Crate training help

[Tbaker]

I really need help and any advice would be massively appreciated! I have a 15 week old cockapoo boy.
Crate training is going well in the day and first thing at night. He cries for 10 mins then settles down. However At about 3am he wakes up for toilet. I take him out, don’t talk to him or look at him etc. He refuses to go back in his crate at all after. I put a few treats in to the crate then pop him in and walk away. Last night he cried on and off all the way to the morning (5.30). Tonight he cried solidly for 1 hour before OH heard the neighbours get out of bed and my 5 yr old woke up . OH had had enough so came down and let him out and sat with him. puppy still cried a bit as I think he wanted me. I could here OH getting cross so I came and swapped with him. Any advice on getting him to settle at 3 in the morning? It’s driving everyone, especially the neighbours, mad.

If he’s crying at all then you need to go back a step in the crate training.

This is what I did with my cocker. Every time he cried in the night I took him outside to pee (even if he didn't need one). After a few mins I would put him back in the crate.

If he cried I would wait a few minutes and if it continued I would again pick him up and take outside then back again. If he looks like he wanted to play he got took out on a lead so he couldn't run off.

This got repeated many times at first but he soon got the idea that night was for sleeping or peeing but nothing else.

Could you perhaps put him in the crate less during the day? Perhaps he needs more exercise during the day? I hear of a lot of people having this problem. We were lucky with our mini australia doodle. She never whines or cries in the crate at night and sleeps through. However, we do remove her water at 9pm and take her for last pee 10pm. She then sleeps through until we wake 6:30/7am and take her out. During the day she gets loads of exercise and is hardly in the crate. However, if we do try and put her in the crate during the day when we are home (if we need to get ready in the morning before taking her for the long walk) she might whine a little. So I assume at night she must be really tired out. Some people gave up on the crate all together because their dogs cried so much.

What time is his last meal the night before?

“Every time he cried in the night I took him outside to pee (even if he didn't need one). After a few mins I would put him back in the crate.”

That’s not crate training though, that’s what you’d do with a dog that has been crate trained and then starts to get up through the night.

“Some people gave up on the crate all together because their dogs cried so much.”

That’s also not crate training, crate training doesn’t involve leaving them to cry, if they’re crying you’ve moved on too quickly and you need to go back to where they were comfortable with it.

tabulahrasa I wasn't describing crate training. As I said 'this is what I did with my cocker puppy' when he cried at night.

Yes - but the OP’s puppy is also crying during the day, so that’s why I added to yours...

The puppy needs to be happy in the crate before night time can be sorted.

We found covering the crate with a blanket or towel helped keeping our puppy calm in the crate. Perseverance is key sadly. Good luck

Can you put the crate in the bedroom so he can see you OP . My other suggestion would be stop using the crate and use a large pen or gates to fence off a safe area of house , it doesn’t need to be too large , and see if he’s happier then . Whatever you decide do not leave him to cry as that won’t work .

Thanks for everyone’s tips and advice. I did originally have him in his crate in my room and he settled really well, so I moved him downstairs to the living room after 4 nights of my room. I will try exercising him more during the day to see if that helps. I’ll also try exercising him later in the evening. Tbh he’s usually zonked on the floor by then but I will do my best.
He has his last meal at 6 and I don’t let him have any water after 7pm to reduce his night wakings. I don’t want to give up on the crate yet - I could just shut him in the kitchen but ideally I’d like him to go to bed in his crate if I can manage it! I’ll let you all know how it goes tonight.

That is way too early to stop giving him water , indeed they need access to water at all times (irrespective of the thread yesterday which was an eye opener frankly) . Also I doubt this has anything to do with exercise and you can damage him by over exercising and also an over stimulated puppy can also be a nightmare .

I also wouldn't remove water. Both of my dogs have been drinking more in the night due to the weather - I've actually had to give them a bigger bowl because they were waking me up once their normal (very small) night bowl was empty for more water.

The weather is too hot and your pup is too young to go so long without water.

Also anytime mine have a wee you can guarantee they will want a little drink to follow (they have a garden water bowl specifically for this reason).

You can actually find that a dog who isn't getting enough to drink wants to wee more frequently because it's so concentrated in their bladder, anyway.

It might be worth trying to put his last meal later - it will not mean he will poo in the night. If he is waking at 3.00am and is a bit hungry he will never go back to sleep.

Agree he must have access to water 24/7

I would also be putting him in the crate to sleep in the daytime whilst you are in the room pop him in the crate door open when he falls asleep if she wakes up quickly drop a treat into the crate.

Put random treats in the crate throughout the day to encourage him to go into it - do not shut the door just reward her with another treat - make it a fun nice place