Looking for reassurance re whining and crating

B

blood_magik

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2011
Messages
6,343
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Evening :)

I picked up my new girl on Wednesday and it seems to be going pretty well so far - only had two accidents in the house, both of which have been my fault for not moving fast enough (slept through my 4am alarm the first night :eek:).

The only ‘problem’ I’m having is that she cries the second she thinks she’s been left alone and I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that she’ll eventually realise that crying won’t result in attention.

I’m crate training so she’ll have a safe spot to go to when I’m sorting the horses but she’s not a big fan so far... as soon as the door is closed she cries (I’ve gone back a step to leaving the door open during the day for now).

I’m feeding her in there, praising and treating every time she takes herself into her crate and rewarding her with her a higher value treat or toy when she stays in... is there anything I’m missing?

Please tell me I’m not alone and that she’ll eventually learn to love her crate. :o

ETA - she’s 8 weeks and currently in a crate in my bedroom overnight.
 
Is she your only dog?
Have you put a toy in with her or got some bedding or similar that smells of Mum / litter mates? Have you tried covering part of the crate at all? Radio on quietly?
 
She’s the only dog.

She has a blanket which smells of mum and I took a blanket with me to rub on dad and litter mates when I picked her up. She also has an old t-shirt of mine in with her, plus her rope toy.

I have music on in the barn for the horses and that’s pretty much the only time I need to crate her Other than at night. Her crate is in the aisle so she can see and hear what’s going on and I have music on low at night to help me go to sleep.

If i’m out she’s down in the barn with the girl that grooms for me or in the house with my parents. I tried putting a rug over the crate this morning and I’m not convinced it made a difference. I’ll try again tomorrow and go from there.

She does seem a little better tonight - no howling when I left the room to shower, only whimpering, so hopefully it’s just a case of her being little and needing more time ����

Just a little paranoid as she’s my first pup and I want to get it right with her.
 
Yep sounds like you're doing all the right things to me - can you use baby gates in your house to get her used to not being around you all the time too? So she realises that she can be separated from you and you will come back, and it becomes normal.
Only ever go back to her when she is quiet - otherwise you're rewarding the whining.
Good luck and enjoy your pup!
Pics would be good too please ;)
 
Thanks for the replies

I have a baby gate up so I can keep her in the kitchen and utility, and separate her from my house bun.

I’m trying to only reward her for being quiet but my god, it’s hard ��
I’ve got to time it or she starts up again before I can praise her for being quiet.

Obligatory pic because she’s the cutest thing... ��
f0b6v4.jpg

2z7k378.jpg
 
We just put them in the crate and ignore them. To start with they go in it while we are in the room but come bedtime the first night it is in the crate with them and we go to bed and see them in the morning. Luckily the house is big enough you can't hear them, if you shut all the doors.
She is a cutie. :-)
 
Thanks for that... my house isn’t big enough to just ignore her, unfortunately. I might have to pop out and buy some earplugs tomorrow if she doesn’t seem to be getting the hang of things.

That sais, she’s currently snoozing in her crate with the door shut. Me disappearing around the corner for even 5 seconds results in whining so I’m just going to have to keep working and hopefully she’ll eventually realise she’s not going to be left forever
 
You can reassure her when she's whining - she's not seeking attention, she's a baby and she's scared. Will she settle in the crate while you are present? That's the first step to happy crating
 
Yes, she’s started settling in her crate as of today... when we went down to the barn earlier, she took herself in and eventually plonked herself down, and drifted off. :)
 
she is very cute. when i got my little terrier puppy he was quite vocal at night in his cage and as my neighbour leaves for work at 5.30am and i am in terraced cottage, i couldnt just ignore him so i took the crate upstairs and didnt hear a peep out of him till the morning. he gradually got used to the crate when i went out during the day and once he seemed content i kept his crate downstairs for the night and he was fine. yours is very young and is likely to be feeling lonely so just needs a bit of reassurance and im sure will settle
 
I’m starting to notice a difference in how quickly she settles - just now, she came in (a little excited as woke up to the fire alarm going off in the barn and had to drag her out in a panic :eek:), plonked herself down and went back to sleep without so much as a whimper :)

Long may it continue :D
 
Huge improvement today :)

She whined for less than 5 minutes when put in her crate this morning but that was it! She was quiet after that and happy to play with her Kong or go to sleep... clever girl :)

Also took her into the arena while dad was riding and she quickly learned that trying to follow the horse going round is a no-no, and went back to sleep.

I think we might have turned a corner
 
Thought I’d update - she’s started sleeping through the night (thank goodness!) and has taken herself off to her crate in the kitchen a few times over the last day or so. :)

Think the crate training is starting to pay off.

She’s such a little poser ;)
dcuash.jpg
 
love that pic. sounds like you are winning. i have had dogs for over 50 years but when i got my latest puppy i had forgotten how much hard work they can be and was worried about making mistakes so you are not alone ....good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top