Crate Training (Advice on accustoming pup to being alone in crate please)

Hello Guys, as most of you know i have got my puppy now

Can i please have some advise on the best way to get her used to being left alone? at the moment if we even step into the kitchen she barks. My family want to go out for a meal tomorrow, but im panicking she'll get too distressed if were gone for an hour. we have started closing the crate for 5 minutes and then letting her out, and she whines a lot unless we sit near the crate with her. She does sleep in there at night (with the crate door open) Is there anything else we can do??

Thankyou

We're having problems with the crate too! OH puts Suki in it when he does the school run (which is max of 20 minutes) - our neighbour gives him a running commentary of how long it takes her to stop crying and barking when he gets back.

We put her in the crate tonight when we were eating because she goes into complete destructive mode - everything from nipping to stealing whatever she can get her teeth into! She kept crying and I find it really difficult to listen to. She doesn't sleep in the crate at night - we've got her a bed next to ours and seems to settle well. She follows the OH around all the time - it's his shadow.

there is an article on here by shadowboxer which explains it all pretty well.

must admit i do shut mine in overnight and Rio is only 10 weeks and she is fine with it. also i dont have them in the bedroom with me, in the first few days i sleep as close as possible to the crate, ( conservatory floor ) for night time wee or whatever and if they whine i talk quietly to them, if i put them out for a wee they go straight back in, and if they whine i just talk, they soon settle. i gradually shut them in for longer periods of time during the day, they have to get used to you coming back and they do get used to it quite quickly. Also i have a cover for my crates which makes it darker inside, but a blanket or sheet will do.
for your night out, you could try playing with her beforehand to wear her out, cover the crate and convince her it is night time.
I have left Rio for an hour each day from day one, but usually when she looked like she was ready for a kip, put her in the crate, waited till she settled and made my escape. Also if they fall asleep anywhere else, i pick em up and put them in the crate, once they settle, i shut the door. they soon learn when they wake up they can come out.
now when i vacuum she puts herself in there rather than keep having to move out of the way.

I have one in a crate and one not. I always leave the radio on for them if I'm out.......worth a try

Hi Cartermn you need to gradually teach your puppy to be left alone, but it is early days yet and everything is new so do it gently..

You are going to teach your puppy:
..your going out of the room is no big deal,
..you will always return,
..when you are with her it does not mean she will automatically get your attention,
...she will get attention when you are ready.

Start just after she has had a little play and been out to relieve herself .Using the room the puppy spends the most time in and where her bed/crate is, go out of the room ignoring her and shut the door.
..After a few short moments go back in the room and do something like going in the cupboards but ignore the puppy completely, no word no eye contact.
...Do this going in and out a few times shutting the door...eventually go back in the room and sit with a book still ignoring the puppy, no word no eye contact she does not exist.
...When she is quiet and not bothering you go to her and give her lots of praise.
...You need to do this going in and out exercise a few times each day, start to vary the time she is left and always do it after she has relieved herself.

Leave the radio on with a voice programme like radio 4, this will mask the sound of your movements and be comforting for her.
If you have not already got a Kong, it would be a good thing to get one to occupy the puppy when you leave the room for long periods and fill it with safe things the puppy can lick and not choke on .

This is an article by Shadowboxwer on crates that may also help you...
http://www.dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/the-crate-what-is-it-how-should-it-be-used_15552.html

have you tried the clock technique? leaving a clock beside the cage or under the blankets.. I also leave the radio on quite low for my dog when I go out it seems to work a treat

I have tried the clock and hot water bottle. Unfortunatly i dont have a radio handy. but still no luck. However i have sectioned off our bedroom and she seems happier staying in there, so i may scrap the crate and just buy a dog bed

Hi Carternm did you try the gradual conditioning technique posted above....it was only posted a few days ago, it will work but these methods don't work instantly.. you have to do it a number of times every day for a couple of weeks

http://www.dogweb.co.uk/talkdogs/sho...35&postcount=6

Please don't take this the wrong way, but i think you're being very soft with her and she is winding you round her little paw. It is easy for us that have done it before to hand out advice, because we know it works and have got the desired results. We also know it can be very trying and it helps if you have a clear objective in mind. For me, I have to kennel them every January as I have a holiday home in Antigua and can clearly not take them with me. Told myself, If they are crate trained it will be less stressful for them being locked up in kennels, also if they have to stay in the vets for any reason, they will be crated, again if they are used to it, there will be less stress.
Also i bought a time share in Scotland specifically as they allow dogs and they could come with us, very nice it is too,( an ebay bargain) but i would be mortified if they ever damaged the furnishings etc, so being in a crate overnight stops the possibility. Only you can decide if its worth all the agg, for me there was no question. Also if she goes through a destructive phase it will be invaluable, and it is so much easier to train her to use it now rather than later. Maybe it would help if you could convince yourself she will eventually see it as a refuge rather than a prison. It can take time, Sydney was a total pain in the butt about it for a good 3 weeks, and gradually improved. it was no overnight success but for me quitting was not an option.
Sorry for going on and on and on, honest