New Puppy Howling/Barking/Crying In Crate All Night - Driving Me Crazy!!!!
Hiya all,
Well I will start with abit of back ground information in order to get the best help possible.
Our GSD was put to sleep a couple of weeks ago
and left a huge hole in our hearts and home. In order to fill the void we decided to visit the rescue kennels and brought home a gorgeous cross breed bitch whom we called Missy as she didnt have a name (number 1672 I think!!) She is roughly 6 months old and has her adult teeth. We are told she is a cross rottweiler but after abit of research she looks like a rottweiler/hound but personally I see Doberman in her aswell so who knows lol.
We were advised at the rescue Kennels to buy a crate for her that day (Tuesday 9th May 2006) and crate her during the evening.
When we got her home we put the crate up and left it in the living room as she got herself used to it and her new surroundings. Obviousley the evening came and we put her crate in the Kitchen which is were she will be sleeping.
The first night my wife and I didnt get any sleep at all, Missy was howling, barking and crying all night. She was bribed into the crate with treats and went in there on her own accord. It started as soon as we left her and continued until I got up at 5am. We didnt go to her at all in the evening and good news is that she didnt poop or wee in her crate
We made the crate (or bed as we call it) as comfortable as possible. I held a teddy all night and left that in for her so it had my scent on, we left the radio on and gave her some nice treats. Seemingly it all had no effect as she cried all night.
It is now night 7 tonight and it doesnt seem to have ceased much. After the first night I did alot of reading on the internet and learnt about the famous Kongs, which we went out and bought that night. You have to realise Missy is far too intelligent for her own good. She knows it is a bribe to get her in her crate and now just ignores it and lays in the living room. We are literally having to pick her up and put her in the crate.
We have done all of the crate training as advertised, leaving her for short periods to start, then longer periods etc etc. On Saturday evening I fell asleep on the sofa waiting for the boxing to start and therefore she was not put in the crate and I woke at 5am to find her asleep in her crate!!! However when you try and put her in it, she wont have any of it?
So, I mean this in the greatest of respect, however I know what many people would advise here, and that is to have the crate in our bedroom until she gets used to it. This is not going to work!!! Many reasons really, my wife goes to bed early because she is up early for work and she normally goes to bed at 9.30pm, I follow at anytime after that. Therefore she will be running up and downstairs all night (3 storeys, our bedroom being the top). Also we dont want her to get used to having the run of the house. There is a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs to prevent her access which she hates and cries at when I go upstairs, this is for 1 minute when it isnt worth crating her.
I know it has only been a week since she came here and she is getting used to us and her new surroundings. When we brought her from the kennels it looks like she had been with her sister for 3 months in the same kennel so I am sure that isnt nice for her being apart. I am just wondering if we are actually doing the right thing at the moment.
I would be extremely grateful if anyone could answer these questions or offer us some form of advice -
1. - Currently we are literally having to pick her up and put her in the crate on an evening. We feed her in the crate and her water is in the crate, which she only goes in when she knows we are sat down and cant lock her in. When she is in the crate and we are in the kitchen with her she is fine, she just sits down, sometimes lays, and sulks!! As soon as you leave the room she starts to whine and cry, then howl and then full blown barks. Are we doing the right thing by putting her in the crate? People say it all takes time, however what are we supposed to do when we want to sleep or an hour to ourselves so to speak! The lady next door says she had the same problem with her dog but after 2 weeks of crying he stopped and now loves his crate. She advises to keep with it and try to ignore the crying which I am prepared to do aslong as it stops soon.
2. - She is clearly recognising the Kong and treats as a bribary to get her into the crate. Should we start giving her treats in the living room and gradually move them to the crate?
3. - We are trying to put her in the crate for short periods of time during the day but after doing it just then, she is in the kitchen and can see me but after about 30 seconds she has started crying. We cannot possibly have her crate in the living room because it is too big so the kitchen is the only viable place to have it. She is quiet until she realises you arent there and then cries etc etc. Is this the right thing to continue doing during the day or are we causing her to dislike the crate even more?
4 - Lastnight was the first time she escaped from it. Somehow she forced the door open? I tell you, very clever. My wife got up to find her laid in the kitchen. I am totally 100% sure if she wasnt crated she would chew the house as I have already caught her doing this (skirting board). Now when you put her in her crate she has started trying to escape again, I can her her rattling her crate. It really isnt that she doesnt like it because she freely goes in it when she knows she isnt going to get locked in, she just wants to be with us. Are we over-reacting and should we just carry on as we are until she realises that is her place and must go in there when we want, not when she wants?
I understand there will be alot of people who have their dogs sleeping with them and following them everywhere they go, our old GSD was like that (didnt sleep with us though) and ultimately led to his downfall, we dont want the same thing happening to Missy. We want her to sleep in the kitchen with the door closed on an evening, end of. It might sound harsh to some people but we beleive that humans also need a break aswell and having a dog licking their face 24/7 does not constitute a break in my eyes.
Sorry to bore people if you have managed to get down this far, I just thought the more information I give the better advice I may receive
We are taking her to her first obedience class tonight which should be fun lol
People say it takes time with crates which is fair enough but at some point on each day the dog has to be away from their owner, how can the dog like the crate if you lock her in it when your not there?
Anyway, I look forward to reading any replies and they will be received with great appreciation and respect
Peace