We just picked up our new puppy, a manchester terrier, this past Saturday from the breeders. He’s been a great little guy so far, learning his bathroom spot outside, adapting easily to new situations and over all is pretty even keel.
Our issue seems to be the crate. He goes in at night and when we have been gone from the house. Every time he cries, whines and gets himself worked up. He is never left in over 3 hours, even at night we get up and take him out so it shouldn’t be a bathroom issue. We currently have his crate downstairs in the kitchen, but did try it in the bedroom and we c ouldnt get any sleep. I’ve been feeding him in the crate and he gets two treats scattered in there every time he goes in. He also has a chewy toy to keep him occupied. We have had to take the divider out of his crate because he actually hot so upset he would squeeze under it ( wire crate with wire divider the is about 2 inches off the crate bottom).
I know it’s only been a short time, but I’ve never experienced this much trouble. Any idea or tips to get him to settle and accept the crate?
Does he have a binky/stuffed toy that he likes? Also those infant bears with the heart beat sounds can help. He just went from sleeping with all of his living siblings and momma to being all alone in a crate. He might just need some soothing sounds and such.
All that said…take it with a grain of salt because none of my pups have made it more than two nights before getting scooped up into bed with us as we all got sleep deprived. I spent a few nights on the floor next to my now 9 YO dog’s crate when he was a pup. Then gave up and took him to bed w/ me.
Not saying it’s the WISE thing to do, but he’s a good snuggler now!
My last pup, now 12 years old, was crated in the bedroom next to the futon so he slept with his pack -dogs and human. I don’t know if that made the difference. He only fussed to go out in the wee hours for potty.
Paula
Yeah, we keep puppies in the bedroom, too. They’re in the bed for the first few nights, but then crated in the bedroom, so they can see us and the other dogs.
I’d be tempted to give him a break for a few days. He’s just a baby, and just lost his momma and siblings.
[QUOTE=Simkie;6667630]
Yeah, we keep puppies in the bedroom, too. They’re in the bed for the first few nights, but then crated in the bedroom, so they can see us and the other dogs.
I’d be tempted to give him a break for a few days. He’s just a baby, and just lost his momma and siblings.[/QUOTE]
Just my two cents, and obviously Simkie may have a different experience than mine, but I would not let him out and with you at night if you plan on him staying in the crate. He doesn’t even know that’s an option right now. It will be 10x worse for him if he thinks he should have the option of the human bed.
OP, I would also try really hard to only let him out when he isn’t crying, so he doesn’t think crying gets him out of the crate.
Good luck!
Granted that I don’t know a thing about puppies or crating them, but this helped with a very clingy kitten – cuddle and love on till sleepy then place in crate/carrier with warm water bottle. Kitten was very content to snooze without fuss until hungry. Rinse and repeat – kitten eventually found carrier was a warm/cozy place to be.
Oh Trot Trot… tisk tisk. Yes, you’re right…and that’s the right way. Good puppy parenting and all that. But you’re missing the whole “puppies are so danged cute and cuddly” part. LOL
You’re supposed to get sucked into their cuteness, right? 
i HAD one who cried and cried when she first came but she stopped when I put crate in my bedroom in a position where she could see me.
Also agree with- NEVER take him out when he is crying. NEVER. Wait until he stops, add a few minutes- then take out- otherwise he learns the wrong thing.
Normally I am right there with you, TTP! Don’t give in! :lol:
But we’re talking about a Wee Baby Dog who is only learning that crates are sad, scary places 
I would interrupt that, post haste, since ingrained crate and separation anxiety is SUCH a bear to deal with. He left his littermates and momma, had no crate training (presumably) and was asked to sleep by himself in a different part of the house than the people. That is a LOT for a Wee Baby Dog.
I’d let WBD sleep in the bed for a few days to settle him down and teach him that We Sleep At Night. I’d also work A LOT on getting him to be copacetic with the crate during the day, by crating WBD for as long as he can tolerate and letting him out before he starts to get upset. I’d make a game out of it. (And, of course, never let out while he’s crying or provide any sort of pos reinforcement while he’s crying.)
Once WBD was happy happy in the crate during the day, I would bring the crate into the bedroom and either put it right next to the bed (so I could reach into it) or put it somewhere where WBD could see the people in the bed. Then make WBD very tired and try him in the crate at night again.
FWIW, my dog was very happy in his crate and still loves the crate when it’s up…it’s his little dog man cave. He just wanted/needed peeps for the first few days when he came home.
If you can leave a ticking clock close by, and place a warm water bottle or heating pad in with him, as well as a stuffed toy he will probably settle down. I agree with the majority, he should be in the crate, but work with him during the day to be in the crate too, don’t let him out till he’s quiet. Keep it positive, he’s just a baby, but he needs to learn that he can survive on his own.
Mine always ended up in bed with me at first and then I switched them over to their beds or crates. Did the same thing with my human babies too! Never had a problem switching anyone over, they learned it just as quickly at the older age as they would have at the teeny tiny age and by then they were confident, secure, and ready for their own space.
Mine were on the bed with me until they were housebroken. I am not a crate-trainer, although I have nothing against people who use that method.
[QUOTE=Guin;6667827]
Mine were on the bed with me until they were housebroken. I am not a crate-trainer, although I have nothing against people who use that method.[/QUOTE]
I used the crates (cribs) for the kids but not dogs! LOL
The dogs all have their cozy little sleeping spots but aren’t shut in anywhere.
I am another wuss whose last puppy slept in the bed with me until he was a bit more secure. Transitioned to crate, and ultimately ended up on the bed anyway!
Just reread the OP. Three hours may be too long for very young pup. I was taking my pups out first every hour then every 2 hours max in the beginning then gradually increased. hellish but works
Granted Dex was 14 weeks when he came home but I went him cry it out in the crate. I did everything I could to wear him down before bed and then I let him learn to self soothe. His crate was in my room facing the bed and I gave him one soft toy and one hard toy along with a fluffy blanket. After two or three days he would crash the second he went into his crate. We also did clicker work with the crate to create a positive association.
He really does need to be trained to love the crate; as others have said, going from the awesome cuddliness of his siblings & Ma straight to 3 hours in a box is a little rough on some sensitive wee babes.
That said, the last very committed crate whiner I had as a pup benefitted greatly from being rocked to sleep. Nice quiet room, rocking chair near crate, low light and gentle pets until baby went to dream land, whereupon he was carefully relocated into the crate for a few hours sleep. Wake up at expanding intervals for potty break and then repeat. Worked like a charm & I didn’t mind the quiet time either!
I like to crate dogs for short periods of time while I am around.
So, if I’m in the family room watching TV for 2 hours, puppy will be in kennel in that room. They can see me, but know when they do see me it doesnt mean they are coming out. Then, leave the room for short periods. Then extend the perioid. But dont leave them for long.
I think the worse thing you can do it put them in a crate and leave them. They wont enjoy their crate.
But thats just my opinion, so far its worked great for me and all my dogs have been fine in their kennels. I dont crate the dogs anymore though, they are well behaved and have run of the house at all times.
I’m in the camp with the posters who say this is an infant dog who normally would be with mom/sibs for comfort and security. Because he’s lost mom and sibs, I think you need to be a little flexible. Take the puppy out when he’s crying, snuggle a bit and put him back. Babies need comfort, not boot camp.
