemed to bond with us after being separated from her siblings and last night in her crate she howled for a few minutes....apart from that not a peep out of her since Friday....

by **vanessa** on Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:06 pm

hahah I can just imagine little Rascal trying to drag a huge broom into her crate... she really is a rascal !! Love Struck

by rascal-girl on Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:40 am

Oooh yeah, she is very aptly named!!!!!

by **jstaff** on Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:33 pm

Glad to hear it worked out for you and congrats on the milestone with many more to follow.

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