# Non-stop barking in crate.



## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

I work third shift, so when I sleep during the day, she is crated, when I leave at night she is crated. The rest of the time she is out or I let her run around outside as much as possible but she has to be on a runner since I don't have a fence. 

But I put her in her crate first thing in the morning she is usually okay until about an hour or two in and she starts barking and scratching at her crate. 

I get up and take her out (she is fed first in the morning), she is fine for about an hour and then the incessant barking begins. I've read everything I can find, I've tried waiting until she quiets down and going and letting her out to run but she never wants to really full on play, she just lays down on the couch. Which is confusing to me? I figure if she wants out she wants to play or run. She's been seen, clear bill of health. Just strange?

As far as leaving her out, if she is out of my sight for more than a couple of minutes and she isn't crated it's SILENCE and that usually means she is into something she shouldn't be (chewing shoes, furniture, whatever she can get her mouth on) so her not being crated hasn't been an option.

Please no rude comments. This is my first time training/raising a puppy. 

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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

She doesn't want to be alone. Is your room blacked out? If she's in a dark room, she may settle down better.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

stuffed kong in crate?


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## hoytn (Oct 1, 2017)

I put a blanket over Luna crate and that seems to settle her down. Also give it time, Luna is 3 months and still whines in the crate of she is in it while Angel is not in hers. In time she will be ok with it.


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## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

Jax08 said:


> She doesn't want to be alone. Is your room blacked out? If she's in a dark room, she may settle down better.


I've tried having her in the room, she just rustles around and whines.

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## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> stuffed kong in crate?


She picks the Kong apart and eats it. Then throws it back up, no matter what I put inside. :/

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## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

If I put anything over her crate, towel/blanket, she manages to pull it in through the holes and rips it to shreds


hoytn said:


> I put a blanket over Luna crate and that seems to settle her down. Also give it time, Luna is 3 months and still whines in the crate of she is in it while Angel is not in hers. In time she will be ok with it.


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## hoytn (Oct 1, 2017)

motohonda said:


> If I put anything over her crate, towel/blanket, she manages to pull it in through the holes and rips it to shreds
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk


make sure it is big enough so it goes over the whole crate. you might have to work her out before bedtime a small walk or some obedience training might help somewhat tire her out.


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## hoytn (Oct 1, 2017)

With regards to having her in the room with you, it took Luna about 2 days to stop whining. I would have to literally put my fingers in the crate and she would go to bed, having a puppy is a lot of work.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

I have worked nights. Am I getting this right? You say she is in the crate when you work. And she is in the crate when you are trying to sleep. How many hours in a 24 hour period is she in the crate? How old is this puppy? 

No offense, but this is a breed that needs a lot of exercise and companionship. If you are really keeping her like this I think you might consider rehoming her and getting a cat.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

"As far as leaving her out, if she is out of my sight for more than a couple of minutes and she isn't crated it's SILENCE and that usually means she is into something she shouldn't be (chewing shoes, furniture, whatever she can get her mouth on) so her not being crated hasn't been an option."

This is normal bored puppy and regualar puppy behavior.


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## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

Nurse Bishop said:


> I have worked nights. Am I getting this right? You say she is in the crate when you work. And she is in the crate when you are trying to sleep. How many hours in a 24 hour period is she in the crate? How old is this puppy?
> 
> No offense, but this is a breed that needs a lot of exercise and companionship. If you are really keeping her like this I think you might consider rehoming her and getting a cat.


She is in it for an 8 hour period while I am working, when my fiance gets home, usually 2-3 hrs before me, she is out, then when I get home, she is in it for about 3-4 if she doesn't wake me up barking 2 hrs after I go to sleep, when I take her out I let her play and run around until she is tired, give her water, take her back in and she will go into the crate on her own, she'll sleep or lay in there for another 1-3 or until she starts barking to go back out, rinse repeat. If she is really hyper I will let her play a long time before I go to sleep so it varies. I understand she is a hyper breed and I make sure she is exercised, some days maybe not as much, but she isn't in it all day everyday, giving her to someone who has more free time has been a thought...but id rather just make adjustments. I am looking for a 1st shift job so I'll have more time throughout the evening for her. 

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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

So thats 15 hours a day in the crate. How old is this puppy? Have you taught the enough or quiet command?


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## hoytn (Oct 1, 2017)

No german shepherd puppy is going to stay in the crate quite for 15 hrs. I would suggest that your fiance give her a good work out before she leaves, doesn't always have to be running having the puppy use its brain will tire it out as well. Your sleep schedule will be getting ruined for the next month at minimum.


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## Kcxgsd (Feb 7, 2013)

How do you exercise your puppy? If you're just letting it play on its own that won't be enough. Your puppy is lonely and bored so it won't want to stay in its crate for that long. I would suggest you to look up how to play flirt pole with the puppy and train it how to be played with. 

A flirt pole is a pole and string (shaped like a small fishing pole) with a toy tied to the end of it. It's played with by moving the toy in circles with you in the center of the circle. You can tire out your puppy with this even more with less time. Different exercises can help too, fetch, tug. You should exercise your pup everytime before you put it in its cage(or at least very tired). 

After your pup is tired out you can put a stuffed kong toy in with your puppy. That will relax him afterwards, and if your puppy is tired, and
mentally stimulated your puppy will be barking less. 

And with your puppy getting into things when you cant see her, tether your pup next to you so you can always keep an eye on her so she doesnt learn bad habits you wont like in the future.

I hope this helps and hopefully you will find time in your busy schedule to exercise and train your pup to stop barking so much in its crate!


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## motohonda (Feb 22, 2018)

I don't just let her run, I play with her, have been teaching her fetch, letting her play in water some as well. She's calmed down a little since my fiance has been getting up with her a little more often and we are switching off.


Kcxgsd said:


> How do you exercise your puppy? If you're just letting it play on its own that won't be enough. Your puppy is lonely and bored so it won't want to stay in its crate for that long. I would suggest you to look up how to play flirt pole with the puppy and train it how to be played with.
> 
> A flirt pole is a pole and string (shaped like a small fishing pole) with a toy tied to the end of it. It's played with by moving the toy in circles with you in the center of the circle. You can tire out your puppy with this even more with less time. Different exercises can help too, fetch, tug. You should exercise your pup everytime before you put it in its cage(or at least very tired).
> 
> ...


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## tc68 (May 31, 2006)

When you're home and the pup is loose, it should be on a leash at all times. And the leash needs to be tied to you or at least within hand's reach. You cannot let it out of your sight. This minimizes any trouble it can get into. Also, every pup/dog will bark incessantly at the beginning of crate training. You just have to weather the storm. Your will has to be stronger than your pup's. Feed it treats when it's in the crate. It has to associate the crate with good times. And you have to expect the barking for days, or weeks, or even months. Different pups take different times to get used to it. I was lucky, mine only took a few days. Now he loves going in there by himself to take naps. Start from the beginning again. 5 minutes, give treats if it's not barking. Let it out. Build on it, add another 5 minutes. Rinse, repeat. Training a pup is a lot of work. You have to be patient and suffer through the hard times. It will get better if you do things right. There will be a lot of sleepless nights and days. Get used to it. No one said raising a puppy would be easy.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Another thing- All puppies pull everything they can get into their crate and chew it. You could get some cardboard or even better, thin plywood and cover the box on all sides except the door. Then it will be like her cave or den. Dogs like this. Believe it or not, someday you will look at the teeth holes in your pants cuffs and miss the puppy days.


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