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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppy whining

20 replies

FluffyPinkCloud · 16/05/2018 19:16

Hello we have a 12 week old puppy. He constantly whinges in his crate, even when I give him things to do. I don’t know what to do and I’m reaching the end of my tether with it. He can’t be out of his crate 24 seven can he?

OP posts:
lovemyboys25 · 16/05/2018 19:18

Is he an only dog?
If you leave him out of the crate is he destructive?
What about a small area he can have with the crate door open til he gets used to it?

When we got our pup I was worried how older dog would react so had puppy in cage & dog in his bed but next day was easier to let them together & he learnt from big dog

Elphame · 16/05/2018 19:20

Does he need to be in his crate? I only put Elfpup in his at night or when he was so tired that an enforced nap was essential.

Original poster
FluffyPinkCloud · 16/05/2018 19:39

I would love for him not to be in his crate. But he won’t nap unless he’s in it. He is an only dog and is doing really well with his toilet training.

OP posts:
Appletreecorner · 16/05/2018 19:41

I have never crated any of my dogs. They have a crate they can access if they want to, if it makes them feel safer if there is a change to the usual running of our home -such as visitors.

On a normal day to day basis they have had the run of the house from puppies. They have their crate and individual beds if they need to sleep.

Do you keep your puppy in a crate with the door shut OP? How long is he expected to stay in a locked crate?

BiteyShark · 16/05/2018 19:59

I would put my puppy in the crate when he needed to sleep and when he needed to be safe. I would push treats through the bars when he just needed to be safe to reward him. Mine would not touch anything such as toys or kongs when in the crate but would accept a treat from my hand for being calm and quiet.

geekone · 16/05/2018 20:00

How long does he whine for? I have a 12 week too and if he whines ignore him and then as soon as he is quiet (unless it's nap time) I went and let him out. He stopped whinging quickly. He still has a whine when he realises he's not getting our but maybe only for 2 minutes 😊 If he whinges and you go to him he will think he has to whine to get out it's like if I wee outside I get a treat it's just learned behaviour, not manipulation.

flippit81 · 16/05/2018 20:24

Have crate trained him?

flippit81 · 16/05/2018 20:24

Have you crate trained him I meant !

Original poster
FluffyPinkCloud · 16/05/2018 20:51

I have crate trained him yes, he is currently fast asleep in his crate. It’s just if he’s been out doing training, or if he’s been playing in the garden or whatever, then he comes in and moans when he goes back in his crate for rest.

OP posts:
Lucisky · 17/05/2018 14:12

You don't say how long you are shutting your pup in for?
Is it spending a lot of the day in there and all night as well?
I have a crate, which my now adult dog likes to use as a den (door open), but as a pup she was only shut in from about 11pm to 6am (with a pee trip outside halfway th rough the night), and at other times for safety reasons (deliveries, me cooking, young visitors etc) or if she got over tired. So during the day she spent very little time in there at all.
Would something like a doggy play pen be better?

Wolfiefan · 17/05/2018 14:13

How have you crate trained?
Puppies want to be with you. It's understandable really.

fleshmarketclose · 18/05/2018 15:24

Can't you get him a basket to sleep in? Eric never had a crate so was obviously out 24/7 so slept when he was ready either in his basket or on the rug in front of the fire. He's not in the crate all the time apart from toileting and training is he? It's just that's the impression you give in your OP and if that's the case no wonder he's whining.

auditqueen · 18/05/2018 22:41

I've never had a crate for any dog I've owned (loads). They had all had a space in the house that they have chosen to go to if they want, the rest of the time they hang out with us. During the day when we're out our current dog has toys and a bed in the utility room. Don't see the point of crates

Original poster
FluffyPinkCloud · 19/05/2018 19:06

Hi, he was only in his crate when he needed to nap when we were at home, or when I was busy. So my routine looked like this, wake up at six, let him out, feed him and play with him, let him out, let him have a nap when I get the kids ready for school. He comes to work with me so he’s out most of the day then and then when we get home he has some free time around the kitchen then goes in his crate, feed him, crate him while I get the kids ready for bed and then he’s out in the evening, then bedtime at 10. But I have ditched it as he wasn’t napping, he just whinged until he tired himself out and then fell asleep. I am using the tether method now and Watching him like a hawk and it seems to be working much better for both of us.

OP posts:
Original poster
FluffyPinkCloud · 19/05/2018 19:10

@auditqueen
What age were yours when you started letting them have access to more than one room? At the moment he has the kitchen and dining room all the time, then evenings he can come into the lounge. And he sleeps in our bedroom.

OP posts:
fleshmarketclose · 20/05/2018 07:15

For us Eric has never been allowed upstairs or in the bedrooms but everywhere else has been allowed from the start really. We had a gate on the kitchen door so that I could cook without him under my feet but that was open when I wasn't cooking and we had a gate on the stairs that was there until I could trust him to stay downstairs when I said "wait there". Funnily enough if we are out he never goes upstairs but if I don't specifically say "wait there" (because he's in a different room) he will sneak up behind me. He knows full well he shouldn't because if I say "hup!" he runs back down like lightening but he's a dog who likes to try it on I suppose.
Glad you have found something that works better for you and dpup. The first few weeks are exhausting and I don't envy you and looking back I can see now Eric was an exceptionally good puppy,house trained within a fortnight, never got up in the night and never destroyed anything but it seemed awful at the time regardless.

Original poster
FluffyPinkCloud · 20/05/2018 09:11

@fleshmarketclose
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I have to say he is an exceptionally good puppy as well really. He knows which toys are his, he has only had a few accidents in doors in the month that we’ve had him, and they were my fault for not watching him closely enough. he is brilliant to be honest. I love him dearly. It’s just exhausting, it’s like having a baby all over again.

OP posts:
auditqueen · 20/05/2018 11:53

He was 8 weeks. We just let him have the run of the house when we're there and the utility room when we're not. That was initially just when he was a pup, but has become a habit for him. He'd be fine around the house now.

RedHelenB · 20/05/2018 13:31

I shut mine in the kitchen when we're out and at night and his bed is in there. Hes never had a crate.

auditqueen · 20/05/2018 17:16

Ditch the crate. It'll be fine.

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