Tommy crying in his crate at night.

Tommy is 15 weeks old and has been doing brilliantly. He really settled in his crate at night and started sleeping all night. However, last week he had an upset tummy and he had to go out in the night, because he was not well. He was fine again the following day, but since then he has cried every night, several times in the night and I don't know how to break this routine. All his bedding and his crate have been thoroughly cleaned, so I know it's not the crate itself that is the problem. As soon as I come downstairs the crying stops and I can hear his tail wagging. I have been thinking about leaving him out of his crate and just letting him sleep in his bed in the kitchen with Charlie our other dog, but I'm not sure if he old enough yet. Any suggestions? I can't leave him to cry or he would wake the whole house and they need their sleep, because they have to work and go to school.

Hmm, it depends whether you really want him to stay in his crate or if you're not particularly bothered. If you really want him to stay in the crate, I'm afraid you'll just have to put up with it until he learns he's got to stay in there-- he will settle down. He may just be feeling unsure of himself after having been ill and wanting your company.

At 15 weeks, I think he's probably old enough to stay in his bed in the kitchen. Maybe you could move the crate in there at night and leave the door open? That way he still has the reassurance of the nice safe crate but also Charlie and bed. Or, if it's just that he likes to be near you, is it an option to move the crate close to your bed? We crate trained our littlest-- okay, she was probably around 2 to 4 when we got her, but still-- and that's where she really wanted to be. Close by and she would settle right down, not a peep, all night.

You might try putting on some soothing music for him, something quiet and peaceful. I like Jan Gabarek but that's just me... helps me sleep when I'm having trouble too!

Maybe leave the crate door open.He can sleep with Charlie or in his crate then,whatever he decides

Oops crossposted

The crate is in the kitchen with Charlie, but Charlie just sleeps in an ordinary dog bed. The only reason we use the crate at night is to stop any accidents. I'm really not sure that Tommy would let us know if he wanted to go out otherwise. During the day he never goes in the crate, there is another bed in the kitchen for him to use if he wants to sleep. (We have a big kitchen!). Tommy has not had any accidents in the house during the day for a couple of weeks now, so he is doing really well and I don't want to take a step backwards with this. He has been crying again tonight, hence posting at this ungodly hour, but settles back down if I am in the room. I suspect I will be up again in a couple of hours...

Just a quick reply to let you know that we have abandoned the crate. Tommy has been sleeping in the kitchen in a bed next to Charlie for over a week now. He is now sleeping all night and so far we have had no accidents. He is brilliant!

Lovely to have such a nice update on your pup.

Well done Tommy!

That is really good news, I'm so pleased for you and Tommy

He really is doing brilliantly now. I admit I had concerns when we got him, but 8 short weeks later, he has changed so much. I couldn't ask for a better dog.