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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

Eight week old pup going crazy/barking/whining when left in crate...

48 replies

mintymellons · 09/04/2014 12:02

... think that says it all really!

We've had him five days. We have the crate in the living room and have been alternating sleeping down help stairs with him at night, but he makes such a terrible racket when he's put in his crate and we leave the room. We have neighbours on one side and I worry they may complain.

I've trawled the internet for advice, particularly about night time, but there seems to be such conflicting opinion. Many people recommend bringing the crate upstairs and having it by the bed, but we're reluctant to do this and would prefer to keep it downstairs. Also, this doesn't really help with the main issue of him freaking out generally when left in there.

We put him in there for about half an hour in the morning when everyone has to go upstairs and get ready for work and school. He goes bonkers. He goes in there if we go out (which so far has only been for an hour or so the last couple of days). Both times we've left him barking and crying, but come back to quietness. Don't know how long he takes to calm down though.

I'm really worried he's going to give himself a heart attack the way he carries on. Please someone tell me this is normal and it will pass.

Please also give me any advice. Is it just a case of persevering and trying to ignore it?

I've tried putting a filled kong in there, a warm rice comforter thing, an extra blanket, putting a cover over etc...

OP posts:

PeanutPatty · 09/04/2014 19:48

What nutty said! Also put him in there whilst you are still with him. He has already learnt, in the short time you've had him, that the crate means being left.

Booboostoo · 09/04/2014 20:46

This is a bit like CIO and attachment parenting, at the end of the day different techniques work for different families and different babies so the same goes for dogs.

However, in my experience if you have a sensitive puppy and push it at this early stage you may well get serious separation anxiety problems. At the moment you are not just risking a few days of inconvenience when the puppy cries itself to sleep until it gets used to the arrangement, you are risking putting the puppy off the crate completely and creating an issue around every time you try leaving the puppy. This is just speculation on my part, I don't even know your puppy, but he sounds like a sensitive soul.

Do at least look at Adaptil.

Lovemyfriends · 09/04/2014 20:57

I quite agree Booboo. I am of the common-sense, no messing school of parenting/dog rearing. I can see from previous posts that others do things differently. I hope you work things out to suit your family and life, minty.

insanityscatching · 09/04/2014 21:14

We've never shut the crate door but we do have a pen.When Eric was 8 to 10 weeks we'd close the pen when we needed to contain him which was really only at meal times and at bed time because for the rest of the time he was free to follow me about.
Now at 14 weeks he has free reign of the downstairs at all times because we've done away with the pen and he sleeps where he likes tbh sometimes in the crate, or on the sofa or on the rug in front of the fire.
We can leave him during the day for an hour and a half and he's quite happy and we come back to no mess and him asleep.
The first couple of weeks were hard work and somewhat tedious tbh because he needed to be within touching distance constantly but I'd say persevere wih this because Eric now is a happy and secure little dog I think because he has separated from me as he has felt more confident rather than me pushing the issue.

Daisybelleblue · 09/04/2014 21:42

What breed is he ? He's still very young all these things take time & lots of patience

nuttymutty1 · 09/04/2014 21:58

I agree there are different approaches BUT the OP is struggling with the CIO method as if the dog - so therefore a change of method would be suitable?

The difference with dogs and DC is that the dogs will pick things up way quicker .

Boudica1990 · 09/04/2014 22:05

CIO worked with my cocker but we switched tactics for the Rhodesian ridgeback she needed positive reinforcement to settle. Every dog has his her own personality.

My Rhodesian ridgeback is now a proper little cuddle monster (maybe not so little) and the cocker quite independent but does like the odd snuggle.

Booboostoo · 10/04/2014 07:24

I appreciate OP is struggling, I am not dismissing that at all! Having a puppy is really hard work and having a sensitive puppy is a lot harder work! The CIO does work with a lot of dogs that accept the "this is the reality, learn to live with it". However, and again I haven't even seen this pup, but from the OP's description he sounds like a sensitive soul. The problem with adopting the wrong approach now is that the OP may struggle a lot more in the future.

One possibility is that the puppy will come to dislike the crate. Now that is not the end of the world. Plenty of dogs are brought up with no crates, there may be a bit more chewing and toileting in the house, but then again there may not.

A more serious problem is separation anxiety. Once that sets in it's a training nightmare to get the dog out of that frame of mind. For me when people mention any behaviours that suggest a sensitive puppy it is a priority to offer reassurance and help him grow in confidence because as bad as it is to have a puppy howling at being left alone having an adult dog howling at being left alone is 10 times worse!

Dogs do pick up things way quicker than babies but that also goes for the wrong things and for negative associations.

Original poster

mintymellons · 10/04/2014 08:49

Thanks for all of your responses. Like elsewhere online, people are here seem to be split into two 'styles' of dog parenting.

Just to reiterate though, we are doing everything we can to mske the crate positive. We are sleeping down next to him, feeding him in there with the door open, not leaving him for more than half an hour to an hour during the day. He is getting loads of attention and care. I'm just a worrier and want to make sure we're doing the best we can which is why I posted.

Incidentally, he had a good night last night. Went into the crate and barked briefly til DP clapped his hands then he stopped. He was quiet then all night. DP woke home twice to go for a wee then he went back in the crate and didn't stir til 6am. DP slept in the same room but not right next to him.

I don't know if he's particularly sensitive, just young and it's early days.

We will continue with our current strategy and hopefully it will come good!

OP posts:

Booboostoo · 10/04/2014 09:09

Great, glad things are improving!

nuttymutty1 · 10/04/2014 09:22

He doesn't sound like a particular sensitive puppy to me, he has only just left his litter and mum has not been in his new home a week and cries when left - sounds like a normal pup to me!

Glad he is settling down and getting used to his new surroundings

Original poster

mintymellons · 10/04/2014 19:40

Just to update, we're moving the crate from the living ro

OP posts:

Original poster

mintymellons · 10/04/2014 19:44

Sorry, from the living room to the kitchen and putting a gste across the kitchen door. This means that when we go out or need to confine our pup, we can leave him free to roam the kitchen and leave his crate open in there. I think this will really help although maybe not instantly. I'm happier with this as it means we don't need to 'lock him up' apart from at night when he's less bothered anyway.

OP posts:

Lovemyfriends · 10/04/2014 22:41

Good move. I hope you see an improvement, and your puppy is happier.

Original poster

mintymellons · 11/04/2014 11:23

Thanks. He is certainly better at night and seems to have accepted that his crate is for sleeping in when it's dark. Have now puppy proofed the kitchen and moved his crate in there. Just popped out to the shops leaving him alone and he still barked and whined loudly as we left and was still going about 45 mins later when we returned. I do at least feel better knowing he has more space to roam in, but it's obviously not a quick fix. Does anyone have any advice for getting him used to being confined in the kitchen when we need to leave him?

OP posts:

Lovemyfriends · 11/04/2014 11:53

It is basically the same principle as crate training. It's possible that he started the noise again when he heard you coming home, and has been quite happy on his own for a while. We have set up dog-cam in our kitchen so we can have a look at what our dog is up to when on her own.

Original poster

mintymellons · 11/04/2014 12:40

Thanks lovemyfriends. I'm already finding it easier to confine him for a few seconds at a time just by closing the gate and leaving him in the kitchen. I'm planning to do this and build up the time, making no fuss about leaving and returning.

He had willingly gone into his crate a few times today which is also good.

I'm definitely feeling more positive.

Yes it is indeed possible that he wasn't barking the whole time we were away! I listened at the letterbox and it was quiet for a second in two, but then he started up again. It's possible he may have heard us coming into the front garden as my toe girls were chattering noisily!

OP posts:

FiveHoursSleep · 11/04/2014 12:51

Our lurcher saluki never crate trained although we stuck with it for 7 months. She would cry constantly for an hour, then go quiet for a couple them start up again. When she was 10 months old, we left her out one night and she slept quietly by our bed so we didn't try it again.
Our younger dog had a restless first night, then was absolutely fine. At two years of age, he still goes in it overnight.
I think some dogs do cope with it better than others.

AliGoldie · 05/02/2020 17:54

@mintymellons just found this thread from many years ago. Just wondering how you eventually made out with your pup and what worked or didn’t work. Going through the exact same thing with our 10 week old pup. No problem with the crate. Goes in willingly for treats and meals and sleeps peacefully there all night. But I cannot leave the room, let alone the house without incessant barking and whining. 45 mins today while I sat in the living room. Waited for 3 secs of silence before letting her out. Was also afraid she’d have a little puppy heart attack!

pigsDOfly · 05/02/2020 19:18

AliGoldie You might be better to start a new thread of your own. After six years the OP might not even be on mn or might go under a different name.

Nojeansplease · 05/02/2020 20:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nojeansplease · 05/02/2020 20:56

Sorry ghost thread!! The new comments stopped the little alert popping up!

Rebecca0115 · 21/05/2021 03:18

I took my puppy from a dog foster home about a year ago. I love him to bits; he has a great personality, and I feel that he loves our family so much, but he barks A LOT... So, leaving home is always a challenge for us. My husband and I were thinking about taking him to 'doggy school', but then again, it’s extremely expensive, and the nearest 'doggy school' is far away from us. Maybe you have some advice? THANK YOU!!!

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