Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How to keep a puppy out of a room?

11 replies

mummycowp · 14/04/2013 20:25

The first two nights we had out puppy we had him in the kitchen, he howled all night and cried. For some reason he just hates to be in there. I thought it was just because he didn't like to be alone. On the 3rd day I discovered that he didn't mind being in my living room on his own and didn't cry when I left him. That night I let him sleep in there and he didn't cry and he hasn't cried at night since... The thing is before we got him we decided that the living room would be a no go area as it is actually in the process of being redecorated and we want it to be our "nice" room as our other smaller living room is currently a toy/tv/music/computer room. The reason I gave into him staying in the living room is 1. he didnt cry 2. he had been in the vets for 5 days with a stomach bug and was really ill so when i came home I didn't want him to feel sad. 3. there was nothing he could get himself into/eat as the room is currently completely bare apart from one 2 seater sofa. What I want to know is how can I get him to accept the kitchen has his room? It is a large kitchen and is nice and warm. He has a nice comfy bed too. He just hates it. While I am at home which is most of the day I don't mind him (once housebroken) going anywhere downstairs in the house but when I am out and at night I really need him to be in the kitchen. We spend most of our time in the 2nd living room anyway cos of the kids toys being in there...He doesn't mind the 2nd living room either but I wouldn't want to leave him alone in there as there is lots of toys and electrical equipment in the e.g wires. Should I just leave him crying in the kitchen at night? Will he ever get used to it? Or am I being harsh by trying to keep him out of our "nice" living room. He has the most high pitched bark I've ever heard too, it's piercing. Other than that he is lovely. I have been trying to crate train him but I have given up on shutting the crate as he howls to get out so now I just leave it open all day and only lock him in if i really really cannot supervise him....I'm not sure what to do about the kitchen situation though!.

OP posts:
Lilcamper · 14/04/2013 21:04

Crate training is all about making sure a pup has positive associations with the crate, just locking him in it will make it negative. Feeding him his meals in it with the door open will make it positive.

He is a pup, he is lonely, confused and scared and was all alone in the vets. I personally would have his crate in my bedroom at night and then gradually move him downstairs when he feels more secure.

Floralnomad · 14/04/2013 21:48

Does he sleep on the sofa? If he does then why would he choose to sleep on a dog bed instead ,can you fit an armchair in the kitchen?

Original poster
mummycowp · 14/04/2013 21:57

No he is too little to get on the sofa but i'm sure if he could reach he would! I started off by putting treats in the crate and letting him go in and get them. when he came out id throw another one in. Eventually I started closing the door for a couple of seconds then opening it. Then a couple of minutes and so on. The longest I've had him in it is 5 mins. He doesn't like it when I shut the door. When I left him he pood in it and I had only just taken him out to see if he needed to. He doesn't mind as much when I'm in the room but as soon as I leave he howls. Last night I left the crate open and he slept in the crate so he does like it. He just doesn't like it when I shut it. When I leave him in it am I supposed to let him cry? The puppy was trained before he came to us on puppy pads. Since I've found out that lots of people don't like puppy pads and I do see their logic so I've just been following him round all day, taking him out at regular intervals and waiting for him to poo. It seems to be working but it is so exhausting because I can't watch him constantly. If he would stay in his crate I could leave him in the living room where he likes to be or even the toy room...

OP posts:
Booboostoo · 14/04/2013 22:32

Crate training takes a while, depending on the puppy. Leave the door open for now and just concentrate on making it a really pleasant place to be, i.e. his blanket should be in there, you should give all food, chews and toys in there. In a few weeks' time he may be ready to stay in the crate with the door shut but don't shut him in if it's a negative experience, he will just refuse to go in next time and it will turn the crate into a punishment.

Toilet training can also take a few weeks. Make sure you take him out after he has eaten, as soon as he wakes up, after he has played and every hour to avoid accidents. It is quite hard work but most puppies get the idea in a few weeks and the more you do of this the fewer accidents you will have and the faster he will learn.

How long have you had the puppy?

Lilcamper · 14/04/2013 22:46

How big is the crate? It should only be big enough to let him stand up and turn around in it.

Original poster
mummycowp · 15/04/2013 07:02

We picked up the puppy on 4th but 3days later he go sick with a gastrointestinal infection and was in th vets For 5 days and we didn't et him back til 12th. The cage was big when I first put I'm in and he pood. After that I divided it into two parts with a cardboard box so now it's only as big as a bed...

OP posts:
thistlelicker · 15/04/2013 07:12

Our almost 2 year old Lhasa loves
Company and spends all day open house of
Somebody home! When we go out we have a stair gate to keep him in kitchen as we have
New
Sofa! Although he is crate trained we
No longer
Use it! We bough him a cushion that he sleeps on under the stairs! He barks when put in kitchen sometimes for around 40min but we ignore it and he settles! He has automatic 6am Alarm tho so he can come back upstairs!

Booboostoo · 15/04/2013 07:50

It's very very early days yet and the puppy will be very unsettled, especially with the vet stay and feeling sick. Do consider Adaptil it can be very helpful.

Original poster
mummycowp · 15/04/2013 20:18

Puppy has been doing good today doing his business in the garden. I have tried more with the crate but only locking it when I can't supervise... Like when I gave the kids a bath and I got dressed etc. he didn't seem to mind much but he did do a wee in it very early this morning.. I have changed the bedding and he's been ok since. Now what I'm worried about is his poos. He was in the vets with a stomach bug and got out on Friday. His poos were still not firm but nowhere near as bad as when we took him in. They started to get a bit firmer yesterday but today they are runny again! I'm just wondering if he could be catching anything in the garden? While he was in the vets I completely disinfected the pavement and today iv barely let him on the grass as I'm trying to keep him off it while training him as I don't want him having runny poo on the grass where the kids play! He seems to have gotten the hang of going in the same spot on the pavement...

OP posts:
Original poster
mummycowp · 15/04/2013 20:22

Thank u for everyone's responses by the way as this is my first puppy so I'm new to it all. I have managed to teach him 'sit' today too. He's such a clever little puppy. It's just me being dopey... I think he'll get there soon xx

OP posts:
Booboostoo · 15/04/2013 21:59

Well done, sounds like its going well.

If he's been sick enough to spend time at the vets its best to ask the vets directly about his loose stools. They should be able to advise you over the phone.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page