Puppy Won't Stop Barking At Night In His Crate

[2Fast]

Our puppy won't stop barking in his crate at night. We've tried everything we've been able to find or hear from others or the internet. We've tried TV at night, music, a Homedics heartbeat sound machine, toys with him in his crate. Nothing seems to work.

After a full day out and about in our home he will usually go to sleep at bedtime (he gets plenty of play time with our other dog). Because he's only 9.5 weeks (rescued from the humane society) old he has to go the bathroom frequently so when he cries we immediately take him outside at night to his bathroom spot and he goes and is rewarded.

However when we try to put him back in his crate he sits there and cries and barks non stop. It usually takes about an hour or more sitting right in front of his crate to get him to lay down and stop barking.

If we don't get up extra quiet he will get back up and continue barking. We are at our wits end and are out of options,

anyone can help please? Thank you

[egg]

over the years l have found a loud ticking clock to be effective ,,, but maybe your pup has learnt that when he cries someone comes and lets him out ,,, you might have to clean up a mess or two

good luck

[BambinA]

This problem is quite common in puppies. What do you have to do are :

For the Bedtime

1) "Ignore" and DO NOT go checking him or let he see you while he is in the crate in the night time.( similar as you treat a lil child who lays down on the floor and scream when he wants to have a new toy in a departmentstore).

2 ) Put your unwashed shirt that has your smell in his crate so he will feel as you are with him.

For the Daytime

3) Use "CONDITIONAL THEORY" by feeding him with food or snack everytime in the crate only. He will be used to staying in the crate. When you want to do this mission, do not close the cage's door . Give him a compliment and reward him when he does follow your commands. After he gets familair to stay in the crate , give him a snack or two everytime you want him to stay in the crate.

Edited December 20, 2007 by BambinA

[cm-happy]

If some one was going to put you in a crate overnight, woul'nt you bark too? Why not leave him out of the crate inside the house overnight? Close the doors to the rooms where you don't want him to go. Just clean up any accidents the next morning.

since he's just a small pup, cleaning up should be no big deal. spread papers on your furniture, so he doesn't find a nice comfy place or get him his own spot in the house with a cusion he can curl up in.

[nidge]

2 ) Put your unwashed shirt that has your smell in his crate so he will feel as you are with him.

When i had to put my dog in kennels for a few days i would always leave a pair of my old jeans with my dog. It worked great for the first day. The second day was not so good, i guess he thought he was being abandoned again, (i got him from a rescue centre), and he got so worried/stressed that he ripped the jeans to shreds.

I am sure for overnight sleeps your puppy would feel better with an unwashed item of clothing, at least he won't feel alone.

[2Fast]

Thank guys.. I will go try it Hope will fixed the problem

[Nienke]

Our puppy won't stop barking in his crate at night. We've tried everything we've been able to find or hear from others or the internet. We've tried TV at night, music, a Homedics heartbeat sound machine, toys with him in his crate. Nothing seems to work.

After a full day out and about in our home he will usually go to sleep at bedtime (he gets plenty of play time with our other dog). Because he's only 9.5 weeks (rescued from the humane society) old he has to go the bathroom frequently so when he cries we immediately take him outside at night to his bathroom spot and he goes and is rewarded.

However when we try to put him back in his crate he sits there and cries and barks non stop. It usually takes about an hour or more sitting right in front of his crate to get him to lay down and stop barking.

If we don't get up extra quiet he will get back up and continue barking. We are at our wits end and are out of options,

anyone can help please? Thank you

I completely sympathize with you 2Fast, I've got 4 pups in boarding, and last week i had six! Last night was the first night since many that I could sleep normally again.

You mention two things in your post:

1) You got the pup from a rescue organization. Did the pup sleep there with other pups? If so, he misses his buddies. Then, very often a big soft toy, teddybear or the like can help out. And, of course, something soft like a towel or blanket to sleep on. I had recently a 3 1/2 week old poodle in boarding (the pet shop owner told the owners that she was 8 weeks at the time they bought her ). She could not handle to be in a crate, even with a soft toy. But in her travel bag she was quiet whole night (this little dog only cried once at night when she was with me. A wonderful little puppy!). This bag, was right next to my bed. A 2 months old St. Bernard pup creid each time after going in the crate. I let him cry, but did put a teddybear with him. This did the trick. The other pups slept with other dogs at night, and that kept them quiet. Of course, when they did cry I needed to go out to let them pee and poo. Now is not talking to them in the night for me is not much of an effort, as I can't hardly keep my eyes open, let alone talk.

2) You got up immediately when the pup cried to let it out to his toilet area and then reward for toileting properly. It is very possible that the pup has been conditioned by his crying and your reacting on this. Once back in his crate he is upset and wants to come out. Quite a character I would say.

I would suggest the total ignoring part, starting with training sessions during the day. Just put him in his crate while feeding, close the door and leave him in there until he has stopped screaming for at least 5 minutes. When quiet praise and then let him out. While he's in his crate you just continue with what you are doing preferable in the neighborhood of the puppy, so he can see you and thus knows someone is there. However, you do not talk to the pup, or even look at it. If the screaming hurts your ears, leave the room. Instead of a crate, you can also put him in a confined area nearby his toilet area where there is space to play and a covered place to sleep and where he can feel secure.

When your puppy screams in the night, you can take it out to his toilet area, but do not talk to him at all. Just pick it up (not take it in your arms), carry it to his toilet area, put him down. Give him 10 minutes, and then carry him back. This all goes in a gentle but very firm way, while furthermore totally ignoring the pup. Unfortunately, after he goes back in his crate he will most probably start screaming again, what needs to be ignored. You can, however, put the crate right next to your bed for him not feeling abandoned at night.

As I have the impression that your puppy is quite a character, meaning he knows what he wants and picks up routines pretty quickly, I suggest to start up educating him right now. If you have the opportunity to have him with other older dogs, please, take this opportunity, as they are the best in teaching a pup how to submit, and that's something you really want your pup to learn.

I have such a pup (also from a rescue organization) in boarding and training at the moment. Just yesterday I was observing him when I introduced an older very gentle male dog to the pack. The two other pups were trying to lick his mouth and wrinching themselves in al sorts of submissive positions, but this particular pup was standing on a distance, tail and ears up. He did show some submission when the older dog came over for a sniff, he's nopt stupid but not in the least as the other two pups did. Also after only one or two times seeing things he knows. For instance, only after one time 'sit' for a treat he knew what to do. Follow on lead he did after two times explaining. He knows exactly to whom he can jump up to who he cannot. He's only 10 weeks old. What a great dog! But not a dog for everybody.

Nienke

[Nienke]

If some one was going to put you in a crate overnight, woul'nt you bark too? Why not leave him out of the crate inside the house overnight? Close the doors to the rooms where you don't want him to go. Just clean up any accidents the next morning.

since he's just a small pup, cleaning up should be no big deal. spread papers on your furniture, so he doesn't find a nice comfy place or get him his own spot in the house with a cusion he can curl up in.

Problem with leaving a pup loose at night is that you can't supervise it. During this period the pup or older dog can learn all sorts of behavior you don't want him to know, because you can't correct him while he is showing this behavior. For example, your pup chews on the furniture. You only find this out the next morning, when you CAN NOT correct him anymore as it is too late. Further, it can even be downright dangerous to leave the pup unsupervised, just like it is dangerous to leave toddlers unsupervised.

Crating a dog in the night is NOT cruel. On the contrary, for the dog/pup it feels as a secure den. Just observe the dogs when they are scared for fireworks or whatever, they will seek security underneath or behind something in a small area. In the wild pups are born in a den, at about three weeks of age they will come out but remain in the close vicinities of this den. With suspected danger they all run back to the safety of this den. That's there nature!

Leaving a young pup in a cage or crate outside, away from his human and/or dog pack is not advisable, though. It is better to keep the crate next to your bed or leave the pup wiht other dogs, if possible.

Nienke

[DDay]

9.5 weeks is still young and he wants the attention especially after being out all day with the other dogs. Start by telling him NO when he barks and give him a verbal GOOD BOY when he does. (choose the command words that work for you but keep them consistant)

Have you tried allowing him to spend the night with the your other dogs, I am willing to bet that this will solve your problem (much to the dismay of the other dogs who have to put up with his constant frolics but it may give you the peace and quiet you seek.

[ade100]

I have a two month old Golden Retriever puppy. I briefly tried the crate method to toilet train her but had the same problem as you. So I bought a pen about 2m by 1m. The principle is the same; she does not want to mess up her den. So she has a bed and toys at one end and a big tray with newspaper in at the other.

No barking and (9 times out of ten) the tray gets used for the toilet.

Its worth a try.