ArchieSit (04-07-2016)
x100. getting used to sleeping ON YOU/near you is not at all going to help him get used to sleeping int eh crate downstairs. Generally you stay downstairs near the crate when crate training to get them used to that then go to bed. This set-up is only going to make it much harder to get him used to being alone downstairs at night.
while desensitizing to the crate a better option would be a solid x-pen around the crate and you outside the ex-pen. within a few days of crate work you can leave him overnight in the crate and just ignore the crying.
Ivy
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ArchieSit (04-07-2016)
It's so hard with a cute little puppy to set the ground rules from the very start. Remember this adorable little ball of fluff will be 70-90 pounds as a grown up dog, and that size might be reached before he's a year old. The general recommendation is not to allow something when they're this little and cute that you won't want them to do when they're adult size. So, that would include things like letting them sleep in bed with you, sit on the furniture, sit on your lap or begging beside you at meal time and giving him food off your plate "because he likes it so much", jumping on you or others, pulling like a sled dog when he gets to the age to wear a leash and go for a walk. Those are just the few that come to mind immediately. If you won't want him sleeping with you when he's 80 pounds of snoring dog, you'll have to toughen up now and not let him sleep with you starting tonight. On the other hand, some people like their dogs in bed with them, and you'll find lots of bed sharing folks on here.
For your pup's sake, you will want him to learn to enjoy his crate for the times you cannot supervise him fully, such as if you go to work or school. He may not be chewing or destroying things yet, but those days are ahead. Plus, you don't want him peeing or pooping any old place in your home. If he needed to stay at the vet's for health reasons or you need to leave him at a kennel, they are definitely confined to a crate (vet) or a small enclosure (kennel), so having him comfortable in a crate is a very practical thing to accomplish. So, you should make some decisions now about what you envision for your life with your pup 6 months or a year from now and start working toward those ideals now.
Fortunately we only had some crying for the first few weeks and that was most of the time because they needed to go to the bathroom. Now they sleep through the night and they will also go into their crate at their leisure during the day if they just need to take a break. It was extremely hard for me to "let them cry", but I knew I had to do it if I wanted them crate trained.
A lot of good advice, and I did pretty much all of what's been recommended. One thing I'd like to add. Once the pup is in the crate, do not talk to them or acknowledge them in any way. This includes when you return home after being gone. Walk around, put coat/keys away, etc, then go let the puppy out. Once they are out, then you can start talking/playing. This helps teach them to be patient until YOU decide it's time for them to come out.
doubledip1 (04-07-2016)
Last night was his last night of sleeping with the crate door open, but I have been letting him eat in there and basically we play around and do training around the crate so he's comfortable with it. I've also started closing the gate and letting him notice the door is closed, but opening it before he started making a fuss. This morning I left Marvin to go to work and close him in his crate. He cried for about a minute and a half after I walked out of the door and then stopped, I could hear faint whines, but after that I left and went to work.
He was alone in his crate with no one for around an hour and a half before my mother went over to my house to check on him for me, and she said she found him completely knocked out and no accidents on the crate, but as soon as she let him out, he had a small accident just inside the door.
His accidents are happening less frequently, and we've had no #2 accidents since his first nights there. As mentioned by some of you, I will start to let him stay alone over night and see how long he cries in his crate when we are home. I feel extremely proud of him being such a fast learner, and it opens up my eyes to also not let him learn bad habits now at such a critical stage.
Thanks for all the sound advice everyone
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Luna, born 6/14/13, gotcha 8/18/13 and TDI certified 5/12/2015
Comet, born 4/3/15, gotcha 6/9/15
Double Dip, 25 y/o Draft/Welsh pony
Gracie, 17 y/o DSH cat
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OMG! I don't ignore the dogs when I come home. I come straight home and let them out to pee... such a smart idea!!! God bless this place!! :]]
I agree, why would he want to sleep in the crate with you right there? I think the problem is that you are too available at night for him. We used to have our pups in our bedroom the first few weeks at least thinking it would be better, it wasnt and it was not an easy transition. With Tobey, our most recent, i started him out in the crate from day 1 with the crate downstairs and me upstairs in my bed. I also fed him in his crate and had toys for him there. he took to it immediately because he didnt know any better. I do find that if i need to crate him and im right there in plain sight/smell he doesnt like to be closed in. If im not right there he is totally fine in his crate.
A puppy that young really needs, at the very least, one trip out in the middle of the night to pee.
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Maxx and Emma Jean
Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.
Update on Marvin's crate training:
I stopped sleeping on the couch on Friday, while still getting up in the dead of night to walk him to ensure no accidents happen. Since starting the training he has had no accidents inside the crate, and I've consistently pushed his dead of night walks forward a bit. He slept all night from Saturday into Sunday, and again from Sunday into Monday morning, and again last night. Although, like clock work, at 6 a.m. he starts whining and if I don't get up he'll bark up a storm. Last night he went straight into the crate after his last walk of the night and laid down to sleep (this was around 10:45 p.m.) I didn't hear a peep from him until this morning when I got up before the alarm went off and I opened the bed room door.
House breaking is still a challenge, specially since I'm not there all day to watch him, and others don't have the same level of commitment to taking him outside as I do. However, the accidents in the house have been minimum and he hasn't gone #2 in the house since his very first night with us. I'm amazed at how smart lab puppies are, and even though at times it can be tough to train him, I am loving every minute of it!
Here's a picture of him after we finished playing with him and my niece and nephew.
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