Crate training - naively optomistic??

[SinclairSpectrum]

So, after many ups and downs I have found a puppy.
He is coming home in a couple of weeks so I have been shopping
Got crate / bed etc as hoping to crate overnight. I understand the need for pup to associate crate with good things - peace, respite from kids, Kong etc, but is it possible to do this on day 1?
Would like him to sleep in it from the start but don't want it to be a traumatic experience on his first day with us.
Advice / anecdotes please...

Our 9 month old lab had a crate from day one at our house. She's got a nice comfy bed and a couple of toys. She's happy to spend time in there.

My dog was born in her mum's crate - mum loved her crate and it was the only place she'd give birth - so was crate trained when I got her so I'm not an expert at crate training but can see no reason why, if it's like a cosy den, pup shouldn't love it.

Try feeding him in his crate so he associates it with good things and use lots of treats to entice him in as he may be reluctant at first. Keep his bed in there and leave the door open during the day so he can come and go as he likes.

You can buy heat pads that you can put in with pup under his bed cushion so it's warm and some pups find having something like a ticking clock in with them helps apparently.

I bought a cover for my dog's crate so the sides, top and back were covered, which I think, made it seem very cave like and safe and she was happy to sleep downstairs in it on her own from the start.

You might find that your little chap feels a bit lonely at first on his own. If he is, and you can, it's a good idea to start him off with the crate in your bedroom and then gradually move it to it's eventual permanent place as he gets more confident.

What sort of dog is he Sinclair? You do realise you have to post photos don't you:)?

Our puppy wasn't in a crate before he came to us when he left his mum at 8 weeks. We got him home at about 4pm and did the recommended let him go in and out with door open for treats etc. We put him to bed in his crate when we went to bed. He cried a bit but DH sat with him for 5 minutes, then left him and he went to sleep. He's been fine in it ever since. So you can do it from day 1, but I suspect there's a degree of luck to it. DPUP is very good natured.

As PigsDoFly said, what kind of dog is he?

He is a brown roan Italian Spinone. All sounds very positive - will add a heat pad to shopping list!

Crate training is extremely effective. I would suggest having the crate in your room for first few nights with something familiar to the puppy toy or blanket from your breeder or an old sock from your family so he she has something familiar. Then slowly move the crate landing for a few nights then to where you want the puppy to sleep. Did this with our dogs and worked really well.

Aaw. Love puppies with their big feet and long legs that they can't control.

Bet you can't wait to get him home.

We had crate in kitchen from the first night. i loosely covered it with a blanket so the front was open. She had a hot water bottle and the radio on low. And the (smelly) blanket from the breeder which i think was essential.
She cried a bit the first and second night, but after that was fine. She often went in the crate in the day if she needed some peace and regarded it as a refuge. We tried to not disturb her when she was in there.
We had half for bed and half for paper for accidents. (one of the plastic dog beds so it didn't get wet with wee and cushion inside)
She only soiled once in there, although she clearly couldn't hold a wee all night to start with. She never weed in her bed, always on the paper.

We stopped using the crate at about 5 months.

He looks gorgeous!

Thank you everyone, we are visiting pup again tomorrow so will take a blanket to leave until we return to collect him.

Oh you found a Spinone! He's adorable!

A crate will save your furniture, your shoes, your door frames but most importantly your sanity.

My spin is crate trained he goes in without hesitation. He sleeps in there and goes in wheneveri can't watch him.
Show him it immediately and he'll be fine

My pup was used to a crate when we got her so we carried it on. We spent the first week with one of us sleeping downstairs with her as she cried at night. She's now 4.5 months and is happy to be in her crate at night/ when she needs a rest etc. Enjoy your new puppy!

Feeling very positive after all your advice.
Went for a cuddle visit yesterday and left a blanket.
Middleton it was really meant to be - on our wedding anniversary I got a call to say there was a litter of all boy brown Spins only 20 mins up the road from us. Great parentage, hips etc.
I am smitten!

Ah that's amazing! Have you picked a name? ??

He will be Primo, was first born so very fitting.
Can't wait to bring him home, kids have a countdown calendar!

Perfect! Haven't heard of another spin called Primo!

Really wanted an Italian name, narrowed it down to Primo and Elmo, family vote decided it.
Absolutely thrilled to have finally found the right dog for us.