Puppy night time crate?

[Lau123lau]

Long post. Sorry!
I have a 10 week old whippet pup who has been with us just over a week. He has a crate in the front room which all his meals are given in and treats are thrown in throughout the day for him to find. It’s covered and full of blankets and a cosy quilt. He will only go in the crate to retrieve treats or a toy, choosing to sleep on the sofa (typical whippet). At night, myself or partner slept downstairs with him initially while he has slept on the sofa mainly, occasionally spending a half hour or so In the crate following one of us physically putting him in there once he’s alseep, and for last couple of nights have gone to bed, coming downstairs to let him out 3 hourly then settling him back to sleep before sneaking back to bed. Anyway, my question is; he doesn’t seem overly thrilled by his crate but should I just put him in and shut the door at night and either a) sleep downstairs again so he can see me for a few nights or b) stick him in and let him cry it out, just coming down to let him out every few hours?
Neighbours already not overly thrilled by our new addition as concerned about their geriatric cat so don’t really want to pee them off anymore by baby whip crying all night long.
Putting the crate in our room is not an option as my own cat is rather pissed off at the new edition and he sleeps on our bed.
I want the pup to use the crate ideally as even though I am happy for him to sleep on the sofa, I worry about leaving him free roaming round the living room and would rather he was in a crate when we’re out. Also he likes to pee on the floor and I think being in the crate may help with housetraining. Any advice much appreciated!

[adaline]

I wouldn't just stick him in a crate and leave him. Personally I think that's quite cruel and certainly not the right way to train a pup to sleep there happily.

I would pop him in the crate at bedtime and sleep where he can hear and see you. Once he's happy with that, you can slowly move away until he's happily sleeping down there alone, with you only getting up to take him to the toilet. But he's only little so I expect you'll need to get up with him once or twice a night for a good few months yet.

Ours is six months and only just reliably sleeping through.

[Lau123lau]

Thanks. I did pop him in the crate with the doir closed and I slept facing him on the sofa. He actually slept better than he has been doing on the sofa. I’m fully aware of the need to let him out at night and he woke at 1am, settled back down then stirred again at 5am and went outside. First night with no accidents and he did seem more settled so think I will carry on sleeping down here with him then slowly move upstairs. We only have a small house so I can easily hear him when he stirs wherever I am in the house.

[adaline]

Sounds like a great plan :)