Crate nightmare

Hi guys. So, I brought Harley home yesterday and I just need a little opinion/advice/what you did etc, because I completely understand why she's acting up the way that she is, but I don't know how to deal with it.

She's completely comfortable in her crate as long as the door isn't closed, she goes in and out of it constantly, and sometimes she's been fine when I've closed the door, but at night she goes MENTAL, like, howling, barking, screaming at full volume, and it's none stop. Ignoring her doesn't work, opening the door doesn't work, comforting her doesn't work, nothing I've done has worked other than taking her out and letting her fall asleep on my lap.

My parents say that I should let her 'strop it out' until she realises that it's not a bad thing, but I have neighbours and there's only so much sleepless nights they can handle without it becoming a problem.

(I've read up on crate training etc, I just don't know what to do after exhausting all of the advice)

What did you guys do to deal with this?

Your parents advice is correct, however, I feel your & your neighbours pain. Have you tried putting an item of your clothing in with Harley so she has something with your scent to snuggle up to ?

No but I'll do that right now

Also, do you think it's better to have her crate in with me or in another room? She slept with me in the bed last night (meaning no sleep for me!) and obviously that can't be a regular thing because no one likes pee stained bed sheets haha!

I'm just wondering if me being in a different room would relax her a little bit more, because it's not so obvious I'm ignoring her?

Ah, not an easy answer as to which room. I guess you need to think long term here. Will you want her in your room in say a years time in the crate. What you do now will set up the routine going forward so worth thinking about.

It might be easier to sacrifice a few nights sleep on the sofa than trying to go through all this again in a few months time.

The crying will subside, it shouldn't take too long as long as you can be brave and ignore it. The crying will turn to sleep when she realises it does no good.

I've already decided that she's going to be in the bedroom when she's older, the crate is in the living room so that I could have her get used to it, I'm thinking I might sleep on the sofa tonight, see how it goes and then move her through to the bedroom (with loads of apologies to my neighbours again haha!)

She's lucky that she's cute ... Haha!

Sounds like you have a plan, hope you get some sleep tonight

She is very cute.

I'd put the crate in whatever room you plan on her sleeping long term. The article of clothing with your scent on it will help. A blanket to cover the crate, a radio left playing softly, a warm water bottle, and a stuffed animal for her to snuggle with will also all help.

Yep, crate in the bedroom with all of the above; be firm, she'll soon learn.

Hey, thanks for the advice everyone.

She did amazingly well last night! Howled/barked for about 20-30 minutes, then went quiet until around 3am, then went back to sleep. I'm so chuffed with her.

AND she's been going to the toilet when she's outside now, which is great because she was too scared to do anything outside before today big day for Harley haha!

great news

She'll be fine from now on I'm sure - you're over the worst hurdle. Enjoy & love your pup

Rocky has always slept on our bed with us at night. We tried leaving him in his crate for one night but it was a no no. Once puppy is house trained things will be easier for you having in your own room at night.

Yeah she's only going to be in the crate until I can trust her not to chew or stain my covers, then she's got free roam of the house, she's going to be spoiled rotten haha!

I was actually quite lucky with crate training Ruby. We decided she would sleep in the family room and put her in quite late about 10pm but we have down lights and turned them down quite low and she wasn't in the pitch dark.

On the nights she got worked up I would sit quietly on the lounge next to the crate until she went to sleep.

If I'm in the room with her she neeeeever goes to sleep, no matter how long I ignore her, I have to leave the room, then she settles down. 

Last night she didn't even bark when I went to bed, and she was silent until 6:30, which was amazing!

The wonder of a crate
! I'd never be without one when training a new pup

Yay sounds like Harley is doing well, like everyone else said you just have to stick it out and they eventually calm down, it took pru a good 2 weeks to stop howling.

A couple of things we found that helped were putting an old towel over the whole crate so it was dark and covered like a little cosy cave and sometimes also having a radio on low, the sound must have comforted her.

Over the worst now though, good luck!

So does Harley hold in her pee overnight already? And what do you do when you are out? Is she outside or inside in the crate?
I'm just thinking we need to start night time potty training again. She's fine when we are home (haven't had an accident for weeks) and when we are out she's outside now so she doesn't HAVE to hold it. We tried not putting down a puppy pad for a couple of nights but she still went on the tiles.

Touch wood, she has been really good at not peeing in her crate. if she ever has it's because I've not been paying enough attention, most days I wake up to a dry clean crate!

When I'm out she's in her crate, but hopefully soon I can let her roam the living room haha.

I don't think Harley understands not to pee inside yet, I've just been lucky haha! Like, she'll still pee wherever if I don't catch her.

Ahh ok. I was about to ask how your puppy can be so perfect! Haha. Looks and behaviour I just wonder how people go from crate training where a dog won't pee because it's their den, to roaming their house and knowing not to owe there as they are both completely different scenarios.
We didn't crate train, so it has taken us longer as Nala pees A LOT I'm just not sure what our next step should be to help her hold it longer. Surely if dogs can hold it in all day when their owners are out and they aren't in a crate, she should be able to grow into doing that at night too right? It's quite frustrating

With the pee thing, its weird. Seems to just sort of click one day? Pru weed in the house willy nilly for ages and just recently I realised that she hasn't done it in about a month.