When I found this site I was somewhat relieved! We have just introduced an 8 week old female lab to our home, she is absolutely gorgeous and our 2 year old daughter loves her. I spent time reading Pippa Mattinsons book and was all set to introduce her to her create and use the cold turkey method over night. Well, fair to say I wasn't prepared for the dog noises and crazy reaction to this. I spent the day introducing Margo to the crate using Pippas guidance but as soon as I closed the crate ready for bed she went crazy! after 10 mins I couldn't stomach this and ended up sleeping downstairs with her roaming free the first night. The second night, after some advice from our local pet shop, I did it again and perseverance was the tip. Margo cried all night, there wasn't a gap in her crying to allow me to approach her every 3 hours for toilet breaks without the fear of reinforcing this behaviour. She also seemed very nervous in the morning. I bought a pen for the 3rd night thinking she just didn't like the crate, I placed the crate in the pen which I placed in then kitchen. She went crazy again, cried all night and despite a couple of night toilet trips I came down to crying and a much poo to clean up. help! What are we doing wrong?
She will cry, she has just left her brothers and sisters and the warmth of sleeping with them and the company and all of a sudden she is alone and misses them dreadfully. Try covering the crate with a cover so that it is like a den. During the day put little treats in there, when she falls asleep, pop her in there, even feed her in there, with the door open to begin with. Gradually this will become her safe place and she will need a quiet place to go as puppies need lots of sleep during the day. Have you thought about putting the crate in your bedroom next to your bed? I put my pup in a cardboard box beside my bed and if he began to whimper, I just dangled my hand in there which he found comforting. In no time at all it seemed, I could get him to sleep downstairs in his crate. Just remember he is a baby, he wants his Mum but gradually he will cleave to you and your family and settle; it is just hard for you both in the beginning!
The advice from Stacia is what worked for us, and we continued to feed Jura in her crate for the first few weeks and made sure that there were lots of little treats in there during the day.
My girl didn't like her crate. I spent a few days sleeping on the floor next to the crate and eventually moved away a bit each night. Harley never really settled in the crate at night, but would happily go in during the day when I popped out and eventually went back to work. We ended up putting her on her bed in our room at 12 weeks old as she had a respiratory infection - she slept from 11pm-8am without waking!! She eventually ended up sleeping at the bottom of our bed and at 2 years old will often sleep 11pm-10am without waking. It is worth doing as Stacia suggests as she has just left her family and nighttime alone will be scary. Good luck
Some good advice from Stacia. With Juno she started crying her first night at home with us as soon as we turned of the light in the kitchen. We decided we didn't want her crying so took her and her care upstairs to our bedroom. Apart from a few little noises when we turned of the light she settled very quickly and I had the benefit of being able to talk to her. The other benefit was I could ear when she was awake to take her out for a wee. Juno spent around 12 nights in our bedroom before being put into the kitchen in her crate at bedtime and we never had a peep out of her. There really is no right or wrong way but what works for you, your family and puppy.
I think we put a well-wrapped hot water bottle in the crate the first few nights to simulate the warmth she would have had from her siblings. Worth a try. She will get used to being on her own - you're not doing anything wrong, you just need to find out what works for your pup. Good luck!
Thanks everyone for your comforting advice. I started to feed her in the crate and use her lunch and evening meal as treats. Last night we had the best night so far! She cried for the first 20 minutes or so but soon settled. I went down at 1.30 to take her out for a wee and she was sitting proud as punch without a sound! And as a bonus she didn't go to toilet in her crate for the first time! I think this was the food routine and ceasing any after 7pm that helped.This was the encouragement I needed, I was beginning to lose confidence! Now I need to work on crating during the day when we are all out.
That sounds like good progress. Have you got a Kong? If so, put some tasty treats or a smear of peanut butter in it and put her in her crate with it, then leave her for a little whille during the day. Frozen stuffed Kongs are good too. Leaving a radio on can also help.
Of course they miss their mums and litter mates. In retrospect, I think I was lucky. We had a bit of yelling the first night, which I ignored. The second night less and by the third night all was silent. I had bought a soft dog toy and slept with it for a few nights and left it with the breeder for her to sleep with before I collected her and my breeder gave me a towel which had been in the pen with her and her litter mates, no doubt that helped. I always dropped some kibble through the bars when I put Molly in her crate. Very soon she would dash into her crate waiting for her treats. on't worry
