# Crate Training...constant barking and whining



## Killian10 (Feb 22, 2005)

So I just picked up my puppy on Saturday. He was 8 weeks old on Friday. The breeder raised the litter outside in a pen and he had around 6 other siblings.

The crate I got him is an XL wire crate but it has a divider and I made it small enough where he can easily turn around and lay down with no problems.

I used some toys and treats and spent about an hour showing him that the crate was a fun place and not punishment. He's fine playing in there and goes in there no problem when I use a treat. 

The problem is when I close the door he goes nuts. When I walk out of the room he goes even more crazy. The barking and whining is non stop. You'd think he was being tortured in there if you didn't know any better. So as a test I laid down next to the crate and he was fine. So I'm convinced it's separation that is bothering him.

Any suggestions on how to fix this? I've been told to put him in there and just try to ignore him for an hour or so several times a day and that in a few days he'll be fine. I want to make sure that's not a mistake though.

Just for an example i put him in there about 30 minutes ago and he hasn't stopped yet.


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## GottaLoveHim (May 26, 2011)

Since he likes you being there you might want to try and leave him a blanket or piece of clothing that has your scent on it. Just make sure it's something you don't mind being torn up. Hope this helps, if not just wait for more experienced dog owners to come along and help you.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Do you feed him his meals in his crate? Do you only treat him in the crate when he goes in? Are you on any type of schedule with him?


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## Ken Clean-Air System (Feb 27, 2012)

Give it time, he'll get used to it. Ours was 10 weeks old when we brought her home so she was a little older than yours, but here is what worked for us:

First night: Didn't have a crate, just a doggie bed. Slept on the powder room floor with her (well, she was on the doggie bed) for the night ... Well she slept, I was awake most of the night because the room was so small I couldn't even lay down all the way except in one position on the hard, cold bathroom floor, lol. 

Second night: Got a large wire crate and let her explore it during the day, put it our bedroom that night and I slept on the floor next to the crate. 

Third night: I started the night on the floor next to the crate, then moved to the bed after she fell asleep. 

Fourth night: I layed on the floor for about 10 minutes after closing the crate then went to bed. 

Ever since then she's been fine with the crate and goes in and goes right to sleep as soon as we turn out the lights. Not a peep anymore ... Unless she sees a cat come into the room and jump into the bed with us, but even then, she just whines a bit then quiets right down. 

For the first few days we moved the crate up and down stairs for her to get used to it being a safe place for her, but now it just stays in the bedroom and she has a second dog bed downstairs to nap and relax in ... Though when she's downstairs she prefers the couch


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my pup came home at 9 weeks old. the first 3 nights
he whined. the 4th night all was quiet. throughout the day
i use to crate him for 5 minutes. the 5 minutes became
10 minutes and the 10 minutes became 20 minutes and so.
i crated many times throughtout the day. whenever i crated him
i would say "go to your crate". as i was walking towards him
to pick him up to carry him to his crate i would say "go to
your crate". i repeated it several times on the way to the crate.
once we reached the crate i sat him down in front of the crate
and as i ushered him in the crate i would say it again "go to your
crate". oneday sometime later i said "go to your crate" and he got
up and went to his crate. after that i started saying go to your crate
from different parts of the house. sometimes i had to guide him
but he caught on. eventually i could tell him to go his crate
from any part of the house and if i left the front door
open i could tell him to go his crate from anywhere around
the house/yard. i used a lot of treats and praise when crate
training.

don't worry your dog will learn that the crate is his friend.
i never used the crate as a correction or as punishment.


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## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

Is it a wire crate? I started mine in a travel type crate becasue that was what we had. I would cover the door with a towl to make it more dark and homey. THis would calm him. When I moved up to the larger wire crate I put a towel over the top and side and one over the door to make it feel more like a den. He would whine a bit until I covered the door then he would lay down. He was really calm and easy so these may not work for everyone. Also I would never open the door if he was making noise to get out. If i was reaching to open the crate and he started barking I would say quite, step away and turn my back to him until he setteld down. Then I would let him out if he did not bark. He was a fast learner. We fed in the crate too so he wanted to get in there to eat. eventually the towl came off the door compleately but he liked his den so I kept something up on one side. Good Luck.


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## Killian10 (Feb 22, 2005)

It's a black wire crate. 

I haven't given him any meals in there but I may do that, with the door open just so he can see it's a good place.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Killian10 said:


> It's a black wire crate.
> 
> I haven't given him any meals in there but I may do that, with the door open just so he can see it's a good place.


When you feed him, go ahead and close the door. Let him eat. Give him time in the crate to rest (you too!). Say, 5 minutes after he is quiet, then let him out. After every meal let him eat and then work the time up to 30 minutes of quiet time. This will help him learn that after a meal is quiet time (let his food digest). 

After crate time, take him outside for a potty break. Every time I take my pup out of the crate we go outside. Every time. 

When you need a break and want to put him in his crate take a small handfull of kibble and drop it in the crate. Or you can use a high value treat. Give him a command, "go to your kennel" (or anything you wish) and put him in. 

He'll learn that going into the kennel isn't a bad thing. It's a quiet time, treat, and food thing. 

Recently, I was transfering blood pressure medicine into a different container. I dropped the pill bottle and all the pills spilled on the floor. My GSD was the only dog loose in the house at the time. As usual he was right by me. I was able to say "Kennel!" and he went straight to his kennel. He didn't pout, or look hurt. He trotted off to his kennel. He still knows that kennel means something good is going to happen.


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## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

Yes to all of the above. At meal time I say "go to your crate" and off he goes. Now I don't even have to say it. When I pickup the bowl he runs in the crate sits and waits for me to bring his bowl. He knows the "go to your crate" command and goes right in all the time...not just meal time. I do not use the crate much anymore but he still goes in to eat.Use Lots of praise. And do not use it as punisment. It should be seen as a happy calm place...not prison.


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

SiegersMom said:


> Yes to all of the above. At meal time I say "go to your crate" and off he goes. Now I don't even have to say it. When I pickup the bowl he runs in the crate sits and waits for me to bring his bowl. He knows the "go to your crate" command and goes right in all the time...not just meal time. I do not use the crate much anymore but he still goes in to eat.Use Lots of praise. And do not use it as punisment. It should be seen as a happy calm place...not prison.


Our Missy love love LOVED the crate, and when it was meal time, she could often be found sitting in the crate waiting for us to get the hint that it was time to feed dogs. And we'd regularly find two or more dogs crowded into one crate for cuddles as well.


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## Pandora (Feb 29, 2012)

There is some very good advice offered. I absolutely agree about giving the pup an old t-shirt that smells of you, making the crate a place of refuge, safety, fun. I've always fed my critters in the crate so that they associate the crate with good things and are not reluctant to be confined. Puppies need something to chew, like bones, rawhide, nylabone - something safe that they can gnaw on.
A ticking clock can be wrapped in a towel to simulate heartbeat; some animals find this soothing.
We got Zelda at 7 wks. She traveled from Texas to Virginia in a crate in the seat next to my husband. At home we kept getting bigger crates to accommodate her growth. All I had to say was "crate" and in she'd go. When she was small and would cry, the crate would be covered until she stopped. She didn't fuss very long, but soon sought out her crate on her own. The crate made it so she never once chewed anything she shouldn't and had only ONE accident in the house (our fault of being inattentive). The crate helped her be a good dog - which is a happy dog. She will be 3 April 5 and hasn't used the crate for several months. Our house is very small, and I just got tired of this giant thing in here. She has her bed right beside ours and will "go to bed" when told, so I use that command if she is too excited about company.
When puppy comes out of the crate, it is always potty time. Take your pup where you want him/her to go (I taught in the leaves rather than the grass), use some word that suits you, and praise lavishly.


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## Killian10 (Feb 22, 2005)

Update:

OK, so Murphy is doing a little better. He's not freaking out AS much but still crying sometimes. 

I take him out as soon as he comes out of the crate every single time. 

He goes in by me giving him treats and he now sits once he's in there and knows that's where he needs to be at that time. 

I also put a t-shirt and a towel in there.


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## jjmonty82 (Mar 9, 2012)

I have a question about crate training. 
Sophie was spayed yesterday morning at the shelter and she used to get into the crate without any fuss. When i brought her to my place she got in easily too, but she started licking her incision inside the crate, so I placed a funnel collar around her neck so she wouldn't lick the glue off the incision. I tried placing her in the crate, but she went hysterical and could not really turn around in the crate because her funnel kept getting stuck in the wires. The wire crate is a large size, and I have partitioned it so she can easily turn. Should I still place her inside the crate at night? She is sleeping in the living room, i have removed all small objects and clothing, right now and looks calm. Eventually, I will fall asleep too and I don't want her to defecate or urinate in the living room without me training her to go outside.


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